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What kind of locums rates are yall getting nowadays and for what part of the country (roughly speaking)
Doesn’t Kaiser pay at least 200 full time?$150 - 225/hr, southern california
EM is not worth it here
I work at a northern california kaiser and we pay $235/hr day shift, $295/hr on weekends, and $345/hr for nights. It's a great gig. Just in Fresno which is a hard for some people. We have 3 regular locums docs who travel from far away and work few nights in a row and then fly back homeDoesn’t Kaiser pay at least 200 full time?
Doesn’t Kaiser pay at least 200 full time?
If people would refuse to accept locums rates for anything less than $400-450/hr, the locums companies would be forced to pay the higher rate to get their staffing. The locums are charging more because the company gets a pretty decent cut of the pie (30-50%).
anyone heard of any critical access or remote shops paying 400+ an hour? seems like 350 is highest im seeing anywhere
What do you define as a night?About $300/hr. No nights for me. That's why I do locums.
I thought about this for a moment. One one side are the purists, who day "it's only a night shift if you are relieved by the day shift". The other end is someone who might say, "if I go outside after the shift and it's dark, it's a night shift!" (even if you worked the day, and it's 7pm).What do you define as a night?
I would say any shift that ends at 1:01 am or later.I thought about this for a moment. One one side are the purists, who day "it's only a night shift if you are relieved by the day shift". The other end is someone who might say, "if I go outside after the shift and it's dark, it's a night shift!" (even if you worked the day, and it's 7pm).
Any time spent after 1 am or so. It doesn't alter my sleep schedule really, which is my main concern. Getting tired at the same time every night and waking with the sun is unbelievable. Well worth it. And hopefully I can stay alive longer for my wife.What do you define as a night?
Yeah, I tried this. All they wanted was nights, so I'm out soon, but I'm sad.
I've been quoted $220 to $325 an hour with a minimal night differential. Juice just isn't worth the squeeze with how hard this specialty has become.
The locums companies aren’t pocketing the entire margin though. Malpractice, admin costs, commission for the rep, etc etc add up. That’s why it’s so rare to get a 400/hr rate even if the hospital is ok paying the locums company 500/hr. Google says they have a 5% profit margin after all is said and done.It's really annoying when I hear about EM docs accepting less than this for locums or for spot coverage at their shops.
Have some self respect.
The freaking dock workers were offered 50% more pay and they REFUSED it.
Because then they need to hire somebody (or make alienate somebody by adding this onto their tasks) to coordinate everything and then deal with any issues that pop up. It's much, much easier to write a check knowing that somebody will be there.One question I have never found an answer for is why hospitals are so reluctant to directly hire locums. I know that they sometimes will but anecdotally it seems rare. For an EM doc who doesn’t need an office and is just another warm body to have on shift, it doesn’t make sense that these locums companies offer a ton beyond setting up malpractice insurance, yet health systems don’t want to directly contract with docs.
EM is showing up to shifts, seeing patients, and going home. Your explanation makes sense for a locums outpatient GI doc, or a surgeon for instance, but the marginal administrative burden for another ER doc on staff who can pick up some shifts here and there is incredibly low. What issues is the hospital punting to the locums agency other than malpractice and maybe payroll since they can just pay the company instead of the doc directly? The hospital is responsible for credentialing, training, any issues that arise in shift, etc, regardless of whether there’s an locum agency involved. And medmal and a somewhat simpler payroll doesn’t seem worth the extra cost of a staffing agency, so there must be some hospital admin reason that is not as immediately obvious.Because then they need to hire somebody (or make alienate somebody by adding this onto their tasks) to coordinate everything and then deal with any issues that pop up. It's much, much easier to write a check knowing that somebody will be there.
Not true at least at my shop. We'll take anythingIt's nearly impossible to get Kaiser shifts if you're not already one of their long-time pool docs
Not true at least at my shop. We'll take anything
What's the longest you guys have seen locums in hospitals? I'm in a large city. The inner city hospitals and nearby suburban hospitals seem to intermittently need locums for a few months then eventually find suckers to do the job for pennies. But, if you go just over an hour outside the city, the locums seem to persist for quite a while. My current site has probably 25%+ of shifts covered by locums and I'm really liking it.
All the sites I’ve worked so far are pretty normal places. The distance is probably what deters people. I’m thankful for the sites paying me what they do, and I try to do a good job and always have had good relationships with everyone. Some of the sites send me metrics, and I’ve noticed I’m on par if not faster than the full timers. It’s really too bad, because if all these sites would just start paying everyone $300/hour full time, we wouldn’t need locums as much and people would be more motivated to work hard.You like it? We’ve had to fire so many.
Unfortunately we have had to deal with a myriad of locums. About 75% have a pathologic personality disorder and/or are straight up dangerous at treating patients. The next 15% are barely passable and incredibly slow. 10% are tolerable at best.
EM is showing up to shifts, seeing patients, and going home. Your explanation makes sense for a locums outpatient GI doc, or a surgeon for instance, but the marginal administrative burden for another ER doc on staff who can pick up some shifts here and there is incredibly low. What issues is the hospital punting to the locums agency other than malpractice and maybe payroll since they can just pay the company instead of the doc directly? The hospital is responsible for credentialing, training, any issues that arise in shift, etc, regardless of whether there’s an locum agency involved. And medmal and a somewhat simpler payroll doesn’t seem worth the extra cost of a staffing agency, so there must be some hospital admin reason that is not as immediately obvious.
What's the longest you guys have seen locums in hospitals? I'm in a large city. The inner city hospitals and nearby suburban hospitals seem to intermittently need locums for a few months then eventually find suckers to do the job for pennies. But, if you go just over an hour outside the city, the locums seem to persist for quite a while. My current site has probably 25%+ of shifts covered by locums and I'm really liking it.
I havent seen the rates all that high. Around me, baseline jobs paying 230 -240 are offering locums under 300. There are normal jobs around me that you can get close to that. The few SDGs near me make more than that.Depending on how many places you've worked, credentialing can be a huge pain. I punt absolutely everything to the staffing agencies. Some try to make me track down procedure logs. Nope.
6 months to over a year. Accrue enough places at one time and you never have to worry about it.
Most of the doctors knocking locums are the ones too afraid to take the risk or they can't. You need to be somewhat frugal or more financially independent in case shifts dry up 1-2 months (I have not personally experienced that yet). Once you make 30-50% more and can create your own schedule, there is no going back.
Whenever I hear about someone signing a contract I cringe and think...sucker.
Depending on how many places you've worked, credentialing can be a huge pain. I punt absolutely everything to the staffing agencies. Some try to make me track down procedure logs. Nope.
6 months to over a year. Accrue enough places at one time and you never have to worry about it.
Most of the doctors knocking locums are the ones too afraid to take the risk or they can't. You need to be somewhat frugal or more financially independent in case shifts dry up 1-2 months (I have not personally experienced that yet). Once you make 30-50% more and can create your own schedule, there is no going back.
Whenever I hear about someone signing a contract I cringe and think...sucker.
I havent seen the rates all that high. Around me, baseline jobs paying 230 -240 are offering locums under 300. There are normal jobs around me that you can get close to that. The few SDGs near me make more than that.
My issue with locums is once you factor in travel time / time away from family the pay doesnt seem to make as much sense but maybe thats just what is around me. I’m not looking to get licensed in 10 other states. I have a buddy who is based in
All the sites I’ve worked so far are pretty normal places. The distance is probably what deters people. I’m thankful for the sites paying me what they do, and I try to do a good job and always have had good relationships with everyone. Some of the sites send me metrics, and I’ve noticed I’m on par if not faster than the full timers. It’s really too bad, because if all these sites would just start paying everyone $300/hour full time, we wouldn’t need locums as much and people would be more motivated to work hard.
I’m not sure if locums is paying >30% more. Unless you go to really undesirable jobs that are dumpster fire locations, then maybe they might pay that.
In a 2 hour radius to where i live, the highest locums rate I’ve seen is around 325/hr seeing 2-2.5 pph. Most w2 shops pay 230-250/hr plus benefits. When you start including the value of the benefits especially the 1/2 ficaa taxes, 401k match, cme, health insurance etc then the difference is maybe 50/hr for working at disaster shops.
Isn't $300 about 30% more than $230?
I'm working way less than everyone else for more pay and I don't travel that far. Region has a lot to do with it. The fact that I'm able to drive and do this tells me that it's more of a risk taking thing by the doc around me since they could easily do the same. Most just don't know it. I get questions all the time.
And you're missing out on the tax benefits of NOT being 1099.Well…. It’s actually not.
I’ll explain. I get $238/hr (recent increase by university system).
I also got paid a retention bonus for 3 years which is worth about $15/hr.
We also get quarterly quality bonuses (use the sepsis order set etc) which is another 20k/year if you meet those - so about $13/hr.
Then i get about 15k in 401k match. 5k cme. And since im w2, my employer pays 1/2 my social security and Medicare taxes which is roughly another 15k.
So my 1099 equivalent income is probably around 280/hr without even considering the medical benefits, And i don’t even work at a dumpster fire and get to sleep in my bed every night.
It doesn't matter how how you spin it. You're not sleeping in your bed every night because you're working at night. I'm not. Also I don't work a single holiday. Barely weekends. If you want theoretical earnings/expenses subtract some of your pay for more medical expenses down the road.
$235/hr day shift, $295/hr on weekends, and $345/hr for nightsBy the looks of your name, I'd assume you're at the Fresno Kaiser, and I'm not surprised.
I did some gigs in the Central Valley with Vituity, and while the money was reasonable, never again. Just a tragic place to live and be.
That said... how much are you all paying for pool docs?
$235/hr day shift, $295/hr on weekends, and $345/hr for nights
Yeah Fresno Kaiser. It's not like the other hospitals in town - trauma center is crazy and academic, the two vituity sites you get worked to the bone. I have no idea why so many people don't want to work here. It feels like a unicorn gig. A few pool docs figured it out and have been flying in, working strings of shifts, and then going home for a few years now. They're all good. One guy even works 22+ shifts pool every month by doing a bunch of doubles and then flying home
What is anticipated job market growth?I havent seen the rates all that high. Around me, baseline jobs paying 230 -240 are offering locums under 300. There are normal jobs around me that you can get close to that. The few SDGs near me make more than that.
My issue with locums is once you factor in travel time / time away from family the pay doesnt seem to make as much sense but maybe thats just what is around me. I’m not looking to get licensed in 10 other states. I have a buddy who is based in the SW and travels all over creation, Maine, Kentucky western AZ and is getting $$300-330/hr.. just doesnt make a ton of sense.
But wouldn't that be a perfect setup for locums? $300/hr to see 15 low-moderate acuity patients in a shift? I'm not sure why everyone feels that seeing 32 critical care patients in 8 hours is the only way to be happy in EM. You can still get that somewhere else the rest of the month, no? Different strokes, I guessFresno is that bad, Kaiser EM is very idiosyncratic, and ultimately losing high-acuity high-volume skill due to atrophy
That's why I never considered it.
That's actually a nice night shift differential. I always think wow what a complete joke to only offer $10/hr, which is often what I see from CMGs if anything at all.$235/hr day shift, $295/hr on weekends, and $345/hr for nights
Yeah Fresno Kaiser. It's not like the other hospitals in town - trauma center is crazy and academic, the two vituity sites you get worked to the bone. I have no idea why so many people don't want to work here. It feels like a unicorn gig. A few pool docs figured it out and have been flying in, working strings of shifts, and then going home for a few years now. They're all good. One guy even works 22+ shifts pool every month by doing a bunch of doubles and then flying home
Again, I wonder how much of this is location dependent. It seems to be working out great for you. I’m happy about that. The future for EM as a whole is uncertain. I have found my unicorn.. it’s great. I get few will attain what I have. So I come at it from a “standard” job model.I will also add that I don't care what they say a job pays. I will negotiate over every offering and almost always successful. A lot depends on initial rate. I have walked away several times. I can't believe it when people take the first offer.
counter point.. Everyone is pushing people away. Across the country EM volumes per EDBA has been stagnant for 5-6 years. I don’t believe we have hit the pre covid numbers. Now we see hospitals closing. The big one in atlanta, a bunch of rural ones as well.What is anticipated job market growth?
I would assume with all the boomers aging and more sh$$ getting rammed down ED throats that there will be more jobs available to support increase in residency expansion or at least blunts some of the effects.
Why is your job having that many people leave?Some jobs are negotiable. Some are not. My SDG when we hire new people there is 0 room to negotiate.. Then again we have at least 2 people interview for every spot we have. This year 100% of our offers were accepted. Last year i think it was over 90%.
That may have been true in the past but not in the present. Several docs like me have been forced into locums because we chose to live in desirable cities, but the pay is trash. Why get paid $175/hr when you can drive 1.5-2hrs out of town and earn double?My interactions with locums docs is they are bad docs and have major personality issues and do it as an end of career / burned all the bridges type folks. No one worth keeping around. My interactions have been limited but all negative. Literally all.. 100%.. Again N is small.
Ahh.. no one left.. we expanded, took a CMG contract and added coverage at 2 of our sites.. And our hospital system opened a new facility in March so instead of being overstaffed for 9 months we decided to be short staffed for 3 months.Why is your job having that many people leave?
I’m talking about those who come from the 3rd parties.. thats my only experience.That may have been true in the past but not in the present. Several docs like me have been forced into locums because we chose to live in desirable cities, but the pay is trash. Why get paid $175/hr when you can drive 1.5-2hrs out of town and earn double?
Also, even though I'm classified as a "locum" by the hospitals, I don't actually work for any 3rd party locums agency. They are trash and should be avoided. The last time I worked for a 3rd-party agency was ten years ago. I can't imagine how bad they are now. I negotiate directly with the hospital or CMG that staffs the hospital. This is how you get the best pay and best protection.
Three months into any job, I usually get offered a full-time job, but I always decline. I enjoy my freedom.