Underscoring the urgency
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming an estimated 17.9 million lives annually, according to the World Health Organization. Our rapidly aging population, air pollution, tobacco use and poor diet are all contributing factors. What that means is that cardiologists are needed, yet despite the growing demands, healthcare facilities struggle to attract and retain cardiologists, primarily due to competitive salaries and heavy workloads. This shortage leads to longer patient wait times, delayed diagnoses and reduced access to crucial cardiac procedures. Healthcare organizations need to prepare for the increasing demands as the need for cardiologists continues to rise, and getting creative with staffing solutions is one way to address these pressing demands.
Consider the story of an academic hospital and level one trauma center in the northeast that faced a critical shortage in its cardiology department. The facility partnered with LocumTenens.com to ensure continued patient care as the facility took time to hire permanent staff. To fill the short-term need, LocumTenens.com placed four physicians to rotate through the department to provide full-time coverage. And after the facility staffed its full-time cardiologists, it continued its now three-year partnership with LocumTenens.com, leveraging the two positions to manage the weekend and on-call coverage. Not only does staffing these two locum clinicians provide needed coverage for the facility, but also the solution helps the on-staff providers maintain work-life balance and avoid burnout. The two locum providers have been staffed for nearly two years collectively, delivering trusted care, and long-term support and stability.
Strategic solutions customized to your organization
Locum tenens providers offer flexible services to address staffing gaps and improve patient care to patients, just like in the story above. Locum providers are the bridge to permanent placements. Our customizable, tailor-made solutions are designed to meet the needs of individual facilities and their cardiology departments, taking location, specialty, and scheduling needs into consideration. LocumTenens.com also leverages the advantages of telehealth and advanced practitioners. With experience in multiple settings, locum providers are quick to adapt and well-qualified, making them valuable additions to the fast-paced, high-stakes world of cardiology.
More than a fast solution, locums bridge the gap in critical treatment. With all the challenges facing cardiology today, locums can offer flexibility, cost-effective solutions and quality care. To better understand what a partnership could mean for your cardiology department and staff, contact one of our account representatives today.
About the author
Chris Jones
Vice President, Internal Medicine Subspecialities
Chris Jones has over 14 years of experience in the healthcare staffing industry and has been with LocumTenens.com for the past decade. During his tenure at LocumTenens.com, he’s worked in various roles, including managing director of the Surgery team and associate vice president of Surgery Clinic. He was named vice president of Internal Medicine Subspecialties in 2021. Chris received his bachelor of science degree at Florida State University in 2004.
