Maintaining Your Competitive Edge: How Using Locum Tenens Staff Help Your Hospital Attract Top Talent

Let’s say you’re a healthcare professional deciding between offers from two hospitals.  

All else being equal – pay, benefits, vacation time, etc. – which would you choose: the hospital that’s always short-staffed or the one that keeps a close eye on staffing levels and uses locum tenens pros when staffing is tight so that its full-time staff isn’t overly stressed? 

(We’re fairly certain you know the answer.) 

Hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country continuously vie for top talent. Factors such as salary, benefits and even location often play important roles when it comes to attracting healthcare pros. 

And, as hinted at above there’s another factor in helping great pros choose your facility; 

Its commitment to maintaining staffing levels

Using locums to ensure staffing levels remain at optimal levels for both patient care and permanent staff well-being makes a facility more attractive to healthcare pros.  

After all, with burnout costs estimated at “$9 billion for nurses and $2.6 billion to $6.3 billion for physicians,” knowing that a hospital can bring in extra staff quickly via a partnership with a locum staffing service,” could be both a talent-attraction and talent-retention tool.  

How a partnership with a locum tenens recruiting service helps your healthcare facility maintain a competitive edge

Reduced permanent staff burnout

Bringing in locums as needed – and quickly so – helps ensure that permanent staff aren’t swamped during peak periods or when colleagues are on vacation. If you mention this in your recruiting messaging, potential hires can see that you’re committed to their work-life balance. 

A proven focus on quality care

Candidates understand that full staffing levels are an important of maintaining quality patient care. Knowing that you utilize locums when needed lets candidates know you that you prioritize good patient outcomes. 

You showcase your adaptability and flexibility

Healthcare pros understand how much adequate staffing levels contribute to a great work culture when it comes to maintaining staffing loads and patient needs. Such flexibility often is quite attractive to candidates who value such a culture.  

You can gain a competitive edge in the specialties you offer

More staff – even if temporary – means you can offer a wider range of healthcare services. Locums can be particularly valuable when you don’t have enough patient volume (yet) to support a permanent team. 

Offering a wide breadth of healthcare services/specialties can be very attractive to high-quality talent. 

In short, a hospital or medical facility that maintains optimal staffing levels creates a resilient/adaptable workforce, which then goes a long way in ensuring great patient outcomes, which also positions your facility as an employer of choice. 

Contact SUMO Staffing today to learn more about our locum tenens recruiting services.