HWL Insights

The cornerstone of exceptional patient care in modern healthcare systems lies in the effective management of a skilled and adaptable workforce. For large health systems, this challenge is magnified when it comes to coordinating temporary physician coverage, known as locum tenens. The University of Vermont Health Network Medical Group (UVMHN) recently faced this challenge head-on, embarking on a transformative journey to revolutionize its locum tenens management. It is the story of how a fragmented system evolved into a streamlined, unified program that not only improved operations but also enhanced patient care.

Locum tenens, also short-handedly referred to as locums, are physicians that temporarily fill staffing gaps whenever necessary. Conceived in the 1970s, locums originally filled staffing gaps in rural communities that didn't have great access to healthcare; but today, locums have become a mainstay in the healthcare space, utilized by all.