The holidays may still feel a little ways off, but in healthcare staffing, October is the perfect time to start thinking about November and December coverage.

Between holiday PTO, vacations, open positions, and changing patient volumes, schedules can fill up quickly. Planning now can help your organization avoid the stress of trying to solve coverage gaps at the last minute.

Get Ahead of Holiday PTO

Your physicians and advanced practice providers deserve time away during the holidays, too.

Reviewing PTO requests and schedules early gives you a clearer picture of where coverage gaps may appear. If additional support is needed, you'll have more time to find a provider who fits your organization rather than simply filling an urgent opening.

Give Yourself Time for Credentialing

Finding a provider is only one part of the process. Credentialing, licensing, onboarding, and other requirements can all take time.

Starting the conversation in October gives your staffing and credentialing teams more breathing room to get everything in place before holiday schedules arrive.

Support Your Permanent Team

When coverage is short, the extra workload often falls on your permanent providers.

That can mean additional shifts, more call responsibilities, and less flexibility during a time of year when many people are hoping to spend time with family and friends.

Locum tenens coverage can help share that workload, giving your permanent team additional support while keeping schedules moving.

Keep Patients Connected to Care

Your staffing needs may change during the holidays, but your patients still need access to care.

Having coverage secured ahead of time can help maintain appointment availability, reduce disruptions, and provide greater consistency for both patients and staff.

Start Planning Now

Holiday staffing doesn't have to become a last-minute scramble.

At Alumni Staffing, we help healthcare organizations connect with locum tenens physicians and advanced practice providers for both planned and unexpected coverage needs.

If you're already looking at your November and December schedules and seeing potential gaps, now is a great time to start the conversation.

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