ACO this and ACO that, it seems very confusing.  Yet I know that practicing

physicians are concerned because the ACO  system affects reimbursements, therefore being an

incentive to grasp it in some form.  With all the stirring about ACO's and

the guidelines isuued in March, CMS came out with adaptation on October 20. AMEDnews.com

stated it this way:

After criticism about its March 31 proposed rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

released an Oct. 20 final rule that gives physicians the option to join an ACO without being

exposed to financial penalties if saving targets are not achieved. CMS also softened program

requirements by reducing the number of quality measures physicians must report and removing

a condition that at least 50% of participants must satisfy meaningful use standards for electronic medical records.

A survey of the American Medical Group Association in April revealed the sentiment of most physicians in no

uncertain terms, "93% of respondents said they would not participate unless the proposed rule underwent major revisions". 

The jury is still out as to how the ACO model will play out in practice.  Certainly an efffort has been made

to make it easier on physicians in adjusting to the changes.  The article from AMEDnews.com goes on

to address "6 changes that make ACO's doable for physicians".

PhysicianJobs.com announced today the launching of a new website for locum tenens. The site is www.LocumTenens123.com. The site is designed to help locum tenens professionals find jobs, and to help facilities find physicians for locum tenens coverage. Job seekers can view thousands of jobs online nationwide in all specialites and respond directly to each employer, or they have the option on the site for signing up as a locums provider for PhysicianJobs.com, LLC.

For more information on this site, go to www.LocumTenens123.com.

 In a quest to gain market share, hospital employment of physicians has accelerated in recent years to shore up referral bases and capture admissions, according to the Center for Studying Health System Change’s (HSC)...

This is according to Brief 136 from the website of the Center for Studying Health System Change.  This makes sense with tighter regulation of the provider process, the hospitals are trying to gain market share and this is accomplished by employing the providers.

The Brief goes on to point out the factors that are driving this trend  and that being an employee doesn't always mean effective "clinical integration".  One thing is certain, the healthcare world is changing. 

PhysicianJobs.com is a physician recruiting firm with years of experience in physician recruiting both locum tenens and permanent placement.  

To find PhysicianJobs go to Physician Jobs

When you complete residency and you are ready for the big launch into your chosen field of practice, I'm sure you have taken a moment to reflect back upon your experience.  You can recall all the clinical aspects of your training...the moments you had to make a quick decision and you hoped it was the right one.  Then there were the moments of learning from your attendings, answering the barrage of questions as you stood over a patient, receiving an "ear full" from a determination you made that wasn't quite up to par, but all the time improving in your knowledge and understanding of being a physician.

How about the relationships you made?  The other residents that you practically lived with the past 3 years.  The special mentors that you will never forget as they shared their knowledge of how to be a practicing physician.  These are relationships that will continue throughout your life and can bring you ongoing benefits.

Do you remember the first time you told a family the bad news concerning a loved one?  Emotion is a major part of your career as a physician.  How effectively you show empathy toward your patients can make a difference in their lives and yours.  Greg Bratton M.D., in a blog in Journal Watch, suggested a "Top Ten List" of things that make the path to becoming a doctor more pleasurable.

The ninth item on his list is "Remember that...you are a person first and a doctor second". 

As you reach the end of residency, keep in mind that being a physician involves your entire life.

It’s July, the time of year when the Residents are turned loose to make their mark on the world of medicine. With the class moving out a new final year crew will take their place.  Most of the 2012 residents will have their
rookie season destinations contracted by the end of 2011. By February of 2012 it will be hard to find a final year resident that is not contracted.

This means that within the next 6 months a lot of recruiting activity will be taking place among the 2012 folks. There will be the phone calls, the site visits, the interviews with physicians and administrators, the late night flights to and from to fit a tight schedule and on and on.  The end result of all this action, a physician with a new position starting in 2012 either on a permanent basis or locum tenens.

Bottom Line

If you are looking for a 2012 resident, get prepared.  Start now getting everything in order. Do your job description, and marketing material.  Determine your interview process, the steps and who is involved.  You will soon start scheduling.

If you are 2012 resident, prepare your CV.  Make sure you have it in a Word Document that everyone will be able to open. Determine the parameters you will use in selecting a location. Keep in mind that the more narrow you are in your parameters, the fewer possibilities you will have. Try to keep an open mind to the different types of practice situations in your specialty. When you are interviewing…smile a lot, have a good sense of humor, be cordial to the staff (either office or hospital) and show you are knowledgeable but flexible.

(Article from the National Association of Locum Tenens Recruiters)

 

What is Locum Tenens?

Taken from the Latin "to hold the place of, to substitute for" locum tenens means, in layman's terms, a temporary physician. In short, locum tenens physicians contract with a staffing company to perform medical services for a healthcare organization for a specified length of time. Physicians are paid by the staffing firm itself who is then paid by the healthcare facility; the client.

Locum tenens work benefits both physicians and hospitals/healthcare organizations. In using locum tenens, the staffing needs of healthcare facilities are met while physicians gain flexibility in their schedules and professional experience in multiple practice settings. The twenty plus-year old industry continues to grow as more and more physicians choose this way of practicing medicine and healthcare organizations continue to learn the value of locum tenens staffing.

Why do physicians choose to do Locum Tenens?

Physicians choose locum tenens work for a variety of reasons and at various points in their careers. For example, it is an especially appealing option for new physicians just out of residency training. It provides them with the opportunity to sample different practices and areas of the country before making a long-term commitment in any one spot. While medical schools and residency programs teach the art of practicing medicine, new physicians frequently emerge from training without knowing just what style of practice will suit them best. In fact, research has shown that an alarming number of new physicians are unhappy with their first practice setting. With locum tenens, there's no pressure to hurry and decide anything permanent. And there are no immediate financial burdens such as "buying in" to a practice or permanently locating to the wrong place. You can even use a locum tenens assignment to try out a specific practice opportunity before making a permanent commitment.

Locum tenens is also the choice of many seasoned physicians who are not ready to retire, but want to scale down the rigors and administrative hassles of full-time practice. These physicians enjoy the chance to keep more reasonable hours and combine work with travel and time spent with family and friends. Still, other physicians choose locum tenens work in mid-career as a way to find the right position in a new area, or while they are in professional transition, such as from military to civilian practice or while in the process of starting their own business.

Why do clients use Locum Tenens physicians?

Clients requesting locum tenens coverage range from rural solo physician practices to the country's major health systems and managed care organizations. These clients have found that supplemental healthcare professionals are needed for a variety of reasons: to fill in for an absent staff member (who may be ill, on vacation, on maternity leave or sabbatical), to cover while physicians attend CME courses, to supplement regular staff during busy times, or to staff new facilities while permanent providers are recruited. Many healthcare facilities across the country use locum tenens as an integral part of their master staffing plan. In many cases it is cheaper and more efficient to staff at a minimum level and use locum tenens to supplement the permanent staff, rather than always trying to staff at the maximum level and having many periods of time when the staff is not fully utilized.

What should I look for in a Locum Tenens company?

When choosing a staffing company, physicians and clients should look for the same qualities in a firm. From the staffing firm's perspective, the industry is a two way street, meaning that both physicians and clients must be provided with the services they need in order for the company to succeed. To help you evaluate different firms and choose one that you can feel comfortable working with, here are some guidelines to follow:

• Does the company provide malpractice insurance for the physicians they place; are they concerned with whether the client has coverage?

• What is the company's payroll history; do they have the financial resources to pay their physicians regularly?

• Does the company offer the services necessary to ensure all details are taken care of when the physician arrives to work, i.e., licensing, credentialing, hospital privileges, proper physician travel and housing arrangements?

In addition to these guidelines, the firm you choose should place a high priority on quality service. This means: a professional staff to provide with you personal attention; comprehensive service offerings such as payroll, travel and housing departments; qualified physicians who meet strict credentialing standards; and most importantly, enough assignments for doctors to choose from and enough doctors for clients to choose from.

How much will I make as a Locum Tenens physician?

As with permanent positions, there is a great deal of variance in compensation based on the specific medical specialty as well as the location of each job. Most locum tenens companies pay their physicians a daily or hourly rate for time worked, as well as covering travel and housing expenses, malpractice insurance and licensing costs. The real benefit to locum tenens work is that you get to travel, have flexibility regarding when and where you work, and earn a fair wage.