How do healthcare staffing agencies compare? A recruiter's guide

With numerous locum tenens agencies to choose from, it's important for healthcare recruiters to understand what differentiates one agency from another. Not only will a good agency find you quality providers, but they’ll make your job easier by understanding your organization and its needs. Here’s what you should look for when doing a healthcare staffing agency comparison and how to find the agency that fits your staffing needs.

Locum tenens agencies at a glance

Your facility and staffing needs are unique, so it’s important to work with an agency that can provide what you need. Check out the chart below to find out which healthcare staffing agencies offer various types of staffing.

Factors to consider when you're choosing a healthcare staffing agency

There are a number of factors you'll want to take into consideration when choosing which healthcare staffing company to work with, including the following:

Number of providers

One size doesn’t fit all when you’re trying to fill a staffing gap, so it’s important to have options — in both the specialty and the number of providers available in that specialty. When an agency has more providers to draw from, it has a better chance of being able to meet your needs.

What makes CompHealth unique

CompHealth stands out with one of the largest databases of providers in the industry. With a remarkable track record of placing 7,330 providers last year alone, we leverage this extensive resource to match the perfect candidate with your organization's unique requirements.

Quality of providers

Unless you like taking chances, quality is just as important as quantity when it comes to finding a provider. To ensure you’re getting a quality provider, look for an agency that thoroughly prescreens candidates before presenting you with options.

What makes CompHealth unique

At CompHealth, quality is paramount. Our rigorous internal credentialing process ensures that every provider presented to you meets the highest standards of competence and professionalism.

Here’s what one of our partners said in a recent customer experience survey: “CompHealth’s recruiter sourcing agents are very responsive to communication. They take the time when we open a search to do a phone call with us and build a practice descriptor. They always have lots of clarifying questions, so I think they really get themselves and the candidates prepared to work with our organization.”

Speed of filling openings

The longer it takes to fill a position, the more money you lose. With multiple positions to fill on your plate, working with a staffing agency can extend your reach without adding to your workload.

“For some of those tougher searches, a contingent staffing agency is another sourcing tool within our toolbox,” says Jennifer Waters-Plemon, physician and APC recruiter and onboarding team lead at Marshfield Clinic. “Maybe they have a different database of candidates that they can touch base with. We as recruiters have over 30 openings apiece, so our time is spread thin to begin with, and if we can have someone else helping on our behalf, that’s great.”

What makes CompHealth unique

CompHealth’s extensive reach and streamlined procedures enable us to expedite the recruitment process, ensuring your staffing needs are met promptly and efficiently.

Do the math: Estimate your locums ROI with this calculator

Types of hiring assistance

Do you need to hire for a full-time position, or are you looking for a locum tenens provider to fill a temporary gap? Or maybe you want both. Unfortunately, not every agency can help you staff for both — some only focus on locum tenens. Working with an agency that offers permanent and temporary healthcare staffing can save your organization both time and money.

“By working with an agency, you can often get a physician hired and starting to work sooner; even starting 10 to 15 days earlier can help your organization start bringing in revenue sooner,” explains Brooke Bowers, president of CompHealth’s locum tenens division. “At the same time, the agency is also able to get locum physicians in immediately to continue seeing patients while working on the permanent hire.”

What makes CompHealth unique

Our versatility sets us apart. Not only are we a pioneer in the locum tenens industry, but we also offer permanent staffing support, providing comprehensive hiring solutions tailored to your specific needs.

Variety of providers

Some agencies only staff specific healthcare professions, but what do you do when you need to fill a variety of open positions at your facility? Working with a staffing partner that offers more than one type of provider streamlines the process and helps you fill those positions faster — ultimately saving you time and money.

What makes CompHealth unique

From physicians, NPs, and PAs to allied professionals, therapists, and CRNAs our diverse pool of healthcare providers enables us to cater to your unique needs, offering unmatched flexibility and adaptability in staffing solutions.

Telehealth services

In 2023, 17% of all patient visits were done via telehealth. With the ongoing demand for telehealth services and a need for flexible staffing models, locum tenens can be a strategic and cost-effective way to enhance your telehealth program. But not all agencies have the knowledge or capabilities to staff your virtual-care needs, so look for one that can effectively support your telehealth strategy.

What makes CompHealth unique

CompHealth, in partnership with CHG Healthcare, not only assists in staffing telehealth programs, but also provides consultation on building and integrating a telehealth solution at your organization.

Choosing the right healthcare staffing partner

Taking the time to compare healthcare staffing agencies is a great way to ensure you’re getting a trusted partner to help you fulfill your staffing needs.

To experience the benefits of working with CompHealth, give us a call at 800.453.3030 or click the button below.