Locum tenens physicians: Building trust in unfamiliar communities

“Sometimes it’s just being new to the community,” Lisa Grabl, group president of CHG Healthcare, says. “They need the opportunity to build trust, to build rapport with the community.” Physicians unfamiliar with rural life may struggle at first, she notes, while those who return regularly often have roots in small towns.

“We have found that the physicians that predominantly return to rural settings have experience with rural settings,” she says, adding that it can take time to feel a “kindred connection” and establish meaningful relationships.