In 2024-2025, Hayes Locums strengthened human-to-human connections via a new initiative designed to improve the client experience. It also heightened technology investment and created a new centralized entity to safeguard compliance.
DRIVING GROWTH AND ELEVATING CLIENT EXPERIENCES
Senior leadership at Hayes Locums set three key goals for 2024-2025 to drive growth and elevate client experiences. Together, these goals focus on building relationships, leveraging technology, and delivering exceptional service. “First, we launched the ‘Every Interaction Counts’ initiative to strengthen human-to-human connections and ensure every engagement is meaningful,” says Director of Sales Enablement and Training Seth Prezant.
Hayes Locums’ DRIVE is the company’s sales enablement program, which focuses on strengthening human-centric skills to support the “Every Interaction Counts” initiative. DRIVE covers training for any new process, system, or platform at Hayes Locums. The program combines facilitator-led sessions, role-playing, eLearning modules, and scenario-based evaluations.
At Kirkpatrick Level 3, managers validated significant behavioral changes, including improved communication and stronger client relationships. At Level 4, these changes translated into measurable business impact, such as higher client satisfaction scores and increased physician placement success. “The program’s innovation lies in its blended approach, combining experiential learning with digital reinforcement to ensure lasting skill adoption,” Prezant emphasizes.
In 2024-2025, Hayes Locums accelerated the DRIVE program from eight weeks to six and introduced microlearning and on-demand resources to support real-time learning. “We also integrated artificial intelligence (AI) tools into development and delivery—including AI-powered role-play simulations and content generation—to personalize practice and speed up learning. These innovations improved agility, engagement, and relevance as business needs evolved,” Prezant explains.
He notes that the organization uses generative AI to accelerate content creation, draft learning modules, and design interactive elements. “One of the most impactful applications is AI-powered role-play, which allows learners to practice real-world scenarios in a safe, simulated environment. These tools adapt dynamically to learner input, providing personalized feedback, and building confidence in handling complex conversations,” he says.
Hayes Locums trains employees on practical AI skills that improve efficiency and productivity. This includes using generative AI to draft e-mails; create personalized outreach; and write clear, professional proposals. The organization also teaches best practices for prompting AI, refining outputs, and ensuring compliance with company tone and standards. “These skills help employees save time while maintaining quality and consistency,” Prezant says.
Hayes Locums is leaning into AI for supplemental role-plays and an immediate feedback loop. “Given that everyone is leaning on AI, we want to make sure we are not leaning too far and losing the human connection. We are doubling down on the skills that create and build relationships that are vital to our industry. These include people-to-people skills such as active listening, empathy, curiosity, problem solving, building and maintaining trust, and relationship building,” Prezant says. “The most valuable thing we can give another human being today is the act of listening and our time to understand.”
STREAMLINING THE CLIENT EXPERIENCE
Hayes Locums also invested in technology to enhance and streamline client experiences through tools such as LocumScope, while improving operational efficiency and innovation.
LocumScope is Hayes Locums’ exclusive workforce management platform that serves as a single command center for hospital partners. It streamlines recruiting, onboarding, scheduling, invoicing, and approvals, eliminating the need to juggle multiple systems, e-mails, and spreadsheets, Prezant explains.
“With real-time visibility into calendars, timesheets, and labor costs, physician recruiters and hospital leadership can make faster, more informed decisions. LocumScope doesn’t replace our consultants; it enhances their ability to deliver exceptional service,” he says. “By simplifying processes and providing complete transparency into locums coverage, the tool strengthens client relationships and improves operational efficiency, ultimately helping hospitals focus on patient care.”
MSS UNIVERSITY
One of the most effective training programs at Hayes Locums in the past year, according to Prezant, was MSS University, a structured, tiered learning initiative for its consultants and Medical Staff Services (MSS) support teams that is run through Hayes Locums’ DRIVE program. The company created MSS University to help new sales consultant hires better understand all of the departments they need to collaborate with to get a medical provider to work.
MSS University featured two core courses: MSS 101, which established foundational knowledge of core processes and compliance standards, and MSS 202, which provided advanced, role-specific training for nuanced workflows and problem solving, facilitated by subject matter experts (SMEs) in each department (including internal and external credentialing and licensing). This university-style approach drove measurable behavior change, with a 20 percent decrease in kickbacks for internal credentialing packets, Prezant reports.
“Achieving this goal required stronger collaboration between Sales consultants and the MSS Credentialing Teams, increased training accountability, and the use of standardized reference documentation and reporting tools across the organization,” Prezant says.
ENHANCED CREDENTIALING SUPPORT
Hayes Locums also prioritized expanding credentialing support by creating a Centralized Verification Organization (CVO) within its MSS team to simplify processes and uphold compliance standards.
The CVO simplifies the Primary Source verifications required for credentialing a healthcare provider. Among other credentials, the CVO verifies licenses, education, certifications, work history, and the presence or absence of malpractice claims.
“Although we have always upheld the highest standards in credentialing and compliance to ensure patient safety and provider quality, accreditation is the next step—a nationally recognized seal that validates our rigorous processes and commitment to excellence,” Prezant says. “Our goal is to give clients added confidence that partnering with us means working with a company that meets and exceeds industry benchmarks.”
Prezant explains that the goal of a CVO is to make life easier for providers and hospitals by streamlining credentialing into a one-stop shop. This frees doctors to focus on patient care while helping organizations concentrate on high-value tasks such as improving patient outcomes.
The Training department supports and partners with MSS SMEs to facilitate and train consultants on the basic function of credentialing as it relates to a physician consultant/recruiter.
The Training department works closely with MSS leaders to develop engaging, in-person and eLearning training materials that explain credentialing processes, Prezant says. They collaborate on creative ways to present the content and ensure employees complete the required training by tracking progress and compliance.
“The CVO plays a critical role in maintaining compliance by ensuring that all credentialing activities adhere to industry standards such as NCQA (National Committee for Quality Assurance),” Prezant says. “It supports compliance efforts by implementing policies and procedures that align with this standard. Standards are reviewed during the initial training and onboarding period, with annual training provided thereafter and additional sessions offered as needed to support performance improvement.”
2024-2025 TRAINING CHALLENGES
The challenges of scaling learning for a growing organization took center stage last year at Hayes Locums. “Our two biggest challenges were adapting programs for a growing headcount and aligning learning with evolving business priorities,” Prezant says. The organization addressed these challenges by redesigning core programs to be integrated and flexible, delivering role-specific learning instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. It also accelerated timelines and introduced microlearning sessions to fit busy schedules while maintaining impact.
The Learning team at Hayes Locums learned a valuable lesson itself in 2024-2025: the importance of a hands-on approach. “Our biggest insight was that employees learn best by doing first and understanding the theory later,” Prezant notes. “We shifted to a hands-on approach where learners immediately apply new skills before exploring the underlying concepts. Experiential learning drives adoption far more effectively than traditional ‘teach first, apply later’ methods.”
FUTURE FOCUS
For 2026 and beyond, Hayes Locums plans to blend technology-driven learning with human connection. While AI and automation transform workflows, strong relationships remain the foundation of success, Prezant says. The organization aims to launch programs that combine AI-powered tools, such as role-play simulations and personalized coaching assistants, with activities that strengthen interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
“Learners will practice real-world conversations in AI-driven simulations, then apply those skills in collaborative workshops and peer feedback sessions,” Prezant says. “This ‘high-tech plus high-touch’ approach ensures employees master new technologies while deepening their ability to build authentic relationships, preparing teams for a future where relationships remain a competitive advantage.”