The demand for specialized oncology professionals is outpacing supply, creating a pressing staffing challenge for cancer care facilities.
As cancer rates rise and patient survival extends, the need for oncological experts continues to grow. However, a nationwide shortage of oncology physicians threatens the ability of healthcare institutions to provide timely, effective treatment.
Facilities must embrace strategic workforce solutions to address these oncology staffing shortages without compromising patient outcomes. One increasingly vital approach is locum tenens staffing, a flexible, effective way to maintain seamless oncology care while supporting permanent staff.
Let’s explore how locum tenens can strengthen your facility’s oncology team, ensuring uninterrupted patient care and long-term success.
The Oncology Physician Shortage Is Real
The shortage of oncology professionals isn’t a temporary challenge—it’s an ongoing reality that continues to intensify. A 2007 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) study predicted that by 2020, the number of oncologists would meet only one-third of patient demand. That projection proved accurate, and recent studies suggest the gap will only widen.
An OncLive report forecasts a shortfall of nearly 1,500 oncologists by 2025, underscoring the growing reliance on advanced practice providers (APPs) to help fill the gap. Similarly, research published in the Journal of Global Oncology anticipates a deficit of more than 2,300 medical oncologists by the same year.
What’s driving the oncology physician shortage?
Several factors contribute to the growing demand for oncology specialists:
- An aging population: Cancer risk increases with age, and as the population grows older, more patients require specialized oncology care.
- Higher cancer survival rates: Advances in treatment mean more patients are living longer, creating a sustained need for long-term oncology care.
- Slow workforce growth: While the number of oncologists has increased by 14% since 2005, it has not kept pace with the increasing patient demand.
This widening shortage presents serious challenges for oncology facilities, including delayed treatment access, increased provider burnout, and compromised patient outcomes—issues that disproportionately affect highly specialized oncology fields. Finding effective staffing solutions is critical to ensuring patients receive the timely, expert care they need.
Locum Tenens Provides Immediate, Cost-Effective Access to Specialized Oncology Staffing
A vacancy in a niche oncology field is more than a staffing challenge —it strains resources, increases provider workloads, and disrupts critical patient care. Unfortunately, hiring permanent staff isn’t always a quick or viable option, especially when seeking experts in rare cancers or advanced treatment modalities.
Despite the ongoing oncology physician shortage, the healthcare staffing industry is projected to grow at a 7% compound annual rate through 2030. This steady expansion means a strong pipeline of qualified locum tenens professionals—including specialists in highly specific oncology fields—is available to step into critical roles. By partnering with a specialized oncology staffing firm, facilities can secure skilled locum oncologists, oncology nurses, and allied health professionals within days or weeks rather than facing months-long hiring delays.
Locum tenens providers help bridge staffing gaps, ensuring continuity of care, reducing provider burnout, and preventing financial losses. Working with a specialized oncology staffing partner also offers key operational advantages, including:
- Reduced administrative burden: The staffing firm handles payroll, taxes, benefits, and malpractice insurance.
- Flexible workforce management: Facilities can adjust staffing levels in response to patient volume and seasonal trends.
- Immediate access to top talent: Pre-vetted locum oncologists are ready to step into high-need roles, minimizing disruptions in patient care.
For oncology facilities facing staffing shortages, locum tenens isn’t just a temporary fix—it’s a strategic solution to maintaining high-quality oncology care.
Ensuring Continuity of Care and Positive Patient Outcomes
Staffing shortages in oncology don’t just affect hospital operations—they impact patient experience, treatment timelines, and clinical outcomes. Oncology patients rely on long-term, coordinated care, and gaps in staffing can lead to delayed treatments, scheduling challenges, and disruptions in the patient-provider relationship. For rare oncology specialties, these gaps can be even more prolonged and difficult to fill.
By partnering with a dedicated oncology staffing firm, facilities can secure highly skilled professionals with the specialized training and credentials required to provide consistent, high-quality care. Unlike general staffing agencies, an oncology-focused firm understands the complexities of cancer treatment and ensures every placement aligns with your facility’s specific needs.
A Smarter Approach to Oncology Staffing
The oncology physician shortage isn’t going away—but healthcare facilities don’t have to face it alone. Locum tenens provides a proactive, cost-effective, patient-centered solution to filling critical staffing gaps, even for highly specialized oncology roles.
Want to learn more about how locum tenens can support your facility’s oncology staffing needs? Contact Cancer CarePoint today to connect with top oncology professionals and ensure your patients continue receiving the expert care they deserve.
