What is an Onsite Healthcare Facility?

Imagine yourself at work, you are beside yourself coughing, sneezing and blowing your nose relentlessly into hysterics. You feel a chill, some goose bumps, and a slight dizziness.  Your phone rings, it’s your primary care physician saying “Dennis, please come see me as soon as possible.”  You gather yourself, dreading the move out of your seat and you make your way down the hall into an adjoining office.  You are greeted by your primary care physician.  Does that sound too good to be true? Onsite healthcare facilities are starting to populate within the core work environment and surprisingly they are becoming an employer’s best friend.

With the new Affordable Care Act, companies with fifty or more employees must provide adequate healthcare for all full-time workers.  This leads to the question, “will companies pay more money to supply healthcare to all?”  What if your company could combine saving money and delivering healthcare access without your employees leaving work?  Think of the benefits this would provide. 

First, employees with access to a provider at their office would develop a personal relationship with that provider, and would be able to identify concerns, create healthy strategies and encourage a change in patient behavior.  Providers will be fully aware of each case and highly sensitive to each patient’s needs.  Detecting symptoms early is paramount to minimizing (or possibly eliminating) any illness.  With daily visits and ongoing diagnosis, you could attack symptoms at the most treatable stages.

Secondly, with access to onsite providers your employees will live a healthier lifestyle.  With preventative measures and wellness programs, your employees will have less sick days away from their job and more time being productive at work, therefore reducing healthcare costs.    

How does it work managing onsite healthcare?  Take for example Walgreens and its Take Care Health Systems subsidiary, which manages approximately 400 worksite health centers using the Complete Care and Well-Being Health Service Network.  They deliver personal primary care coverage based on the needs of their client using special short term providers, better known as “locum tenens” providers. 

These locum tenens providers are unique.  They are physicians and/or mid-levels who are board certified in different specialties and who have different healthcare experiences.  Locum tenens providers can work for a day, a week, a month or as long as you like. They deliver onsite health and wellness screenings, primary care, occupational medicine, medical exams, flu shots, x-rays, pain medication and physical therapy to address acute and chronic health conditions.  The benefit for the Walgreens Network is that they can add or subtract locum tenens providers based on what service is needed and how many providers are warranted. From the Walgreens perspective, “Together, we work to customize your health and wellness initiatives so they complement the specific needs of your company.”

In summary, companies should embrace the onsite healthcare model as a possible solution to reducing healthcare costs.  It will reduce the employee’s time away from their desk and create healthier employees while reducing healthcare costs due to fewer claims. On the flip side, employees will enjoy a better lifestyle benefiting from less time spent in waiting rooms, more opportunities to be productive at work while still having immediate access to their doctor next door.

Is it time to prescribe an Onsite Healthcare Facility for your company?  

_______________________________________________________________________

Written by: 

Dennis Webb, Director of Business Development at Medestar

Phone: 214-932-1414

Email: dennis.webb@medestar.com

Website: www.medestar.com 

Follow us on Twitter: @medestarlocums

Follow us on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/medestar

Check us out on Facebook: http://facebook.com/fidelismedestar 

Read More

The Benefits of Locum Tenens to Fight Physician Burnout

burn·out/ˈbərnˌout/:

1. Physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress.

 In a recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine nearly half of physicians suffer from at least one symptom of burnout. The study used the psychological measurement of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to test physician exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy. Some physicians are tired, worn out, cynical. The increasing uncertainty of the future of healthcare coupled with a growing need for health services can lead to a sense of defeat or hopelessness. The study presents glaringly dismal findings, but there is hope: locum tenens. 

Locum tenens is Latin for “holding/possessing/maintaining the position." In the healthcare industry this term refers to a physician who is filling a temporary assignment. In March of this year, on the physician blog, kevinmd.com, Dr. Duane Gainsburg details how switching to locum tenens was his own personal solution to burnout. (Read more here.) Here are some simple benefits to practicing locum tenens:

No more practice management: Several physicians choose to switch to locum tenens because they no longer have to worry about managing their own practice. Dealing with insurance, hiring and managing employees, worrying about compliance  - all stressors that disappear with locum tenens practice.

Less work, more leisure: The study published in the Archives found that physicians work 10 more hours a week than the average working adult. Locum tenens practice grants physicians the freedom to schedule vacations whenever, travel throughout the country, and work as little or as much as they like - all while benefiting financially from typically higher earnings than salaried employees.

Your time and skill is rewarded: One of the main differences between locums work and permanent work is the way physicians are compensated. Their money is not tied to productivity measures but simply their ability to practice medicine and efforts to be made available. The rates are generous, and the appreciation is sometimes more readily felt.  

Are you a locum tenens physician who escaped burnout? Share your stories with us by commenting below, writing on our Facebook wall, or tweeting us @MedestarLocums. 

Read More

Some Practical Advice on Reviewing a Contract

     You are at that stage in your job search where you have found the position you’re interested in, you have made the trip to the community, met with the key decision makers, spent the afternoon with the realtor and you now have an offer in hand. Unless you minored in contract law while you were completing your medical training or have a spouse who practices law, you are now facing a rather daunting task of wading through the twenty plus pages of an agreement. The goal is to make certain all the things promised to you have made it into the document.

     So, what is a highly educated individual inclined to do? The first thought is usually to have the contract reviewed by an attorney. At some point, that course of action may make sense. However, I would like to offer up a bit of practical advice that should help you save some time and a few dollars.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     First, if you are just beginning the process and have set up a time to interview, ask them for a copy of their agreement. Most places will be willing to send a copy without any numbers in it. This is often referred to as a boilerplate version. By having the document in advance you will be able to read through it and prepare some questions. Once on the interview, you will have a chance to ask those questions to the appropriate person. Questions regarding the contract are almost always easier to cover in person.

     Another resource that may not come immediately to mind is that friendly recruiter who initially introduced you to the job. Hopefully they have stayed engaged in the process and have been helping out along the way. Over the course of a year, that recruiter will help coordinate anywhere from 50 to 100 interviews. If they have been in the business of recruiting for more than a few years they will have read through hundreds of different physician contracts. Through necessity and sheer volume, they have likely become very proficient and knowledgeable in this area. By asking your recruiter to help you review and understand the contract, you will be saving both time and money.

     This process will help you narrow down the major areas of concern. In some cases you may find a lawyer will not be needed and in other cases you will be able to take specific concerns to your attorney for their advice. By having them review specific concerns, instead of the entire contract, you will be reducing the amount of time they spend on your behalf. This will save you money.

     Analyzing an offer can seem daunting from the start. Utilizing the expertise of those individuals who work in health care staffing on a day-to-day basis can save you time, unnecessary worry, and also a few dollars.
___________________________________________________________
Chris Cross is a Senior Search Consultant at Fidelis Partners. 
Connect with Chris:
LinkedIn
Email 
Biography

Read More

Don’t Rule Out the Rural Emergency Rooms

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     Are you money motivated? If you are, a rural emergency room may be a perfect option for making excellent money outside of a busy, stressful, high volume, trauma center. Too many times I hear physicians say it’s all about the money, and that “if you can’t pay me $250 per hour or more, I am not interested.” Keep an open mind. Don’t get me wrong, these rates can be achieved, but be ready to step into an emergency department that hasn’t slept in years. In many cases, if a physician is going to be out of their home on an assignment for 4 or 5 days, it is quite possible working in a lower volume, less acute, rural facility may actually pay a little more in that time frame. For example, for a five day assignment in a low volume emergency room, you could make over $1,500 more than a 5 day assignment in a higher volume facility. How you ask—a lower volume emergency room (maybe seeing 7,000 visits annually) will usually allow physicians to run 24 hour shifts. So in a 5 day assignment, a physician could work 24 hours on, 24 hours off, and so on for a total of 72 hours worked and 48 hours off. On the other hand, a higher volume facility will only allow physicians to work 12 hours at a time, so in five days, the physician would only be working about 60 hours total. Although the lower volume facility may be paying less per hour, physicians can work more hours which equates to more money total for the assignment than fewer hours worked for higher pay. Also, working in a lower volume facility gives you the chance to breath. You have the ability not only to supplement your income but you would have time to sleep, study for continuing education tests, and so much more all while getting paid. So next time you get a call from a Medestar recruiter offering a locums position paying a lot lower than you expect, be sure to keep an open mind-it may mean more money for you in the end.
___________________________________________________________________
Nick Rogers is Director of Recruiting at Medestar.
Connect with Nick:
LinkedIn
Email 

Read More

3 Different Types of Locum Tenens Contracts Explained

     When starting in the world of locum tenens work, it can be confusing to determine the differences between the types of assignments available as well as the type of compensation to expect from each assignment. Three major assignment types are as follows:

     1.) Government contracts :
          One type of government contract out there is with military bases. These contracts can be anywhere from six months to a couple of years in length. In order for a provider to be accepted at a military base, agencies will submit what is called a bid, or the price at which a provider will work at that base. Based on this process, one would think money is the only factor when accepting a provider; however, this is not one hundred percent true. Each base will send out a practice description detailing what type of candidate they are looking for. After the quality and abilities of each candidate is reviewed, the price comes in to play. Compensation for government contracts is usually on the lower to middle section of the pay spectrum. The great thing about government work, however, is the prevalence of long term assignments. Longer assignments with lower pay usually end up being more worthwhile than a shorter contract with more money. In this case, the security of a long term paycheck usually wins out.

Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     2.) FQHC/Community health centers/State facilities:
          Different from hospitals and private practices, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) and other state facilities offer a great way to expand your patient experience. Many locum tenens providers choose this type of setting as a way to give back to their community, and help the under-served populations. In this setting, providers will experience more Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements than in many other settings. Compensation in these types of facilities is dependent upon the budget and funding provided by the state to each individual facility. Typically, FQHC and other state supported facilities will pay less than most hospitals, but are still competitive with their rates.

     3.) Hospitals:
          Hospitals are a popular choice for many locum tenens providers because they house many specialties including (but not limited to) emergency medicine physicians, hospitalists, internal medicine physicians, cardiologists, general surgeons, etc. Also, hospitals usually have the funding capabilities to offer a wider range of pay along with a generous travel package often including hotel accommodations as well as airfare when necessary.

     When choosing which locum tenens contract is right for you, it is important to look at what is driving you to work; is it money, location, patient population, community, or overall experience? Each type of assignment discussed here has different things to offer providers, including a variety of compensation structures. If any of these types of opportunities seem appealing to you, please contact Medestar for more details.
________________________________________________________________
Laura Shirley is a Director of Account Management and Scheduling at Medestar.
Connect with Laura:
LinkedIn
Email Laura

Read More

How the Physician Shortage is Impacting Locum Tenen Physicians

Over the past few years, healthcare organizations such as

the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the American Academy of Family Practice (AAFP), and the United States Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) are projecting a deficit of up to 159,000 physicians by the year 2020. This shortage, in part, seems to be linked to the Medicare funding cap implemented in 1997. That year, the federal government placed a cap on Medicare funding of hospital residency programs, and since then the number of United States trained physicians has only grown marginally. Marginal physician growth, however, has not stopped population growth or the population from aging, two factors which have significantly driven up the demand for physician services. Taking into consideration this shortage, healthcare facilities will begin to rely more heavily on non-traditional physicians, including locum tenens providers.

          Today, facilities typically use locum tenens providers for a variety of reasons, typically when gaps in the medical staff arise. Traditionally, healthcare facilities would use locum tenens physicians while employed physicians were sick, on vacation, or otherwise temporarily absent. Today, however, a survey revealed the most common reason to use locum tenens providers is while a search for a permanent physician is underway, illustrating how the physician shortage is directly impacting the demand for locum tenens physicians.

          According to a recent survey, facilities planning on incorporating a higher volume of locum tenens physicians may be in luck. The survey found around fourteen percent of physicians plan to work locum tenens in the future. Physicians of all ages work locum tenens, a majority of them, however, are senior doctors using locum tenens as a way to slow down or semi-retire. Significantly, according to the AMA Physician Master File, over one-third of working physicians today are over the age of fifty five. This means more and more physicians may embrace locum tenens in the future, thus benefitting facilities that may have trouble finding permanent physicians.

The use of locum tenens physicians is beneficial in many ways. For the locum tenens doctors, it is a way to focus more on patient care, rather than reimbursement or other administrative duties associated with employment. For the facilities, the use of locum tenens providers ensures a continuity of care for patients, as well as a continual revenue stream. Facilities can also use locum tenens providers as a way to prevent employed physician burnout by allowing their permanent staff increased flexibility or time off. As the physician shortage increases, effective healthcare facilities will need to embrace the strategic use of locum tenens physicians, and Medestar is here to help!     

Read More

Refer Colleagues, Get Money!

We are happy to share this amazing new referral program with our readers. Our partner, Medestar Locum Tenens, is offering $500 for physician referrals interested in Locum Tenens Opportunities.

Refer a friend or colleague to Medestar and they will reward you with $500 per referred candidate that works at least 20 days.

Medestar is a locum tenens physician recruitment firm, matching top physicians in all specialties and dentists, CRNA’s, nurse practitioners and physician assistants with the nation’s leading facilities.

Start Referring... click here

Read More