Many healthcare facilities use vendor management systems to coordinate locum tenens staffing. But when coverage gaps develop, speed and clear communication become a priority.
For one Interim Physicians client, the benefits of a personal relationship became apparent when an unexpected OB/GYN absence left the facility with only days to secure coverage.
When their senior account executive, Travis Redman, learned of the urgent need, he knew he had to act fast to avoid coverage shortages and maintain continuity of care.
Why the Direct Relationship Mattered
Interim Physicians had already supported the client for nearly three years across multiple specialties, including OB/GYN, gastroenterology, and hospitalist coverage. That history gave Travis a strong understanding of the facility’s staffing needs.
“We knew the client and how they liked to work,” Travis said. “Whenever they brought in a request, we already had a base of understanding to work from.”
The relationship temporarily changed when the client moved to a VMS model to centralize vendor management. The added layer sometimes made time-sensitive communication more difficult.
“With a VMS, there can be another step between the person who actually needs coverage and us,” Travis said. “That’s usually manageable for routine needs, but when something is urgent, direct communication can make a big difference.”
After roughly a year, the client ended its VMS arrangement and retained Interim Physicians as one of a small number of direct staffing partners.
Filling a Pressing Vacancy
The value of working with a responsive locum staffing agency became clear when one of the client’s OB/GYN physicians experienced a serious health emergency. With only a few days’ notice, the facility was facing an immediate staffing gap beginning the following week.
Without appropriate coverage, the facility may have had to divert scheduled deliveries and C-sections to other hospitals. Deliveries presenting to the ED could also have been handled by emergency medicine physicians rather than an OB/GYN specialist.
“We knew we had a narrow window to find a physician who could meet the client’s requirements and get through the necessary privileging process in time,” Travis recalled.
How Interim Physicians Found a Provider Fast
Travis searched for locum candidates right away. “We needed a physician who could be available the following week. Within days, I had a few options we could evaluate with the client.”
Travis worked with the client to identify the best available physician and complete the emergency privileging needed to get them ready for coverage.
“It took a lot of coordination, but we had them ready to start the following Tuesday.”
The pressing staffing need was filled, but the situation changed again soon afterward. The client learned that the original physician would likely remain unavailable for the rest of 2026, turning a short-term emergency into a much larger coverage need.
Rather than starting over with another candidate, Travis and the team began working with the same clinician to potentially cover approximately 80 additional shifts.
“If we could keep the same physician in place, the client wouldn’t have to start over with another provider,” he said. “Making a pivot like that can be challenging for a third party, but I was already personally familiar with the facility and what they needed.”
Building and Maintaining Trust
The sudden request demonstrated the value of maintaining direct relationships with a small group of staffing partners. When circumstances changed quickly, the client could communicate with Travis and get answers without adding another layer to the process.
“They couldn’t believe how fast we filled their need,” he said. “When I told them we could also work on coverage for the rest of the year, it was like a huge weight lifted off their shoulders.”
The client knew who to call when its staffing needs changed, and Interim already understood how to work with the facility.