Locum tenens sourcing playbook

By Ben Argeband, Founder & CEO of Heartbeat.ai — Battle-tested recruiter playbook—fast, calm, specific.

Locums is a speed game. The first recruiter to reach a real decision-maker number, at the right time, with a clean offer summary usually wins—because the clinician is already getting hit from multiple directions. This locum tenens sourcing playbook is built for placement speed, connectability, and workflow fit (not “more activity”).

Two realities drive the workflow: (1) early outreach wins, and (2) many clinicians aren’t reachable via LinkedIn, so your channel mix and data hygiene matter more than your pitch deck. Heartbeat.ai helps reduce wasted dials with ranked mobile numbers by answer probability and line tested contact data—so your team spends time talking, not guessing.

Who this is for

This is for Locum tenens recruiters who need to fill coverage fast and can’t afford dead numbers. If you’re measured on speed-to-submittal, submittal-to-accept, and margin protection, this is the workflow.

• Agency recruiters running multiple urgent reqs at once
• In-house locums teams supporting hospitals, groups, and MSOs
• Recruiting leaders who need a repeatable 48-hour operating cadence

Quick Answer

Core Answer

A locum tenens sourcing playbook is a 48-hour workflow to find, verify, contact, and book clinicians fast—prioritizing reachable numbers, tight messaging, and rapid refresh.

Key Statistic

Heartbeat observed typicals: 100–200 outreach attempts per placement typical; connect rate ~10% typical; include “speed-to-submittal” measurement.

Best For

Locum tenens recruiters who need to fill coverage fast and can’t afford dead numbers.

Compliance & Safety

This method is for legitimate recruiting outreach only. Always respect candidate privacy, opt-out requests, and local data laws. Heartbeat does not provide medical advice or legal counsel.

TL;DR operating cadence (48 hours):

• Build a reachable list (mobile + verified email, opt-outs suppressed) before you start dialing.
• Burst responsibly in two tight call blocks on Day 1, with short follow-ups that are easy to answer.
• Submit same-day when you get interest; don’t let “paperwork later” kill momentum.
• Refresh fast when you see repeated non-connects or bounces; don’t grind bad data.

Framework: The 48-Hour Fill Framework: Build → Burst (responsibly) → Book → Backfill

This framework is designed for urgent credentialed coverage where the constraint is time, not “candidate supply.” You’re managing three bottlenecks:

• Reachability: can you actually connect (phone/email) without burning hours?
• Clarity: can a clinician decide “yes/no/maybe” in under 60 seconds?
• Momentum: can you move from first contact to submittal before the market shifts?

The trade-off is… you’ll do less “perfect” research per person and more disciplined verification + sequencing so you can talk to the right 20 people today instead of the wrong 200 this week.

Step-by-step method

Step 0 (Prep): Define the “60-second offer”

Before you source, write the offer summary you can read on a voicemail and paste into a message. Keep it to decision-grade facts:

• Specialty + setting (ED, inpatient, clinic, tele, etc.)
• Dates + schedule pattern + call expectations
• Location + travel expectations
• Rate structure (or “rate depends on schedule; can you share your target?”)
• Licensure requirement (state(s)) and start date constraint
• Credentialing readiness (CV current, references available, clean file)

Step 0A (Client intake checklist): What you need in 5 minutes

• Exact dates and whether they are flexible
• Shift times, schedule pattern, and call expectations
• Setting and scope (procedures, inpatient/clinic mix, patient volume expectations if known)
• License requirement (must-have vs nice-to-have states)
• Start constraint (what is the real “must start by” date)
• Submission requirements (CV format, references, any logs, interview steps)
• Who can say “yes” on rate and schedule changes

Do not over-explain. Your goal is a reply or a 3-minute call.

Step 1 (Build): Create a reachable target list in 20–40 minutes

Build a list optimized for contactability, not just “names.” If you’re starting from scratch, use a provider index to anchor identity, then layer contact channels.

• Start with a baseline identity source (e.g., NPI registry) to reduce duplicates and mis-matches.
• Filter by specialty, state license footprint, and any recent activity signals you trust.
• Prioritize records with mobile + email present and recent verification signals.

If you need a fast starting point, use Heartbeat’s locums-specific pages to get to a workable list quickly: locum tenens physician contact data and the locum tenens physician database.

Step 2 (Verify): Reduce dead numbers before you dial

Locums outreach fails when your “activity” is mostly wrong numbers, gatekeepers, or non-working emails. Do a quick verification pass so your first hour produces conversations.

• Phone: prioritize mobile; deprioritize switchboards and clinic main lines for urgent coverage.
• Email: prefer personal/professional addresses over generic clinic inboxes for speed.
• Suppression: remove anyone who opted out, asked not to be contacted, or is clearly out-of-scope.

Buying static lists is risky because of decay. The modern standard is Access + Refresh + Verification + Suppression.

Step 2A (Refresh rules SOP): When to refresh and what to refresh first

Use refresh rules to stop burning call blocks on decayed data. Keep it simple and consistent across reps.

• Refresh trigger (phone): after two separate “no connect” outcomes on the same number (different time windows), refresh the phone field before attempt #3.
• Refresh trigger (email): after one bounce, refresh the email field before sending again.
• Refresh trigger (role change): if you learn they changed groups/locations, refresh employer + preferred contact channel immediately.

Refresh order (fastest impact): mobile number → primary email → employer/location → specialty tags/notes.

Step 3 (Burst responsibly): Run a 2-channel sequence in tight windows

“Burst” here means a controlled, compliant burst to a prioritized list—never indiscriminate volume. Use two channels so you can recover if one fails (e.g., phone doesn’t connect but email lands). Keep it in small, prioritized batches you can actually work. If you don’t have consent for a channel, don’t use it—stick to call + email.

• Pass 1 (Hour 0–2): call + voicemail + short email
• Pass 2 (Hour 4–8): second call attempt + short follow-up (1:1 only, per policy/consent; stop on opt-out)
• Pass 3 (Day 2): final call attempt + “close the loop” message

Keep every message decision-oriented: dates, setting, location, and the one question that moves it forward (“Are you available?” or “Who in your circle is open?”).

Step 4 (Book): Convert interest into a submittal fast

When a clinician bites, your job is to remove friction. Don’t make them repeat themselves.

• Confirm availability and any hard stops (dates, call, travel)
• Confirm license status and readiness items (CV, references, any logs if needed)
• Lock next action in the same call: “I’ll send a 3-line summary + request for CV; can you reply within 30 minutes?”

Time math example (no fantasy numbers): If your team’s observed typical is 100–200 outreach attempts per placement and your typical connect rate is ~10%, you’re looking at roughly 10–20 connected calls to land one placement. If you waste half your attempts on dead numbers, you double the time to get those conversations—your speed-to-submittal slips, and margin gets pressured by competitors who connected first.

Step 4A (Use cases): Where this playbook works best

• ED weekend coverage: clinicians decide fast; lead with dates, shift times, and call expectations.
• Inpatient block coverage: lead with rounding/census expectations and whether nights are included.
• Clinic coverage: lead with clinic hours, patient mix, and whether procedures are expected.
• Rural travel assignment: lead with travel expectations, lodging, and schedule pattern.

Step 5 (Backfill): Keep the bench warm without spamming

Backfill is how you stop living in panic mode. Every urgent fill should create a reusable micro-bench for the next one.

• Tag clinicians by “ready now,” “next 30–60,” “seasonal,” and “never again”
• Store preference notes (schedule, travel radius, rate floor, settings)
• Refresh contact points on a cadence (for example: weekly for “ready now,” and less frequently for the broader bench, per your policy)

For list-building mechanics, see: how to build a locums call list.

Micro-Asset: 48-Hour Timeline

Visual note (for your team doc): Add a simple “48-hour timeline diagram” with three swim lanes: Sourcing, Outreach, Submittal.

Weighted Checklist:

Uniqueness hook (CHECKLIST): Use this weighted checklist to decide whether to (A) dial now, (B) refresh data, or (C) stop and rebuild the list. It’s designed for urgent locum tenens coverage where dead numbers are the hidden tax.

Scoring: Add points; if total < 8, refresh before you burn a call block.

• +3 Mobile number present and line tested
• +2 Email looks usable (not a generic clinic inbox; no obvious typos)
• +2 Clear specialty + setting match to the req
• +1 Multi-state license footprint fits your start-date constraint
• +1 Prior locum history or “open to locums” signal in notes
• +1 Prior positive interaction or referral path exists
• -3 Prior opt-out or “do not contact” note (stop; respect opt-out)
• -2 Only switchboard/clinic main line available (low speed for urgent coverage)

Call block math table note (for your team doc): Add a compact table that maps “targets per call block” to your observed connect rate so reps stop under-building lists.

Outreach Templates:

How to use: Replace bracketed fields, keep it short, and stop if the clinician opts out. These are 1:1 recruiting templates, not broadcast guidance.

Template 1: 20-second voicemail (urgent coverage)

Script: “Hi Dr. [Last], this is [Name]. I’m staffing a locum tenens [specialty] need in [city/state] for [dates]. Schedule is [pattern], call is [yes/no]. If you’re open, call me at [number]. If not, who’s the best person you trust for this window? Again, [number].”

Template 2: Short email (decision-grade)

Subject: Locums [Specialty] — [Dates] — [City]

Body: “Dr. [Last] — quick check. I’m covering a locums [specialty] need in [city/state] for [dates]. Setting: [setting]. Schedule/call: [details]. If you’re available, what’s your target rate and best number to reach you today? If you’re not available, are you comfortable referring a colleague?”

Template 3: Follow-up message (close the loop)

“Closing the loop on the [city] [dates] coverage. If you’re a no, just reply ‘pass’ and I’ll stop. If you’re a maybe, what would make it workable (dates/rate/schedule)?”

Template 4: Referral ask (high-yield)

“If you’re not open, who’s the one clinician you’d trust to cover this? I’ll keep it respectful, and you can tell me if you want your name mentioned.”

Common pitfalls

• Over-dialing bad data: If your first call block is mostly no-answers and wrong numbers, you’re not “behind,” you’re mis-allocated. Refresh before you grind.
• Long messages: If your voicemail/email needs scrolling, it won’t convert. Dates + setting + schedule + one question.
• No suppression discipline: Ignoring opt-out requests creates compliance risk and damages deliverability.
• Single-channel dependence: Phone-only or email-only makes you fragile. Use a tight two-channel sequence.
• Slow submittal mechanics: Interest decays fast. If you can’t submit same-day, you’ll lose to someone who can.

How to improve results

Define the metrics (use consistent denominators)

• Connect Rate = connected calls / total dials (e.g., per 100 dials).
• Speed-to-submittal = elapsed time from first outbound attempt (first dial/email) to first complete submittal sent to the client (report in hours).

Measurement instructions (what to track weekly)

Measure this by… logging every outbound attempt with a timestamp and disposition, then reporting (1) connect rate per 100 dials, (2) speed-to-submittal in hours, and (3) attempts-per-placement (your observed typical range).

• Per rep, per week: total dials, connected calls, connect rate, and median speed-to-submittal
• Per req: time of first outbound, time of first connected call, time of first submittal, outcome
• Per list source: connect rate and “wrong number” rate so you know what to refresh

Bench tagging schema (so your ATS/CRM stays usable)

• Status: Ready now / Next 30–60 / Seasonal / Not a fit
• License states: active states + “willing to add” notes
• Preferred channel: call / email (and any channel restrictions)
• Best call window: time zone + preferred times
• Settings: ED / inpatient / clinic / tele + procedures
• Rate notes: target range notes (if shared) and flexibility
• Compliance: consent notes (if applicable) + opt-out flag

Disposition taxonomy (so your data gets better every week)

What to change next week (lookup table)

Legal and ethical use

Locums outreach has to be fast and respectful. Build your process around legitimate interest recruiting, clear identification, and honoring preferences.

• Consent and preferences: document consent where applicable, and always honor opt-out requests across channels.
• Calling/texting rules: your policies should align with applicable laws and carrier rules; TCPA is a common baseline reference for U.S. outreach.
• Automation caution: this playbook does not provide automated dialing or mass messaging guidance; keep outreach targeted and policy-driven.

Reference: FCC TCPA overview.

Evidence and trust notes

What we’re relying on here is operational reality: locums fills are won by reachability + speed-to-submittal, and list decay is constant. For how Heartbeat.ai evaluates data quality, verification, and suppression, see our trust methodology.

• Identity baseline reference (U.S.): NPPES NPI Registry
• Calling/texting baseline reference (U.S.): Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) overview

FAQs

How many outreach attempts should I expect per locums placement?

Plan around your observed typical. Heartbeat observed typicals include 100–200 outreach attempts per placement; your number depends on specialty, location, and data quality.

What’s a good connect rate for locums recruiting calls?

Use the definition consistently: Connect Rate = connected calls / total dials (per 100 dials). Heartbeat observed typicals include connect rate ~10% typical, but your goal is improvement via better numbers and better call windows.

Should I rely on LinkedIn for locums sourcing?

Use it as one signal, not the backbone. Many clinicians aren’t reachable there, and urgent coverage needs direct channels (phone/email) with verification and suppression.

How do I avoid wasting dials on dead numbers?

Prioritize line-tested mobile numbers, suppress opt-outs, and use refresh rules (for example: refresh after repeated non-connects or after a bounce). Track “wrong number” as a data-quality KPI by source.

What should I say in the first message for urgent coverage?

Dates, setting, schedule/call, location, and one question. Use the templates above and keep it decision-grade so a clinician can respond quickly.

Next steps

• If you need reachable contact coverage fast, start free search & preview data in Heartbeat.ai.
• Then review: locum tenens physician contact data and the locum tenens physician database to align on workflow fit.
• If you’re evaluating economics and workflow, see Heartbeat pricing (and compare it to the cost of wasted call blocks).

About the Author

Ben Argeband is the Founder and CEO of Swordfish.ai and Heartbeat.ai. With deep expertise in data and SaaS, he has built two successful platforms trusted by over 50,000 sales and recruitment professionals. Ben’s mission is to help teams find direct contact information for hard-to-reach professionals and decision-makers, providing the shortest route to their next win. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn.