Long-standing healthcare staffing partnerships do not maintain themselves.
Going Above and Beyond to Maintain Trust
The client relationship was already solid, but the staffing environment was complex.
Many clinicians at the facility had worked there for over 10 years, with some treating the assignment as a long-term placement, even as 1099 contractors. The patient population included high-risk psychiatric patients, making the right fit, schedule continuity, and communication especially important.
Jenn, Interim Physicians’ primary contact for the hospital, stayed in close contact with physicians and helped keep reliable coverage on track. Her close involvement gave the client consistency, but it also made proactive follow-up essential.
As Alan noted, “She builds the monthly schedule, communicates with everyone, and keeps things running smoothly. That’s a huge lift off the client.”
One example of Jenn’s deep connection with the facility is that their current medical director was a physician she brought in. As Alan put it, “Jenn had a great relationship with her before, so the transition to working with her in a leadership role was seamless.”
The challenge was more subtle than a sudden vacancy or a broken process. It was making sure the relationship didn’t rely on habit alone.
The team needed to reaffirm trust, understand any new pain points, and ensure the facility still felt supported at both the administrative and provider levels.
Reconnecting in Person to Identify What Remote Calls Miss
To proactively strengthen the relationship, the Interim Physicians team traveled to Southern California to meet directly with facility leadership and physicians.
The goal was simple: listen in person, uncover needs that might not surface on a routine call, and make sure the client had confidence in the continued partnership.
“Face-to-face interaction makes a big difference,” Jenn said. “People open up more when you’re there in person.”
That proved true during the visit.
During conversations with facility leadership, the team learned that the client had been struggling with mask fit testing. It was not the kind of issue that usually headlines a staffing conversation, but it mattered. Small operational barriers can slow onboarding, frustrate clinicians, and create avoidable friction.
“One thing we kept hearing about was related to fit testing for masks,” Alan said. “They had been struggling with it for a while, and we were able to jump in quickly and start helping.”
The team also used the visit to expand relationships with facility leaders and providers. One new administrator shared a personal passion for horse racing. “You just don’t get that level of openness over a Teams call,” Alan said.
They also took the clinicians out to dinner to catch up outside of the facility. “It gave us a chance to connect on a more personal level,” Alan said. “Some of these physicians have been working with us for years, so it was great to spend time with them.”
Those moments are important because they allow Jenn to proactively meet client needs. By staying close to the clinicians, she can track availability changes and begin recruiting early when a potential gap arises.
“If I know we might lose coverage, I start early, finding new physicians and getting them credentialed, which can take up to three months, and making sure we avoid any schedule disruptions.”
The Outcome
The onsite visit gave Interim Physicians a clearer view of client needs that could have been missed without face-to-face communication. The existing staffing program was working, but the team came home with new action items, stronger leadership relationships, and better insight into operational issues affecting the facility.
Over more than a decade, Interim Physicians has learned how this facility operates, what its physicians need, and where coverage risks may appear. This trip was more than a checkpoint. It was a chance to prove the partnership could continue changing.
As Alan put it, “It’s all about adaptability. We work closely with the client and make sure we’re able to bend to whatever they need.”