Most medical facilities know that locum tenens physicians deliver several critical advantages to their existing staff. In fact, many healthcare administrators seek out a locum tenens staffing solution specifically to benefit their internal personnel. Locum tenens hires can quickly minimize stress and fatigue levels at an over-tasked and overwhelmed practice. From serving as an extra resource to manage an upswing in patient demand to covering long-term leaves of absence, a locum tenens doctor can help full-time practitioners feel rested and ready to perform at their very best.
Your Patients Also Benefit From a Locum Tenens Physician
What many medical executives don't realize is that a locum tenens resource actually delivers several essential patient benefits as well. Today's healthcare terrain is highly competitive– and today's patients recognize they have a choice where they'll seek care. As a result, providers often go head-to-head with each other to not only deliver the very best patient treatment possible but to also deliver the very best patient experience in an effort to steal market share, both within their region and vertical.
Integrating locum tenens can help improve the patient experience in several essential ways, including:
Shorter Wait Times
What’s one of the quickest ways to determine if a practice is spreading its resources too thin? Check out the average wait time in the office. Not only are excessive wait times to see a physician inconvenient, but they can also have a significant impact on overall satisfaction levels and perception of a center's ability to distribute quality care. Additionally, leaving your patients waiting (and waiting) can result in patients refusing to recommend your practice to others, and may even prompt them to say negative things online about your facility.
Eager to resolve the many problems caused by a crowded waiting room, many physicians and recruiters opt to supplement their staff with a locum tenens doctor. A temporary medical resource immediately adds an experienced and qualified healthcare professional to the existing team, equipping the office to see patients faster, and ultimately keeping them happier throughout the entire visit.
Longer, More Meaningful Patient Engagements
Beyond reducing potential wait times, augmenting your team with a locum tenens physician can help increase the time every patient spends with physicians. Not having the adequate resources needed to manage patient load often means the quality of care delivered is diminished as practitioners struggle to maintain the pace required to keep up with demand. Increasing access to the number of available clinicians helps ensure that every patient has sufficient, meaningful time with the doctor to ask questions and discuss any health concerns or issues.
Enhanced Communication
Finally, hiring locum tenens physicians to eliminate care gaps within your practice can help improve communication throughout your facility. Adding to the number of onsite medical professionals grants patients access to a larger network, instantly reducing the threat of miscommunication and missed inquiries. Additionally, increasing communication throughout the care continuum makes patients feel valued, boosting satisfaction levels and encouraging them to return to your practice in the future.
Contact LT Partners Today
Ready to improve patient satisfaction across your healthcare facility? We can help. Contact LT Partners today to learn more about leveraging the many benefits of locum tenens doctors.
