Offering to permanently hire a temp medical provider has multiple benefits. Judging if a physician assistant or nurse practitioner is a right fit for your facility is made easier by the ability to evaluate the temporary employee’s current work. It will also reduce costs and time by eliminating the need for further recruiting and hiring. 

As a medical facility manager, you are bound to find temporary or locum tenens staff who have the potential to become permanent employees at your facility. But should a permanent position arise, to whom exactly should you offer the position? 

If you observe the following qualities in your temporary provider and the need is there for your facility, it may be time to turn them into a permanent part of your team.

Excellent work performance

While it may seem like a no-brainer, determining if the employee is getting their work done and getting it done well is the first thing to consider before offering a permanent position. It’s important to ask yourself, “Is the employee meeting or exceeding my expectations consistently?” If so, they could be a candidate for permanent employment. 

There are also certain skills and qualities you should look for in a potential long-term employee. Having the right qualifications is not the only thing that matters. Look for employees who demonstrate these characteristics shown in the best healthcare providers working today:

• Interpersonal skills
• Active listening skills
• Intuition 
• Multitasking skills
• A proactive approach
• Punctuality and reliability
• Positivity and energy
• Organizational skills
• Compassion
• Humility

Good fit with current staff

Cultivating a positive company culture can be a challenge for any organization. With burnout and physician shortages looming over the healthcare industry, maintaining a high morale is more important than ever. A locum tenens provider can often become a go-to person for your current staff. If you notice your temporary employee not only fits in well with your existing team but also contributes positivity and productivity to the workplace, it’s probably time to lock them in. 

Knowing an employee fits in with co-workers before making them permanent has a significant impact on productivity as well. When things are working out well between existing employees and a temporary provider, you want to do everything you can to avoid messing with it.

You see growth potential

When hiring any new employee, recognizing opportunities for the employee to grow within the organization is key. If the temporary provider shows enthusiasm and commitment for both the present and future, you’ve probably found someone worth keeping around. Look for providers who are eager to learn new skills, take on new tasks and help out co-workers, even during their temporary position. 

There’s a clear business need

If like so many practices, you’re feeling the effects of the widespread medical staffing shortage, it may be time to add a permanent provider to your team. A high patient-to-provider ratio, staff burnout and declining morale will compromise the level of care you provide and lead to dissatisfied patients in the long-turn. 

The ability to “try before you buy” is a unique advantage of a locum-to-perm hiring strategy. Even if you didn’t start out planning to create a permanent position, when you find an employee who adds great value to your team, converting them to permanent often makes good business sense. 

How to convert a locum tenens provider to permanent staff

Act quickly! Locum tenens PAs and NPs are in high demand and have opportunities for full-time employment at any given moment. It’s a good idea to explore their interest in a permanent position early on, so they know you’re interested and they don’t go elsewhere.

Once you have decided to offer a permanent position to a temporary worker, go about making the offer the right way.

READ: How to Convert Temporary Employees to Permanent Staff

If you are in need of a temporary or permanent provider for your medical practice or hospital, Tinkbird Healthcare Staffing represents a vast network of highly skilled physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other medical professionals. Contact us to learn more about how our recruiting experts can fill your open positions.