Many doctors take advantage of locum tenens assignments to turn them into working vacations. In a recent article on locum tenens travel, Weatherby Healthcare president Bill Heller shared, “You get to enjoy a community’s highlights and attractions like a visitor” while also providing patients care. Of course, one important aspect of how much you enjoy your locum tenens experience is the travel. Heller shares what the best locum tenens agencies do to make it easy to get from home to your assignment with a minimum of stress.
Booking flights
A good staffing agency will try to accommodate your flight preferences, like a window or aisle seat and the time of day you like to travel. They will also help if family members will be joining you on assignment.
Getting upgrades
Most staffing agencies cover the cost of standard airfare as part of the assignment, but if you want to upgrade, many can also accommodate your request. Typically, you just pay the difference in cost.
Renting a car
Your agency should have a rental car, booked and paid for, waiting at the airport. Many agencies will also pick up the car’s insurance costs and reimburse you for fuel. For assignments closer to home, you can choose to drive your own vehicle and be reimbursed for work-related driving expenses.
Providing emergency assistance
Top staffing agencies like Weatherby will have a support team available 24/7 to iron out wrinkles over the phone for any issues that may arise — from cancelled flights to a change in contract start or end dates.
Tracking expenses
While most agencies pay travel costs to and from locums assignments, providers may also have other expenses, many of which can be reimbursed or deducted from state and federal taxes. Heller stresses the importance of keeping track of receipts in an organized way to make tax filing easier.
Read Bill Heller’s full article on locum tenens travel at Health eCareers.
Bill Heller is the president of Weatherby Healthcare and has nearly 20 years of physician and nurse staffing experience.
