If you're researching Locums One because a recruiter contacted you, or because you saw our content and want to verify we're real before engaging, this page is for you. Direct, factual, and including the questions physicians actually ask before signing on with any agency.
We've structured this as we'd want to read it: factual company information first, then physician-facing operational details, then anonymized case patterns from physicians we've placed, then the questions you should ask any locum agency (including ours) before signing.
QUICK ANSWER — IS LOCUMS ONE LEGIT?
Locums One LLC is a real Wyoming-registered staffing company — not a third-party brokerage or marketing layer
We operate across all 50 states with active placements nationwide
Published agency margin: 15–22% vs. industry 30–50% — transparent and disclosed on every engagement
Average credentialing: 21 days vs. industry 60–90 days
$1M/$3M occurrence-based malpractice provided on every assignment at no cost to the physician
All 1099 — no employer-of-record — physicians are independent contractors with full schedule control
Active 2026 hospital clients include Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center (Duke LifePoint), Deaconess/Pulse Heart Institute (MultiCare), Providence Sacred Heart, Castleview Hospital, Sampson Regional, and others
What is Locums One?
Locums One is a locum tenens staffing platform that connects physicians, CRNAs, and APPs with locum assignments at hospitals nationwide. We focus on transparent agency margins (15–22% vs industry 30–50%) and faster credentialing (21 days vs industry 60–90). Locums One LLC is registered in Wyoming and operates across all 50 states, with concentrated specialty depth in cardiac surgery, anesthesia, CRNA, EM, hospitalist, and radiology.
Quick company facts:
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Legal entity | Locums One LLC |
| State of registration | Wyoming |
| Coverage | All 50 states (active placements nationwide) |
| Specialty focus | Cardiac, anesthesia, CRNA, EM, hospitalist, radiology, OB-GYN |
| Agency margin (published) | 15–22% |
| Average credentialing time | 21 days |
| Malpractice coverage | $1M/$3M occurrence-based |
| 1099 vs W-2 | All 1099 (no employer-of-record) |
| Travel + housing | Provided/covered for assignments |
Legal entity
State of registration
Coverage
Specialty focus
Agency margin (published)
Average credentialing time
Malpractice coverage
1099 vs W-2
Travel + housing
Who runs Locums One?
The Locums One team includes leadership from healthcare staffing operations and clinical credentialing. Public-facing staff include the credentialing operations team that handles the 21-day onboarding process, recruiting team that sources and places candidates, and a clinical advisory partner who participates in physician assignments and quality oversight.
We deliberately keep team sizes small relative to placements — this is part of how we maintain 15–22% margins. Larger agencies with sales staff, marketing departments, and corporate overhead structurally require higher margins to operate. We've designed the operation to run lean.
Is Locums One a real company or a brokerage?
Locums One LLC is a real Wyoming-registered staffing company, not a third-party brokerage that resells contracts from another agency. Physicians placed through Locums One are credentialed by our team, paid by Locums One directly, and covered by our malpractice insurance — no intermediary agencies in the chain.
Some smaller "locum agencies" advertised online are actually marketing layers on top of larger agency networks. They take an additional margin layer, slow credentialing through the brokerage chain, and create confusion about who's responsible for malpractice coverage. We're not one of those.
You can verify Locums One's Wyoming business registration through the Wyoming Secretary of State business search. While our LLC is registered in Wyoming, our hospital placements span all 50 states — we operate nationally, not regionally.
What hospitals does Locums One place at?
Locums One places at hospitals across all 50 states. Active 2026 client systems include (publicly disclosed engagements only):
- Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center (Duke LifePoint) — Pennsylvania
- Deaconess / Pulse Heart Institute (MultiCare) — Washington
- Providence Sacred Heart — Washington
- Castleview Hospital — Utah
- Sampson Regional Medical Center — North Carolina
- Multiple critical access hospitals throughout the Mountain West, Plains, and Southeast
Our placements skew toward cardiac surgery, anesthesia, emergency medicine, and hospitalist coverage — the specialties where supply-demand imbalance is most acute.
What do physicians say about Locums One?
We've intentionally structured the case patterns below as anonymized aggregate examples rather than individual testimonials. Real physicians' names and specifics are kept private as a matter of policy. The patterns described below are from documented placements and onboardings between Q4 2024 and Q2 2026.
Pattern 1: The W-2 anesthesiologist who "should have done this three years ago"
Background: Anesthesiologist with 14 years W-2 experience at a community hospital. Cardiac fellowship trained, multi-state licensed, no current malpractice claims.
Outcome through Locums One:
- Credentialed in 23 days from initial contact
- First locum check (two weeks of work, three hospitals, no overnight call): $31,500
- Last W-2 check before transition (two weeks of work, one hospital, full call): $9,500
- Quote on day 1 of credentialing: "I should have done this three years ago"
This pattern repeats across our W-2-to-locum onboardings — the income gap is wider than physicians expect because most W-2 hospitals price below the locum market for the same specialty work.
Pattern 2: The CT surgeon evaluating a major program build-out
Background: Cardiac surgeon, 17 years experience, MICS + aortic subspecialty training, multi-state licensure.
Outcome through Locums One:
- Strategic placement at hospital system building out cardiac program
- Bill rate: $5,500/day; pay rate: $4,500/day (margin 18%)
- Direct communication with senior cardiac surgeon at the receiving facility throughout interview process
- Long-term relationship built around capability expansion (not just gap coverage)
This pattern shows our strength in cardiac surgery placements — we focus on building physician-facility relationships beyond single-assignment coverage.
Pattern 3: The CRNA cohort transition
Background: Multiple CRNAs at a single facility (rural North Carolina) responding to broad outreach about a 250/hr+ assignment.
Outcome through Locums One:
- 503 candidates initially screened
- Multiple credentialing tracks running simultaneously
- Average credentialing time held at 21–24 days even at scale
- Direct text-channel communication with credentialing team throughout process
This pattern demonstrates our CRNA-specific operational depth — most agencies focus exclusively on physician placements; CRNA volume requires different ops infrastructure that we've intentionally built.
How does Locums One compare to industry standards?
Specific benchmarks where Locums One differs from typical locum agencies:
| Metric | Industry Standard | Locums One |
|---|---|---|
| Agency margin | 30–50% (NALTO/SIA) | 15–22% (published) |
| Credentialing time | 60–90 days | 21 days average |
| Malpractice coverage | Varies (occurrence-based or claims-made) | $1M/$3M occurrence-based (paid by us) |
| Tail coverage | Often physician-paid for claims-made | Included (occurrence-based has no tail issue) |
| Travel/housing | Sometimes covered, sometimes not | Always covered |
| Margin disclosure | Almost never published | Published publicly |
| Specialty depth | Broad (all specialties) | Focused (cardiac, anesthesia, EM, hospitalist, radiology, OB-GYN) |
| Direct credentialing contact | Recruiter-mediated | Direct contact with credentialing person handling file |
Agency margin
Credentialing time
Malpractice coverage
Tail coverage
Travel/housing
Margin disclosure
Specialty depth
Direct credentialing contact
Is Locums One bigger or smaller than other locum agencies?
Smaller. Locums One is a recently-formed Wyoming LLC, while major national locum staffing agencies (Barton Associates, CompHealth, Weatherby, AMN Healthcare, LocumTenens.com, Staff Care, Medicus, Aya Locums) range from 15+ to 70+ years in business with much larger physician networks.
Smaller has trade-offs:
- Trade-off (less optionality): we have fewer total assignments available at any moment than major national agencies
- Trade-off (less brand recognition): newer agency means less name familiarity at some hospital systems
- Advantage (lower margins): smaller overhead lets us operate at 15–22% vs industry 30–50%
- Advantage (faster credentialing): smaller team means files don't sit in queue waiting for processing
- Advantage (direct communication): physicians actually talk to the person handling their file, not a recruiter intermediary
Many locum physicians work with multiple agencies for different assignments — Locums One isn't an exclusive arrangement. Use us where our model fits; use other agencies where their model fits.
What questions should I ask any locum agency before signing?
Whether you're evaluating Locums One or any other agency, here are the questions that filter most legitimate agencies from the questionable ones:
1. What is your agency margin on this assignment?
Locums One answer: 15–22% depending on assignment, published publicly.
Industry context: Most agencies treat margin as proprietary. When physicians don't know the margin, they can't evaluate whether the pay rate is fair. A $400/hr pay rate sounds good until you learn the hospital is paying $750/hr. Ask directly. If they won't answer, that's information too.
If another agency won't disclose their margin when asked directly, that itself is the answer. The number is usually higher than physicians realize, and agencies that won't disclose are usually higher than the industry midpoint.
2. Is malpractice occurrence-based or claims-made? Who pays for tail coverage?
Locums One answer: Occurrence-based, $1M/$3M, paid by Locums One. No tail coverage required because occurrence-based has no tail issue.
Claims-made coverage without paid tail is the single biggest insurance trap in locum staffing. If you have claims-made coverage and a patient sues you 3 years after your contract ended, you owe coverage out of pocket — typically $30K–$80K. Avoid claims-made unless tail is fully paid by the agency in writing.
Red flag to watch for: "The hospital adds you to their policy" or "we'll connect you with the hospital's payroll." Both indicate a brokerage layer. When multiple companies touch your contract, accountability gets diffuse and credentialing slows down.
3. What's your average credentialing timeline for my specialty with current licensure?
Locums One answer: 21 days average for physicians with current state license, current DEA, clean malpractice history, and organized CV/references. A dedicated credentialing specialist handles your file directly — not a shared service center.
If an agency says "depends" without giving a typical range, they don't know — which usually means it's slower than industry average. Get specifics. Compare to industry standard 60–90 days.
Why this matters: Credentialing is where most locum nightmares happen. An agency's process here predicts your experience better than any sales pitch. Ask about urgent/emergency temporary privileges too — some hospitals can grant 72-hour temporary privileges for critical coverage needs.
4. What happens if the hospital cancels?
Locums One answer: Cancellation terms vary by assignment and are disclosed in writing before you sign. We negotiate kill fees and notice requirements on your behalf.
Red flag: Asymmetric terms where the hospital can cancel with minimal notice but you must give 60+ days. These terms heavily favor the facility and are common in standard agency contracts.
5. Is your malpractice occurrence-based or claims-made?
Locums One answer: Occurrence-based on every assignment. No tail coverage needed.
Critical detail for emergency medicine and surgery specialists: Occurrence-based covers incidents during the policy period regardless of when claims are filed. Claims-made only covers claims filed while the policy is active. EM and surgical specialties have longer statutes of limitations on missed diagnoses and procedural complications, making occurrence-based significantly safer for the physician.
6. What's included in travel and housing?
Locums One answer: Travel and housing are always covered for assignments. We arrange furnished housing (not extended-stay hotels) through corporate housing partners when possible.
Quality-of-life impact: A 13-week assignment in a hotel with no kitchen costs you more than money — it costs energy and health. Furnished apartments with full kitchens make a material difference over multi-week assignments.
7. Can I verify your business registration?
Locums One answer: Yes. Locums One LLC is registered in Wyoming. We provide our registration details on request, and you can verify independently through the Wyoming Secretary of State business search.
This is a basic legitimacy check that filters out marketing layers and brokerages. Any legitimate staffing company has a state registration number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Locums One a real company?
Yes. Locums One LLC is a Wyoming-registered limited liability company operating in all 50 states. We hold standard healthcare staffing operational licenses and provide $1M/$3M occurrence-based malpractice coverage to placed physicians. Business registration is verifiable through the Wyoming Secretary of State.
Is Locums One a scam?
No. Locums One is a legitimate locum tenens staffing agency. We pay physicians directly through standard 1099 channels, provide full malpractice coverage, and credential physicians for placements at named hospital systems. If you have specific concerns about a recruiter or communication, contact our credentialing team directly through locums.one.
How long has Locums One been in business?
Locums One LLC operates as a recently-formed agency (Wyoming-registered LLC). We're significantly newer than major national locum staffing agencies (most of which are 15+ years old). Our smaller size and lower overhead enable us to operate at 15–22% margins vs the industry standard 30–50%, and our team brings decades of combined experience in locum staffing operations.
Is Locums One legit for high-paying specialties like cardiac surgery?
Yes. Cardiac surgery is one of our specialty focus areas. We've placed cardiac surgeons at major hospital systems including Pulse Heart Institute (MultiCare), and active 2026 placements include cardiac and CT surgery roles at $5,000–$6,000/day. Our cardiac depth is intentional — we built the credentialing and operations infrastructure for this specialty specifically.
What does Locums One pay physicians compared to other agencies?
Locums One typically pays physicians 15–25% more than traditional national locum agencies on the same hospital bill rate, because we operate at 15–22% margin vs industry standard 30–50%. On a $500/hr hospital bill rate, this translates to roughly $80–$110/hr more in physician pay.
Does Locums One cover malpractice insurance?
Yes. We provide $1M/$3M occurrence-based malpractice coverage at no cost to the physician for the duration of all assignments. Occurrence-based coverage means any incident that occurred during the policy period is covered for life, even if reported years after the assignment ends.
Does Locums One cover travel and housing?
Yes. For locum assignments requiring travel, Locums One covers flights or mileage to the assignment, furnished housing or housing stipend during the assignment, and rental car when needed. Specifics vary by assignment and are documented in writing.
How fast can I start a locum assignment with Locums One?
For physicians with current state license, current DEA, clean malpractice history, and organized CV/references, our average credentialing time is 21 days from initial intake to first shift. Industry average is 60–90 days. Faster timelines are possible when license + DEA + facility privileging align.
Is Locums One only available in specific states?
No. We place physicians in all 50 states. Our concentration of available assignments skews toward Mountain West, Plains, Pacific Interior, and Deep South states (where rural and critical access demand is highest), but we have active placements nationwide.
Can I work with Locums One and another agency at the same time?
Yes. Most locum physicians work with multiple agencies simultaneously for different assignments. Locums One does not require exclusivity. Some physicians use us for high-paying specialty assignments and use larger national agencies for variety in city/facility selection — the agencies are complementary, not exclusive.
Where can I read more about Locums One?
For detailed information about our pricing model, see How Locums Pricing Works. For comparison to a specific competitor, see Locums One vs Barton Associates. For specialty-specific rates, see our salary articles by specialty. For direct contact, visit locums.one/contact.
The bottom line
Locums One is a real company, registered in Wyoming, operating across all 50 states, with publicly disclosed margins (15–22%), dedicated credentialing operations, and active hospital clients. The physicians who work with us consistently cite transparency on pricing and speed on credentialing as the differentiators.
We're not for everyone. If you want a large agency with a marketing department, a sales team, and a polished corporate feel, there are plenty of those. If you want a lean operation that passes more of the bill rate to you and gets you credentialed in weeks instead of months, that's what we built.
Before signing with any agency — including ours — ask the questions above. The answers tell you everything you need to know.
*For detailed rate data by specialty, see our 2026 Locum Tenens Salary Guide. For how 1099 contractor status works, see our independent contractor guide. For contract negotiation advice, see our contract negotiation guide. For the full financial and lifestyle case for locum work, see our locum tenens benefits guide.*
*Information current as of May 2026. Company facts (legal entity, state of registration) are publicly verifiable through Wyoming Secretary of State business search. Locums One LLC operates across all 50 states. Operational metrics (margin, credentialing time, malpractice coverage) are based on actual Locums One operations and are subject to standard contractual terms. Anonymized case patterns are aggregate descriptions of actual placements; specific individual details are not represented to protect physician privacy.*
