Redefining Physician Autonomy: Why Locum Tenens May Be the Answer

Historically, physicians have enjoyed significant control over their clinical decisions, schedules, and practice environments. Today, the landscape looks very different. The shift toward employment in large healthcare systems has introduced additional layers of administrative oversight, with many physicians reporting limited autonomy in patient care decisions.

A survey by NORC at the University of Chicago found that 61% of employed physicians have moderate or no autonomy in making referrals outside their system. Nearly half (47%) adjust treatment options to reduce costs based on practice policies or incentives. That’s not just inconvenient, it’s a threat to clinical independence.

Autonomy isn’t dead. It’s evolving.

In 2022, just 44% of physicians owned their practice, down from 76% in the early 1980s, according to a report by the American Medical Association. Ownership may be declining, but the desire for control hasn’t gone away. It’s just taking a new form.

Today, autonomy isn’t defined by owning a building or managing staff. It’s about having the freedom to decide how, where, and why you practice medicine. And one of the clearest paths to that freedom is locum tenens.

How the lack of autonomy affects physician well-being

The growing administrative burden — including EHRs, insurance authorizations, and hospital politics — has left many physicians spending more time on paperwork than on patient care. The result? Burnout.

While burnout rates have dropped slightly, from 56% in 2021 to 45% in early 2024, they remain dangerously high. According to The Wall Street Journal, many doctors are pushing back against the corporate takeover of medicine, demanding a greater say in how they care for patients.

The loss of autonomy is a driving factor. When physicians feel disconnected from their purpose, their satisfaction and resilience suffer.

Locum tenens: a flexible way to reclaim control. If you’re feeling stuck, burned out, or simply ready for a change, locum tenens offers a modern answer to the autonomy question. Here's how:

1. Choose when and where you work. Locum tenens gives you the flexibility to set your own schedule and handpick your assignments. Want to work near family for the summer? Take a break between contracts? You decide.

2. Focus on care, not red tape. Locum tenens roles often strip away the bureaucracy that bogs down employed physicians. You're there to provide patient care, not to sit through meetings, complete administrative busywork, or negotiate referral limitations.

3. Explore different practice settings. From urban hospitals to rural clinics, locums lets you experience diverse environments and learn which ones best match your values and preferred pace of work.

4. Preserve your clinical independence. Many locum tenens physicians report greater freedom in treatment decisions and fewer restrictions on referrals or cost-containment policies. You practice medicine the way you were trained to.

Autonomy isn’t a thing of the past; it’s a goal worth reimagining. For today’s physicians, a solo practice may no longer be the ideal, but instead, it may mean freedom of movement, flexibility in scheduling, and control over their clinical choices.

Locum tenens is more than a career detour. It’s a powerful way to take back your professional life, on your terms. To learn more about physician locum tenens opportunities with FreeUpMD, call (321) 586-2139 or send an email: recruitment@freeupmd.com