Med Travelers Vs. Club Staffing: Best Healthcare Staffing Agencies

Healthcare staffing agencies have two main options when it comes to finding and placing medical professionals in facilities around the country: med travelers and club staffing.

While both models have their advantages, there are some key differences between med travelers and club staffing that staffing agencies should understand when deciding which approach to take.

A Brief Comparison Table

Features	Med Travelers	Club Staffing
Candidate Pool	National – Can draw from large pool across US	Local – Limited to professionals in metro area
Cost	Higher – Travel stipends and premium rates	Lower – Local wage rates without stipends
Licensure & Onboarding	Required for every new assignment	Already completed for local area
Assignment Length	Temporary – Usually 13 weeks	Flexible – Part-time or per diem
Location Flexibility	High – Frequently change locations	Low – Restricted to same metro region
Facility Familiarity	Low – Assignments in new facilities	High – Work routinely at same hospitals
Best Use Cases	Short-term spikes in demand, new sites, filling critical vacancies	Ongoing local flexible needs, last-minute needs, long-term projects

What Are Med Travelers?

Med travelers, also sometimes called travel nurses or travel allied professionals, are medical staff who agree to temporary work assignments, usually 13 weeks, away from their home location.

Med travelers work through staffing agencies that connect them with medical facilities needing short-term staffing.

Some of the key benefits of working with med travelers include:

• Access to a large national pool of licensed medical professionals eager for travel opportunities. This allows agencies to fill needs rapidly.
• Flexibility in assigning med travelers based on availability and skills. Med travelers can move between locations as assignments end.
• Higher pay rates. Travelers expect higher pay to compensate for travel and short assignments.
• Minimal commitment. Assignments can be ended easily if travelers are not a good fit.

Med travelers are best suited for short-term spikes in staffing demand or filling gaps while facilities seek permanent hires. Their flexibility makes them ideal to meet changing requirements.

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What Is Club Staffing?

Club staffing refers to developing a network of medical professionals in a geographic area that an agency can call upon to fill local staffing needs. Club staff work on flexible or per-diem schedules but within their home location.

Some advantages of club staffing models include:

• Established relationships and familiarity with facilities. Club staff work regularly at the same hospitals and clinics.
• Lower costs. Pay rates for club staff are usually less than med travelers who require travel stipends and higher pay.
• Licensure and onboarding. Club staff have established licensure and credentials for their area eliminating duplicate onboarding.
• Community ties. Club staff live in the area making them ideal for long-term and last-minute needs.

Club staffing networks excel at meeting fluctuating demand within a defined metro area. They provide lower cost options for coverage compared to med travelers.

Key Differences Between Med Travelers And Club Staffing

When considering med travelers versus club staffing, agencies should weigh these key differences:

Availability of Candidates

• Med Travelers: Draw from large national pool of candidates. Strong availability.
• Club Staff: Limited to professionals in a geographic area. Smaller applicant pool.

Cost

• Med Travelers: Higher pay rates driven by travel stipends and short-term work. Significant premium over local wages.
• Club Staff: Pay is in line with local wage rates. No travel costs so significantly lower overall costs.

Credentials and Licensure

• Med Travelers: Need to obtain licenses for each new state they work in. Onboarding required for each assignment.
• Club Staff: Already licensed and credentialed for their area. No repeat onboarding needed.

Assignment Lengths

• Med Travelers: Temporary assignments, usually around 13 weeks. Allow flexibility in locations.
• Club Staff: Work on flexible and per diem basis. Well-suited for long-term and last-minute needs.

Familiarity with Facilities

• Med Travelers: Frequently shifting locations means less familiarity with specific facilities.
• Club Staff: Regularly work at the same hospitals gaining site-specific experience.

Also Read: Comparison Between Outside Agents And InteleTravel.

When To Use Each Model

Determining when to use med travelers versus developing a local club staffing network depends on several factors:

• Short term spikes in demand: Med travelers can rapidly fill gaps and meet fluctuating requirements. Makes sense for sudden census increases or acute needs.
• Supporting new facilities: Med travelers allow quick staffing for facility expansions or new site openings since local candidate pool may not exist yet.
• Filling critical vacancies: If a key clinical role is vacant, bringing in a med traveler can fill the gap during the longer permanent placement process.
• Geographic flexibility: For agencies covering many locations nationally, med travelers provide needed mobility.
• Local flexible demand: Club staffing networks are well-suited for metro areas with ongoing flex staffing needs across multiple facilities.
• Last-minute demand: Local club staff can fill urgent last-minute needs faster than mobilizing med travelers.
• Long-term projects: For multi-month initiatives, club staffing provides continuity and familiarity.

Structuring Effective Programs

To get the most out of either staffing model, agencies should follow best practices:

For Med Travelers:

• Build a large pool of qualified candidates by promoting your opportunities. Make the application and onboarding process easy.
• Develop strong relationships with facilities to understand their needs. Quickly match travelers to the right roles.
• Provide great support to travelers on stipends, travel, and scheduling to keep them happy.
• Use analytics to predict upcoming demand surges and have a bench of med travelers ready.

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For Club Staff:

• Target marketing and outreach to local medical associations and credentialed professionals.
• Have coaches to support club staff and build ongoing relationships. Offer clinical training and education.
• Develop flexible scheduling options – part-time, per diem, flexible shifts – to attract talent.
• Analyze client facility usage patterns to create staffing plans that meet demand.
• Use incentives to reward and retain top club staff.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Conclusion

• Med travelers and club staffing offer flexible options for healthcare staffing but have key differences in availability, costs, and assignment lengths.
• Leveraging both models is an effective strategy – med travelers for rapid fills and geographic mobility, club staff for local economical flexibility.
• Structure programs to continually attract and engage both med travelers and club staff. Analytics and great support are key.

Both med travelers and club staff will continue to play essential roles in healthcare staffing. Understanding the strengths of each model allows agencies to create robust programs that tap into the best talent across the country.

With smart management, agencies can reap the benefits of national med traveler pools and economical local club staffing networks.