The organization NALTO, the National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations, deals with locum tenens issues and ethics. Locum tenens agencies that are members of NALTO have passed certain standards and meet NALTO's expectations for their treatment of both physicians and clients.
Physicians interested in this type of work sign up with a locum tenens company, and that company then offers the physicians the temporary positions that clients need filled. The locum tenens company pays the physician, usually by the hour, and the healthcare organization pays the locum tenens company.
A locum tenens position with a given healthcare provider could be for a single shift, or it could be for up to a year. Most typically, however, a locum tenens assignment will be for several days or several weeks.
What are the advantages to physicians of taking a locum tenens position? For one thing, it allows young physicians to try out different types of practices in different parts of the country, with a view toward ultimately finding one that fits. Many locum tenens physicians have just recently finished their residencies, and are gaining extra experience in various settings before settling down in one spot.
Some locum tenens physicians simply enjoy travel, and the flexibility that goes with being a temporary worker rather than a salaried employee.
Healthcare facilities choose locum tenens as a relatively painless way to fill temporary vacancies. A member of their regular physician staff might be sick, on maternity leave, or on sabbatical. Or they might be one doctor short, and need someone to fill in temporarily while they search for the right person to fill the vacancy.
Clients requesting locum tenens coverage range across the spectrum of healthcare providers. They could be looking for someone in any specialty. A client could be a rural solo physician practice, or one of the nation's largest hospitals.
Some facilities depend on locum tenens as an important part of their staffing plan. They find it more efficient to staff at a minimum level and fill extra needs through locum tenens coverage, rather than staffing at a maximum level and periodically under-utilizing the staff they have.