We specialize in hiring and renting highly qualified doctors to telemedicine platforms, ensuring that patients receive the best possible care, no matter where they are.
The healthcare industry is facing an unprecedented challenge—a nationwide shortage of physicians that is expected to worsen over the coming decade. As the demand for healthcare services grows due to an aging population and increasing chronic diseases, the supply of healthcare professionals, particularly physicians, is struggling to keep pace.
Telehealth has emerged as a potential solution to bridge the gap between patients and providers. However, even within the realm of virtual care, the scarcity of physicians continues to present hurdles.
One innovative strategy gaining traction is the concept of “renting doctors.”
The physician shortage is not a new phenomenon, but it has reached critical levels in recent years. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), the United States could face a shortage of between 54,100 and 139,000 physicians by 2033. The reasons for this shortfall are multi-faceted:
Telehealth, initially seen as a way to relieve pressure on healthcare systems by offering remote consultations, is now feeling the strain of this shortage as well. With not enough doctors available to meet the needs of both in-person and virtual care, the healthcare industry must look for new ways to supplement its workforce.
Telehealth has become an essential part of modern healthcare, providing patients with convenient access to medical care without requiring travel. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its adoption, with telemedicine visits surging across the country. This shift toward virtual care has many benefits:
However, telehealth is not without its limitations. The physician shortage is the most significant barrier to fully realizing its potential. Even with the ability to consult patients remotely, the lack of available doctors means long wait times, limited appointment availability, and patient dissatisfaction. Healthcare providers are struggling to scale telehealth operations due to the insufficient number of trained physicians who can work in this space.
In response to this shortage, the concept of renting doctors—also known as locum tenens—has gained popularity as a flexible, scalable solution. The practice of locum tenens, where healthcare professionals are hired on a temporary basis to fill staffing gaps, is not new. However, its application in telehealth has seen significant growth.
Locum tenens, a Latin term meaning “to hold the place of,” refers to physicians or other healthcare professionals who temporarily work in place of a regular doctor. Historically, locum tenens have been used in rural or underserved areas where finding full-time physicians can be challenging. Today, the model is increasingly used in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, and telehealth platforms.
In telehealth, renting doctors allows healthcare providers to quickly scale up their operations and meet patient demand without the need for long-term hiring commitments. Here’s how it can help address the current shortage:
Renting doctors offers several benefits that make it an attractive option for telehealth providers struggling with the physician shortage:
Scalability: As telehealth platforms grow, they can easily expand their provider networks by renting additional doctors as needed. This scalability is particularly valuable for platforms that experience fluctuating demand.
Expertise On-Demand: Telehealth providers can quickly bring on board specialized doctors to offer specific services without needing to invest in long-term commitments. For example, they can rent a cardiologist or dermatologist to consult with patients virtually, offering specialized care that would otherwise be unavailable.
Geographic Flexibility: Telehealth platforms can rent physicians from different regions or states, making it easier to meet the needs of patients across various locations, particularly in areas facing the most severe shortages. This flexibility helps address the issue of unequal access to healthcare across rural and urban areas.
Alleviating Burnout: Renting doctors helps alleviate some of the pressure on full-time staff, reducing burnout and improving retention rates among permanent healthcare providers. This flexibility allows healthcare organizations to distribute workloads more evenly, promoting a healthier work-life balance for all providers.
Crisis Management: During public health emergencies or pandemics, renting doctors can provide a rapid response solution. As seen during COVID-19, telehealth became a critical tool, and having access to additional physicians on a temporary basis allowed healthcare systems to manage patient loads more effectively.
Despite the clear benefits, some challenges still exist in implementing a locum tenens strategy in telehealth:
Credentialing and Licensing: Each country has its own licensing requirements, which can complicate the process of renting doctors across state lines. Streamlining credentialing processes or adopting national licensure models could help overcome this barrier.
Cost Management: While renting doctors can be more cost-effective than full-time hiring, it still requires financial investment. Small telehealth providers must carefully manage their budgets to ensure they can afford to bring in temporary physicians as needed.
Quality of Care: Ensuring continuity of care can be challenging when relying on temporary physicians. Telehealth providers must implement robust systems to share patient information and maintain high standards of care across both permanent and temporary staff.
As the physician shortage continues to impact the healthcare industry, telehealth providers must find innovative solutions to maintain quality care and meet growing patient demand. Renting doctors offers a flexible, scalable way to address the shortage while allowing telehealth platforms to thrive. By embracing locum tenens physicians, telehealth providers can expand their services, reduce wait times, and ensure that patients receive timely and specialized care.
In the future, we can expect to see even greater adoption of locum tenens in telehealth as providers navigate the complexities of a shrinking workforce. Advances in technology, such as artificial intelligence and improved licensing frameworks, will further streamline the process, making it easier for telehealth platforms to rent doctors and continue providing high-quality care in an increasingly digital healthcare landscape.