Can we trust locums rather than doctors?

When, as a patient, you get assigned to a locum doctor, you might feel uneasy. Is it safe for you to trust this person with your life? Locum doctors or locum tenens are temporary doctors who fill in vacant positions while the original doctor working there is on a leave. There is no doubt that when a facility is understaffed, this kind of help is invaluable. However, there have always been concerns about the reliability of locum doctors. After all, they are “outsiders” in a way, they are not familiar with the system in place, nor have they extensive knowledge about patients’ medical history. Some hospitals also report higher dissatisfaction rates when employing locum doctors and some patients would rather wait until their doctor comes back than consult a locum. The question of whether we can trust locums is a complicated one. Here are a few considerations that might help you see the issue more clearly.

Qualifications

If it is the qualifications of your locum doctor that you’re worried about, you can rest easy. Before anyone can become a locum doctor, they need to fulfil certain criteria. In addition, those who have been working as locum doctors for a longer time might have more outstanding experience than you would expect. While there are certainly horror stories floating around about fake locum doctors, their backgrounds are, of course, thoroughly checked before they are employed.

Prejudice against temporary workforce

If their qualifications are no issue, why do people have a hard time trusting locum doctors? The fact of the matter is that many negative connotations surround this profession is recognized by locum doctors themselves as well. Many have reported experiencing both other staff and patients treating them as inferior to regular doctors. However, this perception can change once they get to know the locum doctor better.

Incompetence or inefficiency?

The fact that some hospitals report high patient dissatisfaction rates regarding locum doctors still cannot be denied, though. When a new person enters the workforce, the team needs to readjust. Locum doctors are not familiar with the context, and before they have a chance to adjust, inconveniences can occur. While locums take some of the workloads off the shoulders of the rest of the staff, in cases, they can also inadvertently create a heavier one for them simply due to a lack of knowledge of the local situation. It is difficult to draw a clear line regarding who is to blame in such situations, but there are arguments that the current inefficiencies and bad rap that surround locums are mostly due to the system and not due to incompetence. It is often a lack of proper communication that leaves locum doctors without sufficient information to assign the appropriate treatment.

A fresh pair of eyes

While, as we mentioned, some people would rather not consult a locum doctor, others see this arrangement as a great opportunity to get a second opinion. This can be valuable for patients, but the fact that your locum doesn’t know your history well can also be problematic.

Removed from governance

As said, locum doctors are not overly familiar with the clinical governance in place, and while some argue that this creates “blind spots” in the system and potential issues, there can also be a positive side to this. Since locum doctors are found outside of the general hierarchy of the facility in question, they can remain more patient-centric, according to them. As outsiders, they remain less constrained. Nevertheless, regular doctors do not necessarily agree with them on this front.

What about the future?

It can hardly be denied that locum jobs are quite desirable for those looking to further their medical careers. They provide not only flexibility but also a heightened sense of freedom in addition to valuable experience and the opportunity to make connections. Locum doctors are in great demand, too which makes this job an even more tempting option. Thus, it is no wonder that more and more doctors are switching their careers and deciding to practice in this way. And as more and more are seeking out locum doctor jobs, naturally, we can expect that both the quality of work and the perceptions regarding this position have the potential to improve.

In the day and age where medical practices are severely understaffed in many parts of the world, locum doctors are filling in important positions. At the same time, indeed the current system in place is not perfect. While the competence and qualifications of locum doctors are usually not to blame for patient dissatisfaction, any mistake in this field can have serious consequences. Above all, a better system needs to be implemented to make sure locum doctors can do their job efficiently, without hindrances and without causing hindrances, and then patients will be able to place their trust in these temporary healthcare workers as well.