GITNUXSOFTWARE REVIEW
Healthcare MedicineTop 10 Best Locum Staffing Services of 2026
Ranked comparison of top locum staffing services for facility teams, including AMN Healthcare, CHG Healthcare, and TinkBird Healthcare Staffing.
How we ranked these tools
Vendors set the topic, but our editors set the inclusion criteria and the evaluation framework before research starts.
Search agents gather the source set and the review record, including transcriptions of video reviews and podcasts.
Framework: Features 40% · Ease 30% · Value 30%
Gitnux may earn a commission through links on this page — this does not influence rankings. Editorial policy
Choose AMN Healthcare for managed locum coverage continuity when shifting schedules demand a large, diversified staffing partner, whereas TinkBird Healthcare Staffing is a strong fit when facility leaders need coordinated, time-critical shift changes with tight sourcing to placement execution.
Editor’s top 3 picks
Three quick recommendations before you dive into the full comparison below — each one leads on a different dimension.
AMN Healthcare
End-to-end coordination that blends clinician sourcing with onboarding packet progression toward assignment start dates.
Best for: Fits when facility staffing teams need managed locum coverage continuity across shifting schedules.
CHG Healthcare
Editor pickDedicated assignment management that handles shift changes and extension logistics across an active clinician slate.
Best for: Fits when facility operations teams need managed locum staffing execution with ongoing coverage coordination support.
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing
Editor pickAssignment coordination workflow that turns facility intake into shift-level provider scheduling actions.
Best for: Fits when facility leaders need coordinated locum staffing for time-critical shift coverage changes.
Comparison Table
AMN Healthcare
enterprise_vendorLargest diversified healthcare staffing company in the US offering locum tenens, travel nursing, and allied staffing.
End-to-end coordination that blends clinician sourcing with onboarding packet progression toward assignment start dates.
AMN Healthcare handles locum tenens staffing requests by pairing facilities with clinicians across common specialties and time-bound coverage needs, including short-term shift gaps and ongoing requests. Staffing operations receive structured intake for requirements such as specialty, site, coverage dates, and start constraints, then AMN coordinates the clinician pipeline through onboarding steps that support facility readiness. Credentialing support and medical licensure verification workflows are a central part of how placements move forward toward start.
A tradeoff appears in dependency on the facility for certain onboarding inputs such as licensure and site-specific documentation, because the workflow requires timely provider packet completion to avoid schedule slips. AMN is a strong fit when a facility needs managed staffing continuity across multiple shifts or consecutive coverage blocks and expects active coordination around provider availability and replacement coverage.
- +Credentialing and licensure support built into the placement workflow
- +Active substitution coordination for shift coverage continuity
- +Facilities get structured intake for specialty and start-date requirements
- +Broad temporary staffing coverage across clinician categories
- –Facility-provided documentation timing can impact assignment start dates
- –Automation depth is limited for facilities seeking self-serve assignment configuration
- –Onboarding requirements vary by site and can add review cycles
- –API access and provisioning controls are not the primary engagement surface
Facility staffing operations teams
Multiple shift gaps within one quarter
Fewer uncovered shifts
Hospital medicine service lines
Longer locum assignment extension support
Sustained staffing levels
Show 2 more scenarios
Credentialing coordinators
Document-heavy onboarding for new starts
Faster compliance turnaround
Onboarding support aligns provider packets with facility readiness steps for placement approval.
Rural hospital shift coordinators
Emergency coverage for critical specialties
Stable emergency coverage
Temporary physician staffing coordination supports rapid ramp-up when sudden coverage gaps occur.
Best for: Fits when facility staffing teams need managed locum coverage continuity across shifting schedules.
CHG Healthcare
enterprise_vendorParent company of CompHealth, Weatherby Healthcare, and Vista Staffing Solutions managing locum tenens at enterprise scale.
Dedicated assignment management that handles shift changes and extension logistics across an active clinician slate.
CHG Healthcare is best evaluated as an execution team for temporary physician staffing and related clinician categories where staffing orchestration matters more than self-serve ordering. It is oriented to credentialing package handling and facility onboarding coordination so clinical readiness steps do not block scheduling throughput. Facility managers get practical day-to-day handling for shift coverage changes and assignment extensions when volume spikes or demand shifts.
A key tradeoff is that deep staffing automation and open integration are not the primary surface. Facilities that require highly custom data flows or direct API-based automation usually need operational coordination instead of full system-to-system provisioning. CHG Healthcare fits most when an operations lead wants fewer internal handoffs during short-term coverage or a longer locum assignment that needs steady extensions.
- +Strong coordination for shift coverage changes during active assignments
- +Credentialing support reduces clinician readiness blockers for facilities
- +Assignment extension handling supports continuity across longer coverage needs
- +Specialty staffing orchestration reduces internal scheduling workload
- –Limited emphasis on API-first automation compared with software-led competitors
- –Facility onboarding inputs still require structured coordination from the client
- –Customization depth for unique governance workflows may need extra effort
- –Workflow visibility can feel operational instead of system-log driven
Hospital operations teams
Urgent specialty shift coverage gaps
Fewer missed shifts
Medical directors and service lines
Longer locum assignment continuity
Sustained coverage continuity
Show 2 more scenarios
Compliance and credentialing staff
Credentialing packet coordination
Faster onboarding readiness
CHG Healthcare supports clinician documentation flow so facility onboarding requirements are met for scheduling.
Rural facility administrators
Per diem or short-term coverage
Stable staffing coverage
Coordinated staffing helps absorb fluctuating demand with managed clinician logistics.
Best for: Fits when facility operations teams need managed locum staffing execution with ongoing coverage coordination support.
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing
agencyLocum tenens and permanent placement firm serving physicians, NPs, and PAs across the United States.
Assignment coordination workflow that turns facility intake into shift-level provider scheduling actions.
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing targets facilities that need quick turnaround for temporary physician staffing and nurse staffing requests with consistent coordination artifacts. The process typically starts with a structured facility intake that captures assignment timing, specialty or role, and onboarding constraints to reduce back-and-forth. Coordinators handle the operational side of credentialing documentation packaging and provider onboarding handoffs so teams can keep staffing decisions moving.
A key tradeoff is that deeper policy alignment often takes more prework than with vendors that already know a facility’s internal privileging and onboarding routines. TinkBird works best when staffing leadership can provide clear assignment parameters early, such as start time windows, shift patterns, and required compliance documents, to avoid late substitutions.
- +Shift-level coordination workflow reduces scheduling churn
- +Structured intake captures role, timing, and onboarding constraints
- +Credentialing document packaging supports faster onboarding handoff
- +Human coordinator communication supports rapid exception handling
- –Requires earlier assignment detail to prevent last-minute swaps
- –Extensibility depends on facility-specific process mapping
- –RBAC-style governance controls are not a native self-serve model
Nurse staffing managers
Per diem gaps on rotating shifts
Fewer uncovered shifts
ED operations directors
Short-term locum physician coverage
On-time coverage readiness
Show 1 more scenario
Clinical operations coordinators
Specialty coverage during onboarding transitions
Reduced onboarding delays
Packages credentialing documentation and aligns facility onboarding steps to keep start dates stable.
Best for: Fits when facility leaders need coordinated locum staffing for time-critical shift coverage changes.
LocumTenens.com
agencyDirect locum tenens staffing platform connecting healthcare facilities with temporary physicians and advanced practice providers.
Assignment coordination combines clinician sourcing with document intake routing to support facility onboarding from first request through extensions.
LocumTenens.com provides facility-facing locum tenens staffing workflows that center on clinician sourcing, assignment onboarding support, and coverage scheduling coordination.
- +Managed coverage coordination reduces back-and-forth during shift planning
- +Centralized request handling for assignments and extensions
- +Credentialing document intake workflow supports facility onboarding steps
- +Specialty and location matching targets rural and demand-surge coverage
- –Less automation depth than API-first staffing platforms
- –Sourcing outcomes depend on clinician availability by specialty and region
- –Facilities still need internal coordination for privileging and payer steps
- –Reporting granularity for timekeeping and approvals can lag complex operations
Best for: Fits when facilities need coordinated locum coverage and onboarding support, including compliance document intake for many specialties.
Staff Care
agencyAMN Healthcare's locum tenens division providing temporary physician staffing to hospitals and group practices.
Assignment operations that keep short-term shift requests and longer locum continuity under one staffing workflow.
Staff Care sources and manages temporary physician staffing and allied health staffing for facilities that need short-term coverage and longer locum assignment continuity. The service centers on end-to-end assignment operations, including recruiting for specific specialties, coordinating onboarding steps, and routing shift requests to available clinicians.
- +Operational coordination for per diem and short-term shift coverage
- +Specialty sourcing designed for temporary assignments at facility level
- +Assignment management reduces back-and-forth during ongoing placements
- +Support workflow aligns with facility onboarding and readiness timelines
- –Facility scheduling depends on service coordination, not self-serve shift control
- –Limited visibility into scheduling automation details for complex multi-site rosters
- –Credentialing and compliance documentation sequencing can extend lead time
- –Integration depth is not presented as an API-first operations layer
Best for: Fits when facility teams need managed coverage across specialties with ongoing assignment support.
Hayes Locums
agencyLocum tenens staffing firm providing physician and advanced practice placement with in-house credentialing and logistics.
Vendor-run assignment extension workflow that coordinates continuity when an initial locum end date shifts.
Hayes Locums focuses on temporary physician and advanced practice staffing for facilities that need dependable coverage cycles and documentation support. Its workflow is built around recruiting, credentialing document handling, and assignment coordination rather than a self-serve scheduling tool.
- +Staffing operations manage sourcing and candidate handoff for urgent starts
- +Assignment extension handling reduces rework when coverage dates change
- +Credentialing document workflow is handled as part of the staffing process
- +Communication cadence supports facility onboarding for each staffed engagement
- –Admin control over provider lists is limited versus self-serve workforce tools
- –API and automation surfaces are not described for direct system integration
- –Timesheet and approval workflows depend more on staffing coordination than configuration
- –Governance artifacts like RBAC and audit logs are not clearly published
Best for: Fits when facility staffing teams want vendor-led sourcing, credentialing handling, and assignment management.
Aya Healthcare
agencyDiversified healthcare staffing company offering locum tenens, travel nursing, and per diem staffing services.
Single end-to-end coordination across multi-discipline locum assignments, with credentialing packet handling tied into onboarding support.
Aya Healthcare is distinct as a blended staffing operator spanning locum tenens physician coverage plus allied health and nursing fulfillment. Coverage workflows connect staffing coordination, credentialing packet handling, and assignment lifecycle support for shift-by-shift and extended stays.
- +Blended staffing coverage across physicians plus allied health and nursing roles
- +Assignment coordination supports both short-term fills and extended locum stays
- +Credentialing packet handling aligns with facility onboarding workflows
- +Ongoing assignment management reduces churn when requests change
- –Does not present the same degree of facility-to-staff automation as API-first vendors
- –Provider availability visibility can lag during rapid, last-minute request changes
- –Governance and reporting depth depends on how facilities configure internal ownership
- –Specialty edge cases may require more back-and-forth than standard requests
Best for: Fits when facility staffing teams need dependable coverage across multiple disciplines and assignment lengths.
Soliant Health
agencyHealthcare staffing agency providing locum tenens, travel therapy, and allied health placement services.
Recruiter-led assignment coordination that keeps shift coverage and extension requests moving through onboarding and scheduling handoffs.
Soliant Health is a locum staffing service provider focused on temporary physician staffing and allied health staffing workflows for healthcare facilities. The delivery model emphasizes recruiter-driven sourcing, structured credentialing document collection, and ongoing assignment coordination through facility check-ins.
- +Recruiter-led coordination for specialty and urgent short-term coverage requests
- +Structured document collection for credentialing workflows used in facility onboarding
- +Ongoing check-ins to handle schedule edits and assignment extensions
- +Dedicated staffing support for allied health and therapy type placements
- –Automation depth for provider matching and scheduling is not as transparent as marketplaces
- –Facility onboarding timelines depend on document completeness from requested parties
- –Limited visibility into internal automation rules for assignment extensions
- –Complex multi-site rollouts can require tighter facility process alignment
Best for: Fits when facility teams need staffed coverage managed end-to-end with consistent recruiter oversight.
MDstaffers
agencyLocum tenens staffing agency placing physicians and advanced practice providers in temporary and permanent roles.
Assignment continuity support that prioritizes extension planning when a locum engagement needs to run longer.
MDstaffers coordinates temporary physician staffing through a managed recruiting workflow that focuses on filling specific clinician shift and assignment needs. The service handles core facility steps like onboarding support and credentialing documentation routing to speed readiness for clinical work.
- +Shift-focused matching for specialty coverage with clear assignment ownership
- +Credentialing documentation routing reduces handoff friction for facilities
- +Assignment extension support helps maintain continuity of coverage
- +Staffing coordination emphasizes start-date accuracy for coverage windows
- –Limited transparency into internal scheduling rules and staffing pipeline
- –Requires timely facility inputs for licensure and onboarding documents
- –Automation depth for integrations and workflow APIs is not a core emphasis
- –Narrower visibility into timekeeping and approval workflow details
Best for: Fits when a facility needs managed locum assignment coverage across defined start windows.
Enterprise Medical Services
agencyLocum tenens and permanent physician staffing firm serving hospitals and medical groups nationwide.
Credentialing-focused assignment preparation coordinated through recruiter workflow, rather than facility-side self-service tooling.
Enterprise Medical Services handles locum staffing through direct recruiter-led sourcing and facility coordination for physician and advanced practice needs. Strength shows in its workflow around credentialing documents and assignment readiness for recurring and single-site coverage.
- +Recruiter-led placement process for physician and advanced practice coverage
- +Structured attention to credentialing document flow for assignment start readiness
- +Facility onboarding support during scheduling and provider transition periods
- +Manages provider availability for both short-term and extended assignments
- –Limited evidence of facility self-service scheduling automation
- –Less transparent integration and API surface for downstream systems
- –Workflow depth can depend on recruiter responsiveness for complex sites
- –Document turnaround and exception handling require active coordination
Best for: Fits when facility teams need managed locum sourcing and onboarding coordination more than system integrations.
Conclusion
After evaluating 10 locum staffing, AMN Healthcare stands out as our overall top pick — it scored highest across our combined criteria of features, ease of use, and value, which is why it sits at #1 in the rankings above.
Use the comparison table and detailed reviews above to validate the fit against your own requirements before committing to a tool.
How to Choose the Right Locum Staffing
Locum staffing is handled through coordinated temporary physician staffing and allied health staffing workflows that move clinicians from sourcing into credentialing packet progression toward assignment start dates. This buyer’s guide covers AMN Healthcare, CHG Healthcare, TinkBird Healthcare Staffing, LocumTenens.com, Staff Care, Hayes Locums, Aya Healthcare, Soliant Health, MDstaffers, and Enterprise Medical Services.
Across these services, facility teams typically compare how assignment management handles shift changes, how onboarding document intake gets routed, and how much automation depth exists when coverage dates extend or swap. The guide focuses on the mechanisms that staffing operations actually run, including recruiter-led versus vendor-run coordination and facility onboarding support that impacts readiness timelines.
Locum Staffing for facilities: managed clinician sourcing and assignment coordination
Locum staffing is the operational workflow that turns temporary physician staffing requests into scheduled shift coverage by coordinating sourcing, credentialing support, onboarding packet progression, and assignment extensions. Facility teams also rely on assignment management to route compliance document intake and coordinate changes when shift coverage updates occur mid-assignment.
AMN Healthcare emphasizes end-to-end coordination that blends clinician sourcing with onboarding packet progression toward assignment start dates, with credentialing and licensure support built into the placement workflow. CHG Healthcare emphasizes dedicated assignment management that handles shift changes and extension logistics across an active clinician slate, with credentialing support aimed at reducing clinician readiness blockers for facilities.
Locum Staffing capabilities that change facility execution
Facilities feel the impact most in the handoffs between request intake, onboarding packet progression, and shift or extension changes that occur after coverage starts.
The providers in this guide differ most on how much assignment coordination they run versus how much facility input they require at each checkpoint.
End-to-end assignment flow from sourcing into readiness
AMN Healthcare coordinates clinician sourcing and onboarding packet progression toward assignment start dates with credentialing and licensure support built into the placement workflow. Aya Healthcare also runs end-to-end coordination across multi-discipline assignments with credentialing packet handling tied to onboarding support.
Shift-change and active assignment extension logistics
CHG Healthcare handles shift changes and extension logistics across an active clinician slate as a dedicated assignment management function. Hayes Locums runs a vendor-led assignment extension workflow to coordinate continuity when end dates shift.
Facility intake that turns into scheduling actions at the shift level
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing converts facility intake into shift-level provider scheduling actions through an assignment coordination workflow. LocumTenens.com combines assignment coordination with document intake routing to support facility onboarding from first request through extensions.
Credentialing document routing and onboarding readiness support
Soliant Health uses recruiter-led assignment coordination that moves shift coverage and extension requests through onboarding and scheduling handoffs while collecting documents for credentialing workflows. MDstaffers routes credentialing documentation as part of assignment continuity planning when engagements run longer.
Managed coverage operations for per diem and short-term shift requests
Staff Care keeps short-term shift requests and longer locum continuity under one staffing workflow with operational coordination for per diem and short-term coverage. Enterprise Medical Services coordinates credentialing-focused assignment preparation through recruiter workflow rather than facility-side self-service tooling.
A decision framework for Locum Staffing execution and control
Facility teams should choose providers based on where assignment coordination control lives during scheduling churn, during mid-assignment changes, and during extension windows. The right fit depends on how quickly coverage updates can be converted into recruiter and onboarding actions without waiting on repeated facility back-and-forth.
Map where shift changes are created in operations
If shift changes and extensions are handled during an active clinician slate, CHG Healthcare is built around managing those updates through dedicated assignment management. If assignment extension continuity is the dominant pain point when end dates move, Hayes Locums focuses on vendor-run extension workflow coordination.
Choose the intake-to-scheduling path that matches facility timing
If shift-level coverage changes must be reflected quickly in schedules, TinkBird Healthcare Staffing uses a shift-level coordination workflow that turns facility intake into scheduling actions. If onboarding packet progression and extension support must be coordinated from the first request, LocumTenens.com combines assignment coordination with centralized request handling for assignments and extensions.
Decide how much onboarding readiness should be run by the provider
For facilities that want credentialing and licensure support embedded in placement execution, AMN Healthcare builds that support into the placement workflow. For facilities that need credentialing packet handling tied into onboarding support across physicians plus allied health and nursing roles, Aya Healthcare coordinates the full flow.
Verify automation and integration expectations against real transparency
Facilities seeking software-led automation should treat CHG Healthcare’s limited emphasis on API-first automation as a mismatch when system integration is a gating requirement. Facilities that need visible automation depth for provider matching and scheduling rules may find Soliant Health’s automation transparency less clear than marketplace-style platforms.
Set governance expectations for facility-provided inputs and scheduling control
Facilities that plan to self-manage provider lists should note that Hayes Locums limits admin control over provider lists compared with self-serve workforce tools. If structured intake quality determines outcomes, staff teams should plan for earlier assignment detail to avoid last-minute swaps in TinkBird’s scheduling churn cases.
Who should buy these Locum Staffing services
These providers fit facility teams that run recurring temporary physician staffing and allied health staffing through operational workflows that must keep schedules stable while onboarding documents and readiness checks progress.
The best candidates align internal staffing processes with how each vendor runs assignment coordination, recruiter oversight, and extension handling.
Hospital staffing operations teams managing frequent shift swaps
CHG Healthcare is built to handle shift changes and extension logistics across an active clinician slate, reducing operational interruption when coverage updates occur mid-assignment. TinkBird Healthcare Staffing also targets shift-level coordination to reduce scheduling churn when facilities need time-critical changes.
Facility teams that require provider-side credentialing readiness
AMN Healthcare includes credentialing and licensure support inside the placement workflow with onboarding packet progression toward assignment start dates. Aya Healthcare coordinates credentialing packet handling tied into onboarding support across physicians plus allied health and nursing roles.
Facilities that treat onboarding document intake as a workflow gate
LocumTenens.com routes document intake during assignment coordination from first request through extensions. Soliant Health uses structured document collection for credentialing workflows tied to facility onboarding timelines.
Organizations prioritizing vendor-run continuity during extension windows
Hayes Locums coordinates continuity through a vendor-run assignment extension workflow when end dates shift. MDstaffers prioritizes extension planning and assignment continuity support when engagements need to run longer.
Multi-site or multi-discipline staffing buyers needing broad coverage spans
Aya Healthcare runs single end-to-end coordination across multi-discipline locum assignments with assignment coordination supporting both short-term fills and extended stays. Staff Care blends operational coordination for per diem and short-term shift coverage with ongoing assignment support across specialties.
Common Locum Staffing buying pitfalls
Facilities often misjudge the point where coordination responsibility shifts from the provider to facility teams. They also overestimate how quickly assignment changes can be reflected when earlier intake detail is missing or when facility-provided documentation timing delays start readiness.
Choosing a provider without aligning intake timing to shift-level scheduling needs
TinkBird Healthcare Staffing requires earlier assignment detail to prevent last-minute swaps, so facilities should avoid sending incomplete role and timing inputs near shift start. Soliant Health’s recruiter-led coordination still depends on document completeness, so late credentialing inputs can delay onboarding readiness.
Assuming the provider can run readiness without facility documentation timing discipline
AMN Healthcare notes that facility-provided documentation timing can impact assignment start dates. LocumTenens.com routes onboarding document intake, so facilities should expect coordinated routing to still depend on timely completeness of requested documents.
Expecting API-first self-serve configuration without confirming automation transparency
CHG Healthcare limits emphasis on API-first automation and still requires structured coordination from the client for onboarding inputs. Enterprise Medical Services coordinates credentialing-focused assignment preparation through recruiter workflow with limited evidence of facility self-service scheduling automation.
Overlooking operational mismatch between managed workflows and internal scheduling control
Hayes Locums limits admin control over provider lists compared with self-serve workforce tools, so facility teams that need list-level control may see friction. Staff Care keeps scheduling under its staffing workflow, so facilities that expect shift control from self-serve operations may find visibility into scheduling automation details limited for complex multi-site rosters.
How We Selected and Ranked These Providers
We evaluated each provider on end-to-end assignment coordination from request intake through onboarding packet progression and into shift coverage or assignment extensions. We scored features at 40% weight using the presence and maturity of coordination workflows for shift changes, extensions, and credentialing document routing.
We weighted ease and value at 30% each based on how directly each provider’s operations reduce scheduling churn and readiness blockers for facility teams. AMN Healthcare set the top position by blending clinician sourcing with onboarding packet progression toward assignment start dates and by embedding credentialing and licensure support into the placement workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions About Locum Staffing
How does AMN Healthcare handle short-term shift gaps without derailing credentialing timelines?
Which provider is better when facility teams need ongoing shift coverage changes and assignment extensions managed day to day?
What tradeoff should facility teams expect from TinkBird Healthcare Staffing when privileging rules differ from internal workflows?
When does LocumTenens.com become a better fit than recruiter-led sourcing models for facility onboarding workflows?
How do Hayes Locums workflows manage assignment start-date changes after the initial end date is set?
Which service provider fits facilities that need multi-discipline coverage across locum physicians plus allied health and nurse staffing under one coordination lane?
What breaks if facility onboarding inputs are delayed when using enterprise-style credentialing and recruiting workflows like Enterprise Medical Services?
How do integrations and API capabilities typically differ between CHG Healthcare and provider-focused marketplaces for onboarding automation?
Which provider is most suitable for facility teams that want to minimize handoffs for shift coverage changes while keeping credentialing packet handling in one operational loop?
Tools reviewed
Primary sources checked during evaluation.
Referenced in the comparison table and product reviews above.
Funding and competing interests
This study was co-funded by several of the vendors assessed in it. No single vendor funded it. Funders could propose the market studied.
They had no role in selecting vendors, setting or weighting criteria, analysing data or drawing conclusions, and they received the same factual-accuracy check as every other vendor assessed.
Market definition, inclusion rules and criteria weights were fixed by an editor before research began and did not change afterwards. Editorial process →
- Service review · 2026 · Healthcare MedicineAllied Health Staffing
- Service review · 2026 · Employment WorkforceClinical Staffing
- Service review · 2026 · Employment CareerLegal Placement
- Review · 2026 · Healthcare MedicineHealthcare Staffing Software
- Review · 2026 · Employment WorkforceMedical Staffing Agency Software
Keep exploring
Comparing two specific tools?
Software Alternatives
See head-to-head software comparisons with feature breakdowns, pricing, and our recommendation for each use case.
Explore software alternatives→In this category
Healthcare Medicine alternatives
See side-by-side comparisons of healthcare medicine tools and pick the right one for your stack.
Compare healthcare medicine tools→