Isn’t locum tenens surgery considered itinerant surgery?
No. In the past, the Office of the Inspector General has defined itinerant surgery as, “the practice by a surgeon (normally residing in another city) of traveling to small rural hospitals to perform surgery who is typically not available for follow-up care”. When hospitals use surgery locums, they have an agreed upon arrangement in place for another local surgeon to follow any patients treated by the locums surgeon. A surgeon will not agree to a locum tenens job, if it does not include these provisions. Without appropriate follow-up care, the locum tenens surgeon could jeopardize his or her fellowship status with the American College of Surgeons.
