What are the 7 tips for Locum Tenens to get the best pay?

We come across a misconception that permanent doctors get more compensation. But that’s not true. Nowadays, many care providers use temporary locum healthcare jobs as their full-time career option and get the best pay. Especially during this physician shortage issue, there is a significant demand for physicians and advanced practitioners to meet the needs of care delivery.


This is the right time for locum tenens providers to make use of the demand and get paid more than their peers while enjoying utmost flexibility. So, how can you increase the locum pay rate? This article provides tips on how to get the best rates as there is always an opportunity for negotiation.


What are the factors that determine locum pay rates?


Here is the list of factors that could determine your pay, and they include:




Tips to get the best rates through negotiation


1.      Know your expectations before negotiation


Before negotiating, you should be clear with your priorities. You should know how much you are ready to compromise for your dream temporary locum healthcare jobs. This answer will vary for each person. Not all locum physicians simply negotiate by looking at the rate. There is no need to reduce your rate to get the right temporary locum healthcare job. However, employers also need you. So, it’s just a matter of figuring out the best.


Also, rank the following priority-wise so that the negotiation process will become easier.



 

2.      Increase availability


Locum providers can choose the schedule of their work. However, there is one hook here. The more you are flexible with your schedule, the better you will be paid.


As permanent staff doesn’t prefer shifts like night shifts, weekends, holidays, or on-call shifts, locums can always opt for them to get more pay.


3.      Be open to locations


As permanent staffs prefer cities for work, rural areas may struggle to access healthcare. In such cases, locum providers can opt for rural facilities to get more income for the cost of living. Usually, rural healthcare facilities pay more hourly rates than urban facilities.


For instance, a rural care facility in Nevada may pay less than an urban care facility in Washington DC. However, the cost of living makes a significant difference. Ultimately, you save more by working in a rural healthcare facility.


4.      Develop lasting relationships


Once you build a lasting relationship with your employer by establishing yourself as a skilled, loyal, reliable, and friendly physician, the chances are you will be continued to work as long as possible and your efficiency might boost your salary as well.


5.      Experience really matters


As experience really matters like in any other job, there is a huge opportunity to get more paid for the incredible reputation you’ve built all along. That’s how most providers who are nearing retirement get more flexibility in schedules and traveling perks in addition to their salary pay.


6.      Consider other perks


At times, the overall pay might be less. However, you might have more freedom to choose your visiting hours. Hence, apart from pay, consider additional aspects for negotiation. Here’s the list of a few additional aspects for negotiation:





7.      How you should negotiate


Negotiation is not an easy task for everyone as it involves the fear of losing. However, you should speak up about your expectations. Unless you ask, you will never get what you want.



Don’t throw the amount you expect blindly. Here are the tips for skillful negotiation:




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