Tag: Advanced Practice Providers

The healthcare labor market is shifting rapidly. As hospitals and clinics compete to recruit qualified providers, several data-backed trends are emerging—around flexibility, burnout, locum tenens growth, and technology adoption. If you’re hiring NPs, APPs, or physicians, aligning with these trends will help you attract and retain top-tier talent.

1. Flexible Scheduling Is Now Expected

A 2024 report from the Massachusetts Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) highlights that inflexible scheduling and high burnout are among the top concerns in ambulatory care and community health settings. Similarly, recent HHS research underscores the role of flexible work models in stabilizing healthcare staffing.

Why it matters:
Clinicians are seeking part-time, per diem, and remote-friendly options. Organizations offering more control over scheduling are seeing improved recruitment and retention rates.

2. Demand for Advanced Practice Providers Continues to Climb

Data from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) project shortages in multiple advanced provider roles, including primary care physicians, psychiatrists, and pharmacists, through 2037. On the state level, Texas DSHS projects a 9,600-FTE primary care physician shortfall by 2036.

Why it matters:
Hiring isn’t just about nurses. Health systems increasingly rely on NPs, PAs, and physicians to lead care teams and meet growing demand in both urban and underserved areas.

3. Locum Tenens Is No Longer a Niche Strategy

A Precedence Research market report estimates that the U.S. locum tenens sector—valued at $3.5 billion in 2023—will reach nearly $8 billion by 2034. Meanwhile, Staffing Industry Analysts data confirms year-over-year double-digit growth in locum coverage for both generalist and specialty providers.

Why it matters:
More clinicians are choosing contract-based roles for better flexibility and lifestyle control. Offering locum or temp-to-perm positions allows you to stay agile in the face of coverage gaps and fluctuating demand.

4. Technology Is Accelerating Hiring Efficiency

According to ASPE at HHS, digital tools like mobile scheduling, same-day pay, and credentialing automation are critical to the future of healthcare staffing. Providers—especially younger clinicians—now expect tech-enabled onboarding, e-pay, and streamlined workflows.

Why it matters:
Outdated systems lead to lost candidates. Adopting digital platforms for recruiting and placement is no longer optional—it’s a core part of competitive hiring.

5. Burnout Is Reshaping How We Hire

Both the CHIA report and ASPE brief identify burnout and staff shortages as structural threats to care access. These reports tie workforce gaps to delayed treatments and higher patient risk in multiple specialties.

Why it matters:
Relying solely on permanent hires can lead to burnout and turnover. A balanced staffing strategy—with supplemental support like locums—can stabilize teams and maintain patient care standards.

How Momentum Healthcare Staffing Aligns with These Trends

At Momentum Healthcare Staffing, we recruit for the world healthcare is becoming—not the one it used to be. Our placements support:

• Flexible staffing models – Including per diem, telehealth, locum, and full-time placements
• In-demand specialties – Like urgent care, geriatrics, psychiatry, and primary care
• Technology-driven recruitment – With efficient onboarding, scheduling, and credentialing
• Retention and resilience – Helping you reduce burnout and maintain quality of care

Whether you’re a facility trying to reduce turnover or a system scaling services, we’ll help you find clinicians who are ready for what’s next.

Let’s Build Your Ideal Care Team

📞 Call us at (877) 558‑3782 or visit https://momentumhcs.com/contact/ to get started. Our team can help you hire the providers that today’s healthcare environment demands.

Rural hospitals are the backbone of healthcare in many parts of the U.S. — yet in 2025, staffing challenges continue to deepen. Physician recruitment in rural areas is reaching a crisis point. If your hospital or clinic is struggling to hire physicians or advanced practice providers (APPs), you’re not alone — but there are proven strategies that can help.

The State of Rural Healthcare Staffing in 2025

Rural healthcare shortages are well documented. Since 2010, more than 136 rural hospitals have closed across the U.S. Many others are operating under severe financial stress.
Source: UNC Rural Hospital Closures

In a recent national survey, 69% of rural hospital CEOs identified physician recruitment as their top challenge. Burnout, retirements, and fewer young physicians choosing rural practice are driving this widening gap.
Source: Navigant Rural Hospital CEO Survey

Where Physician Shortages Are Hitting Hardest

Physician shortages are impacting rural areas nationwide, but certain regions face especially critical gaps:

• Southeast: States like Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia are struggling to recruit primary care physicians and specialists for rural counties. Many counties in these states are designated Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs) for primary care.
• Midwest: Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri report increasing shortages in family medicine and internal medicine, especially as older physicians retire.
• Upper Midwest / Plains: North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Montana face severe gaps in OB/GYN, general surgery, and emergency medicine coverage.
• Southwest: New Mexico and West Texas rural hospitals are competing for a small pool of bilingual and culturally competent providers to serve rural and Native American populations.
• Appalachia: Regions of Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee face unique barriers in recruiting due to geographic isolation and persistent poverty.

In many of these areas, the gap extends beyond physicians to include nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) — key parts of the modern rural care model.

New Opportunities and Incentives

Fortunately, new programs are emerging to help address these shortages.

The Bipartisan Primary Care and Health Workforce Act, passed by the U.S. Senate in 2024, provides:

• Expanded loan forgiveness for rural-serving providers
• New training programs focused on rural practice
• Increased funding for rural residency programs

Additionally, many states are offering incentives such as:

• Tax credits for rural healthcare workers
• Loan repayment programs
• Support for telehealth infrastructure to supplement on-site care

Solutions for Rural Hiring in 2025

What can rural hospitals do today to stay competitive in this challenging hiring environment?

1. Leverage Guaranteed Placement Programs
   Working with a staffing partner that offers guaranteed placements and 90-day replacement policies reduces risk and ensures continuity of care.
2. Expand the Provider Model
   Many successful rural facilities use team-based models that combine physicians with nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to extend care capacity.
3. Use Flexible Contracts
   Offering permanent, locum-to-permanent, or flexible arrangements can attract providers who are open to rural practice but value flexibility.
4. Partner with a Dedicated Rural Staffing Agency
   Momentum Healthcare Staffing specializes in helping rural hospitals and clinics recruit:

• Physicians (Primary Care + Specialty)
• Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
• Physician Assistants (PAs)
• Flexible contract options
• Guaranteed placements with a 90-day replacement policy
• Discounted rates on first 10 assignments

Final Thoughts

Rural healthcare leaders are facing historic staffing challenges — but there are solutions. Whether your facility is in the Southeast, Midwest, Plains, Southwest, or Appalachia, Momentum Healthcare Staffing can help you recruit qualified, committed providers to serve your community.

Let’s build your rural care team today.
Contact us: https://momentumhcs.com/contact/

It’s that time of year again; resolutions, new ideas, and fresh starts. It also happens to be a very good time of year for medical professionals to find some fresh opportunities. After annual budgets, hospitals and other healthcare organizations are on the lookout for family physicians and advanced practice providers to add to their staff.

The Growing Demand for Medical Professionals Post-Pandemic

It isn’t news anymore that physicians and medical staff are greatly needed, especially since the COVID-19 outbreak. Over 100,000 nurses left their jobs in 2020 due to burnout and stress from the pandemic, with another 610,388 “intending” to leave. With a tremendous lack in the medical workforce, it’s urgent our hospitals, rehabilitation centers, family practices, and a multitude of medical centers become staffed again. The silver lining is this leaves ample opportunity for those entering the medical field, and those looking for a change. For family physicians and advanced practice providers, especially, job projections are estimated to increase 1.9 million in the next several years.

The Expanding Role of Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)

The role of an advanced practice provider is wide. Not only can they perform exams, order tests, and prescribe medication, their titles can include physician assistant, nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, or certified registered nurse anesthetist. This is all to say the need for their expertise and services are not in shortage. In fact, hospitals and other healthcare organizations looked to APPs specifically because of their versatility and adaptability to help during the overwhelming time of COVID. In job searches this year and moving forward, small practices and big organizations are looking to hire APPs to “fill in any gaps in medical care service.”

Career Opportunities for Family Physicians Across Various Settings

A family physician is usually the first in line when something feels wrong, and they don’t only check for the common cold. Family physicians can detect high blood pressure, STDs, developmental disorders, and mental health issues like depression. They can also check for signs of domestic abuse, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. For family physicians, the skies look just as bright. The projected growth is over 55,000 jobs to open up for family physicians in the next ten years. If it’s just a small family practice you’re picturing for a family physician, think again. This field of expertise is the backbone of medicine, and also very versatile. A family physician can work in a variety of settings that include clinics, private (or group) practices, long-term care facilities like nursing homes, and hospitals for both inpatient and outpatient services. For example, a family physician may be hired by a hospital as a hospitalist to provide care to patients staying in the hospital.

Why Now Is the Right Time to Make a Career Move

There is so much opportunity for both family physicians and APPs this year and moving forward. Patients, young and old, are in need of the multifaceted expertise of both professionals and it’s never been a perfect time to pick and choose where you’d like to work. So if it’s a switch of atmosphere or co-workers, now might be the best time to land a new job with fresh challenges and rewards.

Explore Exciting APP Career Opportunities with Us

If you’re an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) or family physician looking for your next opportunity, now is the perfect time to make a move. We have a wide range of job openings across the USA, including locum, permanent, full-time, and part-time positions in various healthcare settings. Whether you’re seeking a fresh start or exploring new career challenges, we can help you find the perfect fit. Contact Momentum today to learn more about our available opportunities and take the next step in your career!