Inpatient Facility Coding & Compliance Alert

Question: One of our physicians will be taking a six-month sabbatical, so we need to hire a locum tenens to substitute for her. Could you share some tips on how to find a good substitute physician?

Texas Subscriber

Answer: When one of your physicians takes extended leave, you can hire a locum tenens physician to take the absent physician’s place. You might also hire a locum to fill in for physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), or certain other providers (although remember that Medicare will not allow a PA or NP to function as locum tenens practitioners or pay for a locum tenens replacement for those non-physician practitioners).

When you contact the staffing agency for a locum provider, be sure you have some basic information ready, such as:

• What type of provider you need;
• Which specialty you need a locum for;
• The exact time frame you’ll employ the locum; and
• The compensation you’ll offer for the locum (this doesn’t have to be an exact amount; a pay range is acceptable).

You’ll also want to be sure to lay out expectations for the locum provider when you deal with the staffing agency, so there aren’t any surprises when the locum reports for work.

Once the locum arrives, be sure to include modifier Q6 (Service furnished by a locum tenens physician) on his or her claims. Remember that Medicare guidelines only allow a locum tenens physician to fill in for up to 60 consecutive calendar days. After that point you need to have another locum tenens take over.