Sumo Medial Staffing

While telehealth medical services can be a true boon to rural and underserved communities (and a great use of locum tenens professionals) many of your patients don’t like them. At. All. 

This could become a problem because many medical facilities have come to use telehealth to help cut back on the need of full-time, in-house staff.  

What’s more, telehealth usage in all types of communities has declined in recent months:  

“In 2020, virtual visits accounted for more than a quarter of all outpatient visits in the U.S., and they’ve been steadily increasing since then.” 

Until the increase stopped

As the article linked to above continued: “Recent data shows that telehealth is declining in healthcare, which could create a burden for both healthcare systems and patients.” 

This could become a problem for your rural patients as well as those in underserved communities: telehealth allowed them access healthcare in their home. 

Yet, if they’re not using it, their access to healthcare services returns to the poor level it was before the advent of telehealth. 

We think locum tenens could be the answer

You no doubt believe we’re biased in this, and you wouldn’t be wrong, but hear us out: 

If you’re using locums now for telehealth, it should be easy to use them for in-person visits and/or clinics (whether in a permanent facility or a pop-up) for your underserved and/or rural patient populations. 

These professionals can be a transformative yet highly workable solution for healthcare facilities that care for underserved populations. 

These professionals’ temporary placement will alleviate the current chronic shortage of medical staff in for these patients. 

Rural clinics – as well as clinics in inner cities – often have a hard time attracting and then retaining permanent staff. But locum tenens healthcare pros could be invaluable, providing flexible and skilled support, helping ensure quality healthcare to people who need it most. 

Pop-up clinics, particularly those focused on underserved and/or transient populations, when manned by locum tenens pros, can provide the agility and expertise needed to attend to these patients.  

Temporary clinics can mean a rapid response during a public health crises, natural disasters and/or sudden surges in patient needs, thus making sure that care reaches those who need it most when they need it, no matter where they live or their economic status. 

In addition, locums tend to attract a good diversity of medical professionals, particularly those who are looking for varied work experiences. This then enriches the pool of expertise that’s available for these underserved patient populations. 

In short, locum tenens staffing can help you bridge the healthcare gap for underserved communities. Their work can be pivotal in improving access to healthcare, lowering service interruptions and – most importantly – making sure no one misses out on quality healthcare. 

Learn more about how SUMO Staffing can help your healthcare facility offer quality services to everyone in your service area.