4 Benefits of Using Locum Tenens for Healthcare Innovation

Think about this idea: what if you could “test drive” a new service or cutting-edge medical technology without having to worry about making a long-term commitment? 

Sounds great, right?  

You can do this at your healthcare facility with the help of locum tenens professionals. 

These highly-talented pros are much more than staffing-gap fillers: they’re possible game changers, bringing their knowledge and experience from their work in diverse medical settings. 

Leveraging their skills and knowledge as “innovation incubators” can help you test out new departments, medical delivery models and even begin healthcare/medical startups within your facility, all without having to make a permanent commitment. 

1. Identify innovative ideas and opportunities

Begin by designating areas where your hospital/facility could benefit from new ideas: 

  • Analyze your current operations and service offerings. Look for gaps in offerings and processes. 
  • Survey staff as well as patients. What services do they think you should offer? What do they want you to provide them? What problems and pain points are they experiencing? 
  • Research emerging medical tech and trends. Which ones best match your hospital’s goals and patient needs/desires? 

2. Design your project 

Define clear objectives: what specific results do you want to achieve? For example, would you want a potential telemedicine service to reduce the number of visits to your ER for non-emergency cases by X percent within X number of months? 

  • Then set a timeline: decide how long you’ll run the test. Three to six months often is a good length.  
  • Decide on metrics (how you’ll measure success). This could include patient satisfaction scores, improvements in health outcomes, cost savings, and more. 
  • Choose the metrics that will determine success. Do you want patient satisfaction scores to rise? If so, by how much? Are you looking to save money? How much?  

3. Select your team of locums

Reach out to experienced locum tenens staffing recruiters and ask them to source medical professionals with the experience you need. For example, if you’re thinking of offering a pain medicine clinic, it’s best to look for locums who have extensive experience pain management. 

4. Start tracking results

Track patient pain scores, opioid prescription rates, patient satisfaction, etc. Ask the locums leading the test to provide weekly reports and train full-time staff on new-to-them techniques. 

Using locums helps you test new ideas – with experts guiding you – without committing to permanent staff or considerable financial investment. 

Reach out to SUMO Staffing to learn more about how we can help you pilot a new service or tech with the help of the exceptional locum talent we source.