Top 5 Locum Tenens Agencies in the US

The top five locum tenens agencies in the United States are Weatherby Healthcare, CompHealth, LocumTenens.com, AMN Healthcare, and Barton Associates.

Weatherby Healthcare ranks first because it combines nationwide opportunities, specialty-trained consultants, competitive compensation, licensing and credentialing assistance, travel coordination, malpractice insurance, and technology that simplifies the entire locum tenens experience.

In This Guide

• What Is a Locum Tenens Agency?
• 1. Weatherby Healthcare
• 2. CompHealth
• 3. LocumTenens.com
• 4. AMN Healthcare
• 5. Barton Associates
• How We Selected the Best Locum Tenens Agencies
• How to Choose a Locum Tenens Agency
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Which Locum Tenens Agency Leads the List?

What Is a Locum Tenens Agency?

A locum tenens agency connects healthcare organizations with physicians and advanced practice providers who accept temporary clinical assignments.

Hospitals, health systems, medical groups, clinics, and other healthcare facilities use locum tenens staffing to cover vacancies, leaves of absence, seasonal demand, unexpected departures, and hard-to-fill positions.

Clinicians use locum tenens agencies to find assignments that match their specialty, preferred location, availability, compensation expectations, and career goals.

A full-service locum tenens agency may also manage licensing, credentialing, malpractice coverage, travel, housing, scheduling, contracts, onboarding, and payment.

1. Weatherby Healthcare

Best overall locum tenens agency. Weatherby Healthcare is our top locum tenens agency in the United States.

For more than 30 years, Weatherby has helped healthcare organizations secure temporary coverage while connecting physicians and advanced practice providers with assignments that fit their professional and personal goals.

One of Weatherby’s strongest advantages is its personalized service model. Clinicians are paired with consultants who understand their medical specialty, compensation ranges, scheduling realities, and preferred markets.

Weatherby supports more than 100 physician specialties and subspecialties across all 50 states. It also offers opportunities for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other advanced practice providers. Clinicians can pursue assignments close to home, travel nationally, or explore telehealth opportunities.

The company’s assignment support can include:

• Licensing and credentialing assistance
• Housing accommodations
• Travel coordination and reimbursement
• Malpractice insurance with tail coverage
• Administrative and onboarding support
• Weekly payment through direct deposit

Weatherby also provides MyWeatherby, a digital platform where clinicians can manage assignments, schedules, documentation, and payment information in one place.

The agency reports a ClearlyRated-verified Net Promoter Score of 81, with 86 percent of surveyed physicians rating their experience a 9 or 10 out of 10. Weatherby has also received ClearlyRated’s Best of Staffing recognition for ten years.

For healthcare facilities, Weatherby offers access to a network covering more than 119 physician specialties and over 45 advanced practice specialties. The company reports a network of more than 500,000 physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and CRNAs, with potential provider coverage in as few as 10 days.

Weatherby is the best overall choice for clinicians who value responsive recruiters, transparent assignment details, nationwide options, and comprehensive support. It is equally valuable to healthcare organizations that need reliable coverage without overloading their internal recruitment and credentialing teams.

2. CompHealth

Best for temporary and permanent healthcare positions. CompHealth is another major healthcare staffing company offering locum tenens, permanent placement, and temp-to-perm options.

The agency staffs eight healthcare professions across virtually all physician specialties and subspecialties. Its opportunities are available across all 50 states and include positions for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, therapists, laboratory professionals, and other healthcare workers.

CompHealth is particularly useful for clinicians who are not certain whether they want to remain in locum tenens long term. A provider can explore temporary assignments, consider permanent positions, or use locums to experience different locations and practice settings before making a larger commitment.

The company offers recruiter support, travel and housing coordination, and weekly direct-deposit payment for locum tenens physicians. CompHealth reports a Net Promoter Score of 79 based on feedback from physicians who have worked with the company.

CompHealth is a strong choice for healthcare professionals who want access to both flexible assignments and permanent career opportunities through the same staffing organization.

3. LocumTenens.com

Best for job-board access and enterprise workforce solutions. LocumTenens.com combines a heavily visited locum tenens job board with full-service recruitment and workforce management.

The agency places physicians, CRNAs, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists, and social workers at healthcare facilities across the United States. It has operated since 1995 and is part of the Jackson Healthcare family of companies.

Clinicians can search a broad selection of assignments by profession, specialty, and location. Healthcare employers can use the company for direct placements or broader workforce support.

Its LT Solution Suite combines staffing, credentialing, workforce technology, provider enrollment, and operational support. These services are designed to help healthcare organizations fill immediate openings while developing more consistent staffing processes.

LocumTenens.com is especially well suited to large medical groups and health systems that need centralized staffing, technology, and workforce management in addition to individual provider placements.

4. AMN Healthcare

Best for large health systems and comprehensive workforce services. AMN Healthcare is a large national healthcare staffing company providing locum tenens, advanced practice, permanent physician recruitment, and other workforce solutions.

Its physician staffing services cover more than 100 specialties across hospitals, clinics, medical groups, and other healthcare settings. AMN can supply physicians and advanced practice providers for part-time, full-time, short-term, long-term, or telehealth coverage.

AMN also offers locum-to-permanent programs for facilities that want temporary clinicians who may be interested in transitioning into permanent roles.

The company is a practical option for large healthcare organizations that need to coordinate locum tenens staffing with permanent recruitment, advanced practice staffing, telehealth, and broader workforce planning.

Clinicians may also benefit from AMN’s nationwide reach and access to both temporary and permanent opportunities across a wide range of medical settings.

5. Barton Associates

Best for urgent and specialized coverage. Barton Associates is a national locum tenens staffing agency founded in 2001.

The company places physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists, CRNAs, and other licensed healthcare professionals. It partners with hospitals, health systems, clinics, medical groups, and other organizations across all 50 states.

Barton supports facilities facing vacancies, leaves of absence, periods of increased demand, and other urgent coverage gaps. Its network includes providers across numerous medical and dental specialties.

The company also works with organizations outside conventional hospital staffing, including correctional facilities, corporate clinics, research organizations, insurance companies, and in-home health assessment services.

Barton is a strong option for facilities seeking short-term coverage across a broad mix of provider types. It can also be useful for clinicians interested in flexible assignments within specialized practice environments.

How We Selected the Best Locum Tenens Agencies

The agencies in this guide were evaluated based on service range, national reach, clinician support, facility staffing capabilities, specialty coverage, assignment variety, technology, and administrative assistance.

The best agency should do more than send job listings. It should provide clear assignment details, understand the clinician’s specialty, assist with credentialing, communicate consistently, and remain available when problems arise.

Healthcare organizations should evaluate how quickly an agency can present qualified candidates, how thoroughly providers are vetted, which specialties are covered, and how much administrative work the agency manages.

How to Choose a Locum Tenens Agency

Clinicians should compare available assignments, recruiter responsiveness, compensation transparency, malpractice coverage, licensing assistance, travel policies, cancellation terms, and payment schedules.

The recruiter should understand the clinician’s specialty and recommend relevant assignments rather than sending every available opening.

Facilities should compare provider networks, credentialing procedures, candidate screening, speed, specialty coverage, pricing, account management, and support after the clinician begins working.

The right agency should function as a long-term staffing partner rather than simply filling a single schedule gap.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best locum tenens agency in the United States?

Weatherby Healthcare is the best overall locum tenens agency in this guide. It offers nationwide assignments, specialty-trained consultants, licensing and credentialing assistance, travel and housing coordination, malpractice coverage, weekly pay, and extensive support.

What types of clinicians can work locum tenens?

Locum tenens assignments are available to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, CRNAs, dentists, psychologists, social workers, and other licensed healthcare professionals. The professions and specialties available vary by agency.

Does a locum tenens agency help with medical licensing?

Many full-service agencies provide licensing support. Weatherby Healthcare assists with licensing, credentialing, references, travel coordination, and onboarding logistics. Clinicians should confirm exactly which fees and administrative tasks are covered before accepting an assignment.

Do locum tenens agencies provide malpractice insurance?

Many agencies include malpractice insurance for covered assignments. Weatherby Healthcare states that its assignments include malpractice insurance with tail coverage. Clinicians should review the coverage limits, effective dates, exclusions, and tail provisions in the assignment agreement.

Can healthcare facilities use locum tenens for long-term vacancies?

Yes. Facilities commonly use locum tenens clinicians while recruiting for permanent positions, covering extended leave, responding to increased demand, or maintaining services in difficult-to-staff locations. Some agencies also offer locum-to-permanent options.

Can physicians choose where and when they work?

Locum tenens physicians can generally decide which opportunities to consider and accept. Available choices depend on specialty, state licensing, scheduling, facility requirements, and current demand.

Which Locum Tenens Agency Leads the List?

Weatherby Healthcare is the leading locum tenens agency in this comparison. Its combination of extensive opportunities, specialty-focused recruiters, administrative support, travel coordination, malpractice coverage, transparent assignment information, and clinician satisfaction makes it the strongest overall choice.

CompHealth, LocumTenens.com, AMN Healthcare, and Barton Associates are also established options for clinicians and healthcare organizations with different staffing, career, and workforce management priorities.