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Resources - Frequently Asked Questions   Resources (in progress)   + Downloads   + Research/Articles   + FAQs   + News   + Links   What is a locum tenens surgeon? Locum Tenens is a latin phrase that means “place-holder”. Locum tenens surgeon is a term used to describe a surgeon who works temporary positions in hospitals and surgical practices. Surgeons who practice on a locum tenens basis are often called a locums surgeon. A locum tenens surgery job may entail weekend coverage or may last for a few weeks, a few months, or up to a year or longer. Frequently Asked Questions Why do hospitals and surgery groups use locum tenens surgeons? There are a variety of reasons. For most hospitals, it is due to a shortage of surgeons who are available to take emergency call. In recent studies over 70% of hospitals reported inadequate on-call coverage in trauma & emergency general surgery, orthopaedics and neurosurgery. Many hospitals have turned to locum tenens surgeons to fill in the gaps while they work to resolve coverage issues with their current panel of surgeons or until they can recruit an additional permanent surgeon. Isn’t locum tenens surgery considered itinerant surgery? No. In the past, the Office of the Inspector General has defined itinerant surgery as, “the practice by a surgeon (normally residing in another city) of traveling to small rural hospitals to perform surgery who is typically not available for follow-up care”. When hospitals use surgery locums, they have an agreed upon arrangement in place for another local surgeon to follow any patients treated by the locums surgeon. A surgeon will not agree to a locum tenens job, if it does not include these provisions. Without appropriate follow-up care, the locum tenens surgeon could jeopardize his or her fellowship status with the American College of Surgeons. Why would a surgeon choose to do locums work? For those locum tenens surgeons who have chosen to do surgery locums full-time, it is usually to get away from the hassles associated with running a surgery practice in this era of rising costs and declining reimbursement. Those who have a full-time private practice, academic or military obligations accept locum tenens assignments to supplement their current income. In some cases, locum tenens surgeons are semi-retired who no longer want to maintain an office and full-time hospital commitments, yet still want to stay active in the practice of surgery. This is true of locum tenens general surgeons, orthopaedic locums as well as locum tenens neurosurgeons. Some locum tenens trauma surgeons whether they be general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons or neurosurgeons will take on locums work outside their current practice because they enjoy the change of pace and challenges associated with covering trauma in a busy trauma center. Today’s surgeons are much more mobile than in the past and may work in the medical device or pharmaceutical industry in addition to staying current and active in surgery by way of surgery locums work. To them, locum tenens represents career and lifestyle flexibility. Are locum tenens surgeons as qualified as other surgeons? Locum tenens surgeons credentials are scrutinized more closely than surgeons applying for permanent full-time positions because they are usually covering another surgeons practice. Each locums surgeon is stepped through several credentialing/due diligence processes that take into account the locum tenens surgeon’s track record with regard to liability claims history and hospital privileges. In addition, each locum tenens surgeon must be able to offer up documented evidence of having performed surgery within the most recent six month time period. This rigorous process doesn’t leave any room for some problem to be swept under the rug. Before accepting a locum tenens surgeon, here are a few questions, you might want to ask:   - How much experience does the person coordinating the coverage have in matching locum tenens surgeons with hospitals and surgery practices and do they understand the importance of issues such as follow-up, post-operative care?   - How well do they screen candidates before presenting them to you and do they recognize the physical demands and surgical capabilities that will be required of the locums surgeon?   - How confident are you in their ability to handle any surgeon performance or risk management issues that may arise? How much does surgery locum tenens coverage cost? It depends on the surgical specialty and like anything else, the laws of supply and demand are a factor. It’s difficult to apply any of the published MGMA physician compensation data to locum tenens surgery rates, since agency rates for locum tenens services and pay to locum tenens surgeons are on a daily rate and hourly basis. Before contracting for surgery locums coverage, here are a few questions you might want to ask:   - Is the agency you’re working with able to make a differentiation between general surgery locums versus trauma surgery locums? Orthopedic Surgery locums versus ortho trauma? Neurosurgery locum tenens versus neuro-trauma locums?   - Are the rates quoted reflective of Fair Market Value for surgery locums?   - How many hours of clinical work will the locum tenens surgeon provide before you get billed for overtime charges?   - What is the expected total cost per day and how does that compare with the market? How much can a surgeon make doing locums work? It depends on the expected volume and case load and whether or not the locum tenens work entails trauma. If it does entail trauma, will the locums surgeon be covering a Level I trauma center with or without residents? A Level II trauma center with or without the assistance of any physician extenders? Or, is it a surgery locums job covering emergency surgery for a community hospital that has an established patient transfer protocol in place? Locum tenens surgeons work as independent contractors and are paid on a daily rate or hourly basis, or both. All travel and lodging expenses are covered as well as the professional liability insurance coverage. Generally, when you do the math, locum tenens surgeons may not make as much as their counterparts who are engaged in full-time permanent practice, but the locum tenens surgeon gains autonomy and control of his or work/call schedule and doesn’t have to concern him or herself with competing for cases from referring primary care physicians. The locum tenens surgeon just performs surgery and takes care of the patients.

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