How to Make Your CEOs Happy
Six tips to help locum doctors keep their hospital CEOs happy:
Be flexible—the number one tip I can give any new local physician is that you will have to have Gumby-level flexibility. Be ready to bend, twist, turn, and reach in directions you never knew possible, and do so with a smile on your face.
I think of locum assignments as an opportunity to help and assist a facility, unit, or team that is in desperate need of help. They want someone who is uplifting, fun to work with, supportive, and reliable. Know that the department you've been assigned might be under a great deal of financial or emotional stress. Be there to help ease some of that stress.
Don't be upset if a permanent physician is interviewing for your job. I think of myself as a foster mom bridging facilities or units to their adoptive medical director or parent. You want them to have a consistent full-time physician who can allow the unit to have stability and flow.
Teach your staff—this might seem crazy, but I find units to be very appreciative of educational presentations or lectures on topics they find useful.
Of course, a CEO has to stick to the bottom line. Be diligent about your conservation of funds, both inside and outside the hospital. It is not appropriate to stay at a Ritz-Carlton or ask your CEO to accommodate such. It is critical that you have comfortable accommodations that allow you to perform your day-to-day activities, such as having a rental with a washer-dryer, strong wifi Internet, close proximity to your hospital, and being in a safe neighborhood.
Being fiscally responsible also applies to how you operate within the hospital. Running tests or obtaining labs that are not absolutely critical to the workflow is never appropriate, whether you're in a permanent position or a travel one. These units are paying a great deal of money to hire a locum physician, and every extra expense affects that unit as a whole.
