As hospitals have been in dire need of anesthesia staff over the last few years, the need for locum labor has continued to rise.
This can be expensive and has led to soaring expenses and higher subsidies for health systems, according to a May 8 news release from healthcare solutions company Surgical Directions.
Jason Klopotowski, MD, anesthesiologist and Surgical Direction's lead physician managing director, believes that anesthesia costs will continue to threaten margins in the procedural care space.
Here are four ways that hospitals can manage staffing and scheduling to reduce unnecessary locum costs, according to Dr. Klopotowski:
1. Leverage technology solutions to optimize throughput, anesthesia staffing and surgeon access.
2. Establish a governance board composed of administrative leaders to set and maintain access standards.
3. Conduct daily reviews to streamline staffing based on actual case volume.
4. Raise awareness among scheduling personnel about the long-term financial implications of heavy locum reliance.
If locums are replaced with employed resources, hospitals will save up to $3,200 per locum physician, and up to $2,000 dollars per locum CRNA, a day, according to the release.