Unlocking Locum Tenens Opportunities in Clinical Informatics: A Guide

Understanding Locum Tenens in Clinical Informatics

Locum tenens work is traditionally associated with hospitalists, emergency physicians, and primary care clinicians who fill short-term clinical staffing gaps. But as health systems increasingly depend on electronic health records (EHRs), data analytics, and digital transformation, locum tenens opportunities in clinical informatics are quietly expanding.

For residents, fellows, and early-career physicians interested in health IT, this is an emerging niche that can offer flexibility, geographic mobility, and exposure to diverse health systems—without locking into a permanent role too early. It can also complement or follow a clinical informatics fellowship, or serve as a bridge between training and a long-term informatics leadership position.

This guide explains how locum work intersects with clinical informatics, what kinds of assignments exist, how to prepare your CV and skills, and how to evaluate opportunities realistically.

We will cover:

• What “locum tenens” means in a clinical informatics context
• Types of locum informatics roles available today
• How to position yourself as a strong candidate (with or without fellowship training)
• Practical steps to find and evaluate travel physician jobs in informatics
• Legal, financial, and work–life considerations

Throughout, remember that the locum landscape in informatics is evolving. Roles may not always be labeled “locum tenens clinical informaticist,” but they may still be locum-like—temporary, project-based, and travel-oriented.

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How Locum Tenens Work Overlaps with Clinical Informatics

What Locum Tenens Traditionally Means

Traditionally, a locum tenens physician is hired on a temporary basis to cover:

• Vacation, maternity/paternity leave, or sabbaticals
• Staffing gaps during recruitment
• Seasonal or unexpected surges in patient volume
• New service line launches or expansions

Assignments can range from a few days to many months, with options for full-time or part-time coverage. Agencies handle much of the logistics: contracts, malpractice coverage, and sometimes travel and lodging.

How This Model Translates to Clinical Informatics

Clinical informatics roles are often embedded within:

• Health system IT departments
• CMIO or CNIO offices
• Population health or quality improvement teams
• Digital transformation and innovation groups
• EHR implementation teams at large vendor or consulting organizations

Unlike pure clinical coverage, informatics locum roles are project- and milestone-driven. Organizations may seek short-term help when:

1. Implementing or transitioning EHRs/major modules

   • Go-live and stabilization periods
   • Optimization phases post-implementation
   • Mergers and acquisitions requiring system integration

2. Meeting regulatory or quality mandates

   • New documentation, quality reporting, or interoperability requirements
   • Value-based care or population health reporting initiatives

3. Launching digital health initiatives

   • Telehealth programs, remote patient monitoring, or patient portal redesign
   • Clinical decision support (CDS) tools for new clinical pathways

4. Covering leadership transition gaps

   • Interim assistant CMIO/associate CMIO roles
   • Project leads for clinical documentation, order sets, or analytics

These needs are often temporary but intensive—ideal for a locum-like arrangement where you step in as a health IT training and workflow expert for a fixed period.

Why Health Systems Use Locum Informatics Help

Health systems may turn to locum-style informatics coverage when:

• They cannot hire a full-time informatics physician quickly enough
• Their clinical informatics team is small but facing a short-term surge in workload
• They want specialized expertise (e.g., oncology informatics, ED workflows, population health analytics) for a specific project
• They want an external clinician-informaticist’s perspective without a permanent commitment

For you, this means:

• Varied projects across different geographic regions
• Opportunities to build a broad portfolio of informatics work
• The ability to “try out” different health systems and roles before committing

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Types of Locum Tenens Opportunities in Clinical Informatics

Locum work in informatics rarely looks identical to traditional locum clinical jobs. Titles may vary—and may not always explicitly say “locum”—but the underlying structure is similar: temporary, project-based, with defined goals and timeframes.

Below are common patterns you may encounter.

1. EHR Go-Live and Optimization Assignments

These are often the most visible and structured informatics locum-style roles.

Common titles:

• Physician informaticist – go-live support
• Clinical informatics consultant (physician)
• EHR implementation physician advisor
• Clinical optimization physician

Typical responsibilities:

• Participating in workflow design and validation
• Building or refining order sets, note templates, and CDS tools
• Leading physician training sessions and elbow-to-elbow support during go-live
• Translating clinician feedback into actionable changes for analysts
• Serving as a liaison between frontline clinicians and IT

Assignment features:

• Duration: 2–6 months (sometimes longer), often intense during go-live
• On-site expectation: High at critical phases; some remote design/optimization work possible
• Pros: Clear project scope, tangible impact, strong experience for your portfolio
• Cons: Long hours during go-live weeks, travel-heavy, high-pressure timelines

2. Interim or Fractional CMIO/Associate CMIO Roles

Organizations experiencing leadership turnover or rapid growth may hire interim leaders.

Possible titles:

• Interim associate CMIO
• Acting physician informatics lead
• Fractional CMIO (part-time across multiple sites)

Typical responsibilities:

• Overseeing projects already in motion (order set governance, CDS committees, etc.)
• Maintaining relationships between IT, clinicians, and administration
• Supporting quality reporting and regulatory informatics initiatives
• Providing strategic guidance for digital health or population health initiatives

Assignment features:

• Duration: 3–12 months or longer
• On-site vs remote: Increasingly hybrid; some require significant on-site time
• Pros: Leadership experience, high-level exposure, strong CV builder
• Cons: Requires prior leadership or extensive project experience; not ideal for very early-career physicians

3. Vendor- or Consulting-Firm-Based Locum Informatics Positions

EHR vendors, implementation consultancies, and health IT firms frequently engage physicians as temporary clinical informatics subject matter experts (SMEs).

Typical roles:

• Physician advisor for workflow design
• Clinical content reviewer or CDS development consultant
• Physician trainer/educator for client sites
• Data and quality improvement consultant with a clinical lens

Assignment features:

• Duration: Project-based; could be from several weeks to many months
• Travel: Frequent, including Monday–Thursday travel patterns
• Pros: Exposure to multiple health systems and EHR builds; strong for those wanting broad health IT training
• Cons: Travel intensity; may feel less embedded in a single clinical environment

4. Hybrid Clinical + Informatics Locum Roles

Some health systems blend locum clinical work with informatics responsibilities, especially when upgrading or optimizing their EHR.

Examples:

• Hospitalist locum tenens physician who spends 0.2–0.3 FTE on informatics duties
• Emergency medicine locum with additional pay for informatics optimization projects
• Locum work in a system where you’re the physician champion for a particular service line’s workflows

Why this matters:

• You maintain clinical skills and income stability
• You build informatics experience in parallel
• Health systems value physicians who can “speak both languages”

When you search for locum work broadly, be proactive in asking about informatics committee participation, project involvement, or optimization work—even if it’s not in the job posting.

5. Telehealth and Digital Health Informatics Engagements

With the rise of virtual care, some travel and remote roles combine:

• Telehealth clinical services
• Clinical input on telehealth platform workflows and documentation
• Design and testing of remote monitoring programs

While less common as a formal “locum tenens physician” posting in informatics, digital health startups and health systems increasingly seek short-term physician-informaticists to help shape their platforms and pathways.

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Building a Locum-Ready Clinical Informatics Profile

To be competitive for locum-style informatics roles—especially as a resident, fellow, or early-career physician—you need a clear, targeted profile that shows you can:

1. Understand clinical workflows deeply
2. Translate between clinicians and IT professionals
3. Contribute meaningfully to EHR, data, and workflow projects from day one

Training Background: Fellowship vs Experience-Based Pathways

Clinical Informatics Fellowship graduates are often best-positioned, especially for higher-responsibility locum assignments (interim leadership, complex optimization efforts). Your fellowship provides:

• Formal training in health IT, data standards, and project management
• Documented experience with specific systems and tools
• A clear narrative: “I am a clinical informaticist first and foremost”

For those without a clinical informatics fellowship, you can still be competitive if you highlight:

• Committee and governance participation (EHR steering committees, order set review, CDS governance)
• Leadership in your department around EHR workflows or documentation improvement
• Quality improvement or data-analytics-driven projects
• Any formal courses or certificates in informatics, analytics, or health IT

Key Skills Locum Informatics Roles Seek

Regardless of training pathway, emphasize skills in:

• EHR expertise: Epic, Cerner, Meditech, Allscripts, or others. Be specific about:

  • Order set and template development
  • CDS rules or alerts you helped design
  • Clinical documentation improvements

• Workflow analysis and design:

  • How you’ve mapped current-state vs future-state workflows
  • Ways you’ve reduced clicks or improved physician satisfaction

• Data literacy:

  • Experience with clinical quality metrics, dashboards, or registry work
  • Comfort interpreting reports and using them to drive change

• Interpersonal and change management skills:

  • Leading physician training or feedback sessions
  • Communicating with IT and non-clinical stakeholders
  • Handling resistance to change in a constructive way

Positioning Your CV for Locum Informatics Work

On your CV:

• Create a dedicated “Clinical Informatics Experience” section even if your primary role was clinical.

• For each role or project, include:

  • The system(s) used (e.g., Epic inpatient/ambulatory, Cerner Millennium)
  • Your specific contributions (e.g., led CDS redesign for sepsis pathway)
  • Outcomes if available (e.g., reduction in alert fatigue, improved quality metrics)

• List relevant certifications or training, such as:

  • Board certification/eligibility in Clinical Informatics
  • AMIA 10x10 course or similar programs
  • Vendor certifications or “physician builder” credentials

• For fellowship or major projects, add concise bullet points that show scope:

  • “Co-led EHR go-live for 200-provider ambulatory practice; delivered physician training, workflow redesign, and post-go-live optimization.”

Remember: Locum agencies and hiring health systems often scan quickly. Make your informatics value obvious on page one.

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Finding and Evaluating Locum Informatics Opportunities

Where to Look

Because “locum tenens” is less standardized in informatics, you may need to search creatively:

1. Traditional Locum Tenens Agencies

   • Some agencies are expanding into clinical leadership and informatics roles.
   • Use keywords like “informatics,” “CMIO,” “EHR implementation,” “physician advisor” along with “locum tenens physician” or “interim.”

2. Health IT Consulting Firms and EHR Vendors

   • Many hire physicians on project-based contracts that function like locum assignments.
   • Look under “consultant,” “clinical informatics,” or “physician advisor” roles.

3. Professional and Fellowship Networks

   • AMIA, CHIME, and specialty societies’ informatics groups
   • Alumni networks from your clinical informatics fellowship
   • CMIO listservs, Slack groups, and local digital health communities

4. Hospital System Career Pages

   • Search specifically for “interim,” “temporary,” or “project-based” in clinical informatics or CMIO offices.
   • Smaller or rural systems may be open to locum-style arrangements even if they don’t advertise them as such.

5. General Travel Physician Jobs Boards

   • Some travel physician jobs include hybrid clinical/informatics responsibilities.
   • Reach out to recruiters and explicitly state your interest in informatics components.

Questions to Ask Before Accepting a Locum Informatics Role

When you identify a promising opportunity, clarify the following:

1. Scope and Expectations

• What are the primary deliverables and timelines?
• Are you expected to provide direct clinical care as well? If so, at what FTE split?
• Who will you report to (CMIO, CIO, service line director, vendor project manager)?

2. Work Setting and Travel Requirements

• How much time is on-site vs remote?
• What is the travel schedule (weekly, occasional site visits, full-time relocation)?
• Who pays for travel and lodging, and at what reimbursement level?

3. Technology and Tools

• Which EHR and ancillary systems are in use?
• How mature is the current informatics program (governance, analytics infrastructure)?
• What IT and analyst support will be available to you?

4. Contract and Legal Details

• Is this via a locum agency, W-2 employment, or 1099 independent contractor?
• Is malpractice coverage provided, and does it explicitly cover informatics and any clinical duties?
• How long is the contract; are there extension or buyout options?

5. Success Metrics

• How will your performance be evaluated?
• What does “success” look like by the end of the assignment?
• Will there be opportunities to present outcomes or publish work (if relevant to your goals)?

Careful vetting will help you distinguish between well-structured, career-enhancing assignments and chaotic, under-resourced roles that may not support your development.

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Practical Considerations: Lifestyle, Finances, and Career Strategy

Lifestyle and Work–Life Balance

Locum informatics work can offer:

• Geographic flexibility (try different regions or systems)
• Control over when and where you accept assignments
• The ability to intersperse intense project periods with downtime

But it also may involve:

• Frequent travel and time away from home
• Long days during go-live and cutover periods
• Less integration into a single clinical or institutional community

Reflect honestly on:

• Family or partner considerations
• Your tolerance for uncertainty and change
• Whether short-term, intensive work followed by breaks suits your personality

Financial Implications

Compensation for locum informatics roles varies widely based on:

• Whether clinical duties are included
• Project complexity and leadership expectations
• Market demand and geography

Key points to consider:

• Rate structure: Daily, hourly, or project-based?
• Benefits: Health insurance, retirement contributions, and CME funds may be limited or absent for 1099 work.
• Taxes and expenses: As an independent contractor, you may be responsible for estimated taxes, self-employment tax, and business expenses.

Consult a tax professional familiar with locum tenens and consulting work before signing significant contracts.

Impact on Long-Term Career Development

Strategically used, locum informatics experience can:

• Demonstrate versatility across different EHRs and health systems
• Accelerate your real-world health IT training and project portfolio
• Provide rich stories and examples for future CMIO or medical director interviews

However:

• Too many short, disconnected roles without clear accomplishments may raise questions about stability.
• You should document your contributions carefully—metrics, before/after comparisons, and letters of reference from CMIOs or project leaders.

Consider creating a portfolio (even if internal/private) that includes:

• Major projects and your role
• Screenshots or annotated workflows (de-identified)
• Summary of outcomes and lessons learned

This can powerfully complement your CV for future permanent leadership positions.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Do I need to be board-certified in Clinical Informatics to do locum informatics work?

Board certification is not always required, but it significantly strengthens your candidacy—especially for higher-responsibility roles like interim CMIO or major optimization leads. For more limited or vendor-focused consulting roles, extensive EHR and project experience may substitute. If you are eligible, pursuing board certification can open more doors and justify higher rates.

2. Can residents or fellows get involved in locum tenens informatics work?

True locum tenens roles typically require full medical licensure and completion of residency. However, as a resident or fellow, you can:

• Participate in EHR optimization and quality improvement projects
• Seek elective rotations or moonlighting roles with informatics components
• Network with CMIOs and informatics leaders to position yourself for post-training locum or travel assignments

After completing residency (and ideally a clinical informatics fellowship), you’ll be far better positioned for formal locum assignments.

3. How do I balance clinical practice with informatics locum work?

Many informaticists maintain clinical practice part-time. Options include:

• Taking pure informatics locum projects during breaks from regular clinical work
• Negotiating hybrid roles where your locum clinical work explicitly includes informatics responsibilities
• Structuring your year so that intense project-based informatics assignments are interspersed with blocks of clinical locum work

Be mindful of licensure, credentialing timelines, and personal bandwidth. Overcommitment—especially during EHR go-lives—can affect both your clinical and informatics performance.

4. Are there remote-only locum tenens opportunities in clinical informatics?

Yes, but they tend to be more limited and highly competitive. Remote options are more common for:

• EHR configuration and content review work
• Data, quality, and reporting projects
• Telehealth workflow and documentation optimization

However, key phases (like workflow discovery, stakeholder meetings, or go-live) often still require some on-site presence. When searching, include terms like “remote,” “hybrid,” “virtual,” or “telecommute” along with “clinical informatics” and “physician.”

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Locum tenens opportunities in clinical informatics sit at the intersection of flexibility, health IT innovation, and physician leadership. Whether you are emerging from a clinical informatics fellowship, considering a transition from full-time clinical work, or exploring new ways to apply your informatics skills, locum-style roles can accelerate your growth—if chosen thoughtfully and aligned with your long-term goals.