What is locum tenens in medical terms?
Definition of locum tenens : one filling an office for a time or temporarily taking the place of another —used especially of a doctor or clergyman.
What is the difference between a doctor and a locum?
A locum is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another. A locum doctor is therefore a doctor who covers for another doctor who is on leave.
What does local Tenum mean?
Merriam Webster defines locum tenens as “one filling an office for a time or temporarily taking the place of another.” When founding CompHealth in 1979, Therus Kolff thought this term would be fitting to describe physicians working temporary assignments.
Can you locum full-time?
Maybe you have a full-time job and want to pick up extra weekend shifts, maybe you only want to work out of hours shifts or maybe you want to locum full-time; locum provides flexibility for you to choose where and when you work.
What are locum shifts?
Locum doctors step in to work shifts that are unfilled on the hospital or clinic rota of full-time staff. These gaps in the rota can occur for any number of reasons, but are usually due to either long-term staff shortages or short-term illness.
How do you bill for a locum Tenen?
Billing for Locum Tenens Locum tenens physicians may not bill Medicare; they should be paid on a per diem or similar fee-for-time basis. Claims payment is made under the name and billing number of the physician or the practice (in the event the physician has left the practice) that hired the locum tenens physician.
What is the difference between locum and per diem?
Locum tenens positions are a substitute or temporary role for clinicians, typically in a full-time capacity. Per diem is basically locum tenens without a set schedule. Based on schedules and availability, clinicians working per-diem can decide to pick up any open shifts.
Why do doctors become locums?
Locum work is flexible and interesting. It gives the doctor the chance to see many aspects of medicine without the requirement of a long term commitment early in a career.
Why do doctors do locums?
The opportunity to give back – Many doctors are drawn to temporary assignments because they are often in rural or underserved areas where patients are desperate for care. Other doctors use locum tenens as way to fund medical missions or to find the scheduling flexibility to do volunteer work.
What is locum staffing?
Locum tenens is taken from a Latin phrase meaning “to hold the place of.” Most commonly referring to temporary physicians, locum tenens doctors contract with recruitment agencies to perform medical services for a healthcare organization over a certain period of time.
What is meant by locum tenens and locum?
A locum, or locum tenens, is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another; the term is especially used for physicians or clergy.