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Your Go-to Guide on Locum Tenens Terminology
Did you know the term locum tenens is Latin and means “to hold the place,” as in physicians or advanced practitioners holding the place of staff clinicians while they are out on vacation, or leave, or until a new member is recruited, for example?
If you are unfamiliar with the career alternative or just now investigating the option, the following glossary of terms is a great place to become acquainted with the language of locum tenens.
Application
The application is the initial step in the All Star Healthcare Solutions’ locum tenens journey. It’s a general information form that helps us get to know you.
Assignment
A locum tenens assignment (or contract) is the period during which a physician, nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistant (PA), or certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) is contracted to work at a hospital, clinic, private practice group, or other healthcare organization. Assignments have both start and finish dates agreed upon by provider and facility, but can vary in length from as little as a day or two to multiple consecutive weeks.
Assignment Match and Presentation
As a staffing agency, our job is to match physicians, NPs, PAs, and CRNAs to facilities requesting additional clinical staff. We match your specialty, skills, experience, licensure, and availability to the contracting organization’s requirements. Consultants then present the contract for your consideration and permission to submit your profile to the facility representative. Next comes a phone interview between you and the administrator or manager before an assignment offer can be extended.
Credentialing
Credentialing is a term for verifying your education, professional experiences, and general background information. Our Medical Staff Services specialists work with individuals to collect the required documentation, including curriculum vitae, licenses, board certifications, education certificates, national provider identification (NPI) and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) registration numbers, and professional references. We help you complete All Star’s credentialing requirements and use that information to prefill healthcare facilities’ credentialing forms as much as possible to expedite the process of securing privileges for you to care for patients on assignment.
Independent Contractor
Locum tenens professionals are categorized as independent contractors, which means you are neither an employee of the staffing agency that places you in contracts nor of the facility where you have been assigned to work temporarily. That said, All Star Healthcare Solutions covers providers under our medical liability insurance policy for the duration of each assignment.
Interstate Licensure Compacts
Interstate licensure compacts are agreements among member states to streamline the licensure processes so providers who accept out-of-state locum tenens jobs can begin treating people as quickly as possible. The Interstate Medical Licensure Compact (IMLC) applies to physicians and the PA Licensure Compact for physician assistants is expected to be functional by 2025. For more information, read our blog, “What Locum Tenens Providers Need to Know about Multistate Licensure Compacts.”
National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations (NALTO)
NALTO is a locum tenens industry group that establishes and promotes best practices among staffing agency members. All Star Healthcare Solutions is a proud member of NALTO.
Orientation
Just like starting any new job, locum tenens providers typically receive an orientation with each new assignment, albeit a condensed version. To learn more about the locum tenens onboarding process, read our blog, “What to Expect from a Locum Tenens Orientation.”
Pay Rate
Generally speaking, locum tenens professionals are compensated at a rate commensurate with the overall market for a facility’s region. Consultants will discuss each contract’s specific details when presenting opportunities.
Professional References
Well-qualified references have familiarity with your medical experiences and abilities as well as your communication and interpersonal skills within the past two years. For tips on picking professional references, see our blog, “Acquiring Professional References for Locum Tenens Jobs.”
Recurring and Repeating Assignments
As noted earlier, locum tenens jobs have start and end dates; however, circumstances may result in a contract extension, adding extra days to a current assignment. That’s different than a recurring or repeat assignment. A recurring locum tenens job is defined by a provider returning to a specific facility on a predetermined schedule. This could be one weekend per month, every other week, or whatever arrangement satisfies both provider and facility. A repeat assignment comes about when a locums professional accepts a second, third, or more contracts at an organization. However, these contracts are not based on a specified schedule. The benefit of both recurring and repeat opportunities is that you already know the setting, co-workers, and patient population.
WHAT DEFINES THE ALL STAR HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS’ DISTINCTION?
Partnering with All Star Healthcare Solutions means specialization, support, and going above and beyond for our providers, our clients, and your patients.
All Star Consultants
At All Star, our Locums consultants (or recruiters) are your top representative and ally. They work on teams dedicated to medical specialties, and as specialists, they are knowledgeable about vernacular common to the field, often-requested skills, and other attributes unique to your specialty’s practice.
All Star Provider Portal
The All Star Provider Portal is a secured digital gateway to more efficiently upload supporting documents and complete the All Star application and required forms. Our Online Services team is ready to assist and answer any questions.
All Star’s Signature “Red Carpet” Service
Unique to All Star Healthcare Solutions, our “Red Carpet” Service means we always go above and beyond as our standard, not an occasional extra.
To learn more about locum tenens and All Star Healthcare Solutions, call 800-928-0229, or contact us online.
