SHOULD YOU USE A LOCUMS AGENCY?
When providers think about doing locums, one of the first questions that comes up is: “Should I find assignments myself or work with an agency?”
The honest answer is: You can absolutely find jobs on your own. The real question is whether it's worth the time you give up — especially when you're earning $150–$300+ per hour.
Locums is supposed to increase your income and flexibility, not create more administrative work. Here’s the clearest way to think about it.
1. You can find contracts yourself — but you pay for it in lost income
Finding and managing your own locum assignments takes more time than most providers expect.
A realistic breakdown looks like this:
- 3 hours searching for openings
- 2 hours calling facilities or recruiters
- 1–2 hours negotiating pay, schedule, and logistics
- 3 hours completing credentialing forms and follow-up
- 1 hour arranging travel or lodging
- 1–2 hours dealing with schedule changes or clarifications
That adds up to 10–12 hours per assignment.
If you earn $250 per hour clinically, that is:
- $2,500–$3,000 per month in lost earning potential
- $30,000–$36,000 per year spent on administrative work instead of clinical work
No agency margin comes anywhere close to that amount. Your most valuable asset is your time — not your ability to fill out paperwork.
2. The real challenge isn’t getting a job — it’s keeping a stable pipeline
Locums work only pays well when your schedule stays full. But assignments can end early, get delayed during credentialing, go quiet for months, or change their staffing needs.
If you rely on just one hospital or one source of leads, you risk gaps in income.
A provider working solo has a few leads. Agencies have hundreds — often with earlier access to openings.
Your goal isn’t to find one assignment. Your goal is to build a pipeline that protects your income consistently.
3. Why working with multiple agencies is actually smart
Most agencies won’t say this out loud, but it’s true: Using two or three ethical agencies gives you more stability, not less.
Here’s why:
- Each agency has different hospital contracts
- Each sees a different part of the market
- You get more opportunities, faster
- You maintain leverage on rates
- You can pivot quickly when a job ends
- You stay fully booked year-round
Using multiple agencies is not disloyal. It’s professional income protection.
4. What a good agency actually does for you
A good agency removes the friction so you can focus on earning, not administrating.
They should:
- Save you hours each week
- Accelerate credentialing and reduce delays
- Bring job options you’d never find on your own
- Negotiate rates and terms on your behalf
- Protect your time when things go sideways
- Maintain a steady job pipeline for you
This support is what keeps your schedule — and income — predictable.
5. The financial argument that matters
If you earn $250 per hour clinically and spend 10–12 hours a month on admin, you’re losing over $30,000 per year.
Locums was designed to give clinicians more time, more income, and more control. If you self-manage everything, you give those advantages right back.
A good agency turns administrative hours into earning hours.
6. When it doesn’t make sense to use an agency
To stay balanced, here are times when going direct is reasonable:
- You have a long-term site you enjoy
- You prefer W2 stability
- You don’t care about maximizing income
- You only want minimal travel
- You enjoy negotiating and handling admin yourself
This isn’t “agency vs. no agency” — it’s about your personal goals and work style.
7. Bottom line: Locums is a business of attention
Locums offers unmatched freedom and financial upside — but only if you protect your time.
Using one or more ethical agencies allows you to focus on patient care, growing your income, maintaining your skills, and living your life outside work.