Report: Locum Tenens Usage Jumps 25% as Health Systems Combat Physician Shortages and $2.6M Revenue Gaps

MIDVALE, Utah--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As physician shortages deepen across the U.S., health systems are increasingly turning to locum tenens providers to maintain patient access and revenue. CHG Healthcare’s newly released 2025 State of Locum Tenens Report highlights how temporary staffing is evolving from a stopgap measure to a strategic solution.

“Locums are no longer just filling gaps — they’re a core part of how organizations protect revenue and deliver care,” said Leslie Snavely, CEO of CHG Healthcare. "When a single physician vacancy costs $2.6 million annually, our data shows that effective locum use prevents millions in lost revenue. Organizations are building locums into their strategic planning to expand capacity, serve underserved communities, and maintain patient access."

Top Insights from the Report

• Utilization gap: Healthcare organizations reported that their actual locums utilization was 25% higher than they anticipated going into 2024.
• Revenue loss prevention: With unfilled roles costing upwards of $2.6M per vacancy, 46% of leaders utilize locums to prevent revenue loss.
• Strategic shift: While backfills remain the most common reason to use locums, that reason has been declining in importance, from 82% in 2023 to 67% in 2024.
• Rising demand: One-third (35%) of healthcare organizations use locums to “meet rising patient demand” and 28% to supplement staff during peak periods, indicating more strategic use-cases.
• Specialty trends: Anesthesiology demand surged 55%, while emergency medicine declined 8% year-over-year.
• Provider perspectives: 43% of physicians report burnout relief after locum assignments; 48% plan to increase locum days in 2025.
• Telehealth desire: Interest in telehealth opportunities is high, with 46% of physicians expressing interest, but availability for these opportunities lags at 20%.

The report also reveals growing physician interest in locum work as a remedy for burnout and a path to greater flexibility.

“Healthcare leaders are innovating to make locum staffing more efficient and cost-effective,” said Bill Heller, COO of CHG Healthcare. “We’re seeing organizations centralize credentialing across facilities, expand telehealth capabilities, and streamline onboarding. These operational improvements are turning what was once a cumbersome process into a competitive advantage.”

The 2025 State of Locum Tenens Report analyzes locum tenens trends, utilization patterns, and workforce dynamics based on surveys of healthcare organization leaders and physicians. The full report is available here.

About CHG Healthcare:

As the nation’s leading physician workforce experts, CHG Healthcare connects physicians, advanced practice providers, and allied health professionals with healthcare organizations nationwide — helping deliver high-quality care to more than 20 million patients every year.

With more than 40 years of experience, CHG Healthcare and its family of brands deliver scalable, people-centered workforce solutions across the clinical spectrum — from locum tenens and permanent staffing to technology and advisory services — and are recognized for industry-leading Net Promoter Scores and partnerships with half of the nation’s largest health systems.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City with offices across the country, CHG is recognized as a top workplace for its culture of care, growth, and purpose. Learn more at www.chghealthcare.com.