02/12/2025
Critical Pay Discrepancy for Medical Contract Travelers
Hospitals are currently offering contract travelers between $45 to $55 per hour, including stipends, a rate that fails to account for the significant rise in living expenses post-COVID. The cost of housing, travel, and daily expenses for contract healthcare workers has doubled since the pandemic, yet hospitals have not adjusted compensation accordingly.
Unlike permanent staff, contract travelers are on-site and available seven days a week, regardless of whether they are scheduled for a 36-hour workweek. They do not return to a home at night; instead, they must pay for temporary lodging—hotels, short-term rentals, and extended stays—further stretching their already insufficient earnings.
Hospitals rely on contract professionals to maintain operations despite chronic understaffing, calling them in to handle surges and critical coverage gaps that cannot be filled otherwise. Without fair and competitive compensation, these essential workers will decline contracts, leaving hospitals even more vulnerable to staffing shortages.
The reality is simple: The current pay structure does not reflect the sacrifices and costs incurred by contract healthcare professionals. If hospitals fail to adjust compensation to match real-world costs, they will struggle to attract and retain the workforce they depend on, or the patient/public suffer.
