The end of the locum tenens contract is just as important as its beginning. The communication between you and your consultant should continue through the close of the contract. It's so important for you as the provider to give feedback on your locum tenens assignments because recruiting consultants are not clinicians. They don't have first-hand experience working in that facility - but you do! So they want to know what you think!
They know the EMR and the daily volume, but what they want to know is did the staff make you feel welcome? Did you receive sufficient guidance and support during your assignment? How was the onboarding process? Consultants get the information that they need to recruit for the position from the administrators, but they also want that "boots-on-the-ground" information about the facility that you'd only get by working there.
LOOKING FOR A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK? DOWNLOAD OUR PROVIDER ASSIGNMENT FEEDBACK FORM HERE!
Not sure what to go over? Here are a few key points to discuss:
1. Your sincere impression of the facility
You may have been in touch with your consultant regularly through your assignment, but the close of the contract allows you to look back at the entire assignment as a whole. This is your opportunity to reflect on the complete experience and give your candid thoughts about it.
Some questions you can answer as you look back are:
- What are your overall thoughts on the facility?
- What complaints do you have?
- What were the positive aspects of the assignment?
- What did you love?
- What can be improved?
- Do they have a medical service line?
- Would you go back to the facility for another assignment?
Once you answer these questions as honestly as possible, you set your consultant on a path to success by matching health facilities with the best fit locum providers. With insider information on how the facility operates, the consultant can make wise decisions for future placements. Too much negative feedback may make them shy away from working with a facility, while positive feedback makes the facility hot cake for the ideal locum providers.
2. Your relations with the staff
Although you were in the facility temporarily, interacting with the staff is undoubtedly something you did. Looking back at the experience, how would you describe them? Are they friendly? Are they competitive? Is every man for himself?
Besides personal interactions, how did the staff treat their patients? Are they slow or swift? Are they motivated or grumpy? Are they available? Are specialists accessible? Are there sufficient resources? You may have heard one or two negative comments from the staff. Now is the chance to let your consultant know about them, especially if they are about the operations and administration of the facility.
Provide all the information you can that would affect a future locum provider's ability to provide excellent patient care. It is also essential to share your observations on the caseloads and high-demand services, among other clinical specifics worth sharing.
3. Your onboarding experience
A new environment can be intimidating when you try to maneuver on your own. Share your thoughts on the onboarding process and the training or orientation that was available. Do you feel the facility has an excellent system in place to bring newcomers up to speed with ease? If not, what can be improved? How can they make what was difficult easier the next time? Is there a specific office that deals with orientation and training? Would its existence change the onboarding process? Share this information with your consultant to prepare future locum providers in the same facility.
4. Your feedback specifically for your consultant
If you took a locum tenens assignment through a staffing agency like Med X, then you worked closely with a recruiting consultant not only during your assignment, but also during the pre-employment process as well. They may have helped you search for a position, complete credentialing and/or licensing applications, and set up travel and lodging accommodations. Now would be the time to share your feedback on the entire recruitment process as a whole.
How was your experience with your consultant? Did they communicate effectively with you throughout the whole process? Did they ensure that your travel preferences were met? Is there anything else that your consultant should know in order to improve your experience on future assignments? Be extremely candid here. This type of feedback is crucial for us to learn how we can do better and elevate our service.
Your feedback helps your consultant to be a better recruiter by understanding the client’s situation better, and allows them to provide more information to other providers that may potentially work there. We are so grateful to the providers that provide feedback, including those pointing out areas in need of improvement on our end as we strive to achieve the highest level of service possible.
LOOKING FOR A QUICK AND EASY WAY TO PROVIDE YOUR FEEDBACK? DOWNLOAD OUR PROVIDER ASSIGNMENT FEEDBACK FORM HERE!
