Healthcare Career Blog, Physician Blogs

Nurses, Therapists & Physicians- More Traveling Healthcare Jobs than Ever

Author Healthcare Career Blogger | 02.25.2009

Travel nurses and travel therapists aren’t the only medical professionals with mobile healthcare jobs these days. Some physicians have also begun to travel — many as Hospitalists who serve as “in-house” physicians charged with on site monitoring and care of hospitalized patients, communicating regularly with the patient’s primary care physician. In 1996, there were perhaps 1,000 Hospitalists practicing around the country, as reported by the Society for Hospital Medicine. Today, approximately 28,000 hospitalists are improving quality of care and efficiency in hospitals across the country.

A 2007 survey of community hospitals conducted by the American Hospital Association  indicated that over 50% of US hospitals are using Hospitalists. Many facilities employ Hospitalists on staff, and many medical facilities are also supplementing staffing needs with temporary, or traveling, Hospitalists — as part of their Locum Tenens staffing.

Some primary care physicians opt for Hospitalist jobs so they can take advantage of a regular schedule, without the pressure of on-call responsibilities or without the financial and administrative challenges of a private practice. Some recently-graduated physicians look to Locum Tenens positions to gain exposure to a wider variety of practices, locales and specialties before they make what could be a life-long choice.

Even though the bond between patient and caregiver can be a strong one, many patients are often unaware that the travel nurses and travel therapists who care for them are on temporary assignment. Because of the nature of shift work and round-the-clock care, patients are accustomed to being cared for by a number of nurses or therapists.

On the other hand, the relationship between the primary physician and the patient usually extends before and after a hospital stay, and patients may have more of an adjustment to make when seeing a Hospitalist. But more widespread use of Hospitalists, as well as improved education, workplace training, and expanded professional organizations have generated more acceptance across the board. After all, because the hospital is the primary site of their practice, Hospitalists are often able to spend more time with patients than a primary care physician who has multiple responsibilities outside of the hospital. And with close communication between the primary care staff and the Hospitalist, follow-up care can occur seamlessly.

What does all this mean for travel nurses and travel therapists?

Clearly, the notion of hospital staffing is in transition, with medical facilities seeing a need to efficiently adjust to healthcare trends and demand. The number of travel nurse jobs and locum tenens jobs is likely to increase in the coming years. And with the qualifications and skill level required for these positions becoming more commonly acknowledged, respect for this type work is expected to grow at every level.