October 29 | CHG Healthcare

CHG Healthcare’s 2025 State of Locum Tenens Report dropped in late October, offering a data-rich look at trends reshaping the locum tenens industry. From the evolving profile of today’s locum physician to the growing influence of technology, the report touches on everything from staffing use cases to strategic workforce planning.

One of its most striking findings? The way facilities use locum tenens is shifting. While backfill coverage remains the most common use case, its dominance is declining, down from 82% in 2023 to 67% in 2024. This, paired with a 25% year-over-year increase in overall locum use, signals that more healthcare leaders are building locums into their long-term staffing models, not just plugging short-term gaps.

And that’s just the start. With anesthesiology demand up 55% and burnout still widespread, the report confirms what many industry insiders have long emphasized: locum tenens isn’t a catch-all solution, but it can’t be treated as a last resort either. For facilities focused on sustainability, strategically integrating locums is becoming essential.