Staffing Expert Says Growing Locum Tenens Industry Can Solve Surgeon Shortages

PEABODY, Mass. — Barton Associates’ Executive Vice President Lina Gallotto, a healthcare staffing expert who leads the company’s sales teams, recently delivered a presentation at the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Clinical Congress in Boston about using locum tenens providers to solve the growing surgeon shortage.

The address highlighted forecasts from Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA) that estimate a deficit of 15,800 to 30,200 full-time-equivalent, non-primary care surgeons by 2034. Gallotto explained that the locum tenens staffing industry—which SIA projects to grow by seven percent in 2024—is best equipped to provide highly-skilled surgeons on a temporary basis to medical facilities that are inadequately staffed. 

“As the supply of surgeons and physicians decreases due to retirement and burnout, the demand among aging patients and other groups for their critical services grows,” Gallotto said. “Locum tenens addresses these issues head on by leveraging temporary medical providers to fill gaps in coverage, which ultimately enables continuity of care for the patients who need it the most. Since Barton Associates began over 20 years ago, we’ve consistently proven that locum tenens is a sustainable solution for facilities undergoing staffing challenges.”

Facilities that partner with Barton Associates for staffing assistance gain access to a network of locum tenens physicians, nurse practitioners (NPs), and physician assistants (PAs) who are willing to travel across the country for a temporary assignment. 

The healthcare staffing shortage affects more than just surgeons—the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) projects a shortage of up to 124,000 primary care and non-primary care physicians by 2034. Barton Associates has built and maintained meaningful connections with providers across disciplines and specialties to help combat this crisis.

Learn more about surgical staffing with Barton Associates on the company’s website. 

About Barton Associates

Barton Associates, headquartered in Peabody, Massachusetts, is the United States’ fourth largest national locum tenens physician, nurse practitioner (NP), physician assistant (PA), and dentist staffing and recruiting firm. Learn more at BartonAssociates.com.

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