Temporary physicians can be key to hospital strategies. 
When a physician staffing crisis occurs, hospitals often turn to services specializing in placing interim doctors, or locum tenens.  But these docs can do more than fill an emergency need; they can be used for some strategic purposes such as test marketing a new physician service, assisting during peak periods and broadening recruitment guidelines.  Wanda Dearth, who heads an interim physician staffing firm in Irving, Texas, offers some advice.