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- Title
Quality and Extent of Locum Tenens Coverage in Pediatric Surgical Practices.
- Authors
NOLAN, TRACY L.; KANDEL, JESSICA J.; NAKAYAMA, DON K.
- Abstract
The prevalence and quality of locum tenens coverage in pediatric surgery have not been determined. An Internet-based survey of American Pediatric Surgical Association members was conducted: 1) practice description; 2) use and frequency of locum tenens coverage; 4) whether the surgeon provided such coverage; and 5) Likert scale responses (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, strongly agree) to statements addressing its acceptability and quality (two x five contingency table and χ² analyses, significance at P < 0.05). Three hundred sixteen of 1163 members (27.2% response rate) responded. One-fourth (24.1%) used a locum tenens regularly. Reasons were long-term inability to recruit a full-time surgeon (35.2%) and short-term vacancies (32.4%). One-fifth (20.4%) did locum tenens work; one-fourth (27.0%) plan to do so in the future. Two-thirds (64.2%) believe that surgical care in a locum tenens situation does not provide the same level of care as a full-time community-based surgeon. Most support locum tenens for short-term coverage (87.3%) and recruitment problems (72.1%), but not long-term vacancies (38.8%; P < 0.001) or permanent coverage (27.0%; P < 0.001). Locum tenens coverage is an established feature of pediatric surgery. Most view it as a stopgap solution to the surgical workforce shortage.
- Subjects
SUBSTITUTE physicians; MEDICAL practice; PHYSICIANS; PEDIATRIC surgery; PEDIATRIC therapy
- Publication
American Surgeon, 2015, Vol 81, Issue 4, p377
- ISSN
0003-1348
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1177/000313481508100428