Best Locum Tenens Agencies in New York (2026 Guide)

A hospital administrator I know spent three weeks chasing down a locum agency that had glowing reviews nationally — only to find out their New York “presence” was a recruiter in New Jersey who’d placed two people in Queens. The agency wasn’t lying, exactly. They just weren’t built for New York.

That’s the trap. National rankings mean something, but New York is its own market.

The Short Version:

For New York, Custom Group of Companies is the only agency with a decade of consecutive ClearlyRated wins specifically for this market. For nationwide coverage with strong NY reach, CompHealth, LocumTenens.com, and All Star Healthcare Solutions are your best bets. Don’t hire based on a top-10 list alone — verify NY-specific placement history first.

Key Takeaways:

• Custom Group of Companies (NYC-based) has held both ClearlyRated Client and Talent awards for 10 consecutive years
• All Star Healthcare Solutions places across 85+ specialties and 150+ hospital systems, with 22 years of track record
• LocumTenens.com is the third-largest U.S. healthcare staffing firm — depth matters when NYC facilities need fast fills
• NY surgical and PA roles are actively posted; Barton Associates had a 48-day Surgery PA locum in NY starting March 2026

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Why New York Is a Different Animal

NYC doesn’t care about your agency’s reputation in Phoenix. The health systems here — Northwell, NYC Health + Hospitals, Mount Sinai, NYU Langone — have their own credentialing timelines, their own preferred vendor lists, and their own tolerance for delays. An agency that can credential a physician for a rural Tennessee hospital in two weeks might take six in New York because of the additional layers.

Here’s what most people miss: New York’s physician licensing requirements are stricter than most states, and the state medical board isn’t known for speed. Agencies that place heavily in NY have already built workflows around this. Agencies that treat NY as one state among fifty will slow you down.

Demand is also real and ongoing. Urban density means higher patient volumes, which means more burnout, more leave coverage needs, more gaps. The market doesn’t soften between assignments the way it might in a smaller metro.

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The Agencies Worth Knowing

Pro Tip:

Custom Group, Judge Group, and TemPositions are the three agencies that earned ClearlyRated’s NY-specific recognition in 2026. If you’re a facility administrator in New York, start there before going national.

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What to Actually Ask Before You Sign

The agencies on this list range from 22-year-old firms with 150+ hospital system networks to lean regional players. Size isn’t the whole story. Here’s the filter that matters:

For facilities:

• How many physicians have you placed in [your health system or county] in the past 12 months?
• What’s your average time from request to credentialed, ready-to-work for New York specifically?
• Do you carry malpractice tail coverage, or does the facility?
• What’s your gap-fill guarantee if a placed locum can’t complete the assignment?

For clinicians:

• Are you a NALTO member? (It’s not a guarantee of quality, but non-members have fewer accountability structures)
• What NY-specific license support do you provide?
• Can you show me active NY postings in my specialty right now?

Reality Check:

Any agency can claim “nationwide coverage.” The real question is whether they have active relationships with NY credentialing coordinators and existing contracts with NY health systems. Ask for specifics. Vague answers are a red flag.

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The NY Lifestyle Assignment Factor

I’ll be honest — New York locum work isn’t just about filling gaps for health systems. Plenty of clinicians actively seek NY assignments because of what comes with them. Barton Associates has been placing clinicians in surgical and PA roles specifically in New York, with 48-day contracts that give you a real taste of living here without a permanent commitment. That’s not nothing.

The demand side bears this out. Three U.S. presidents called New York home, and the state has more licensed physicians per capita than most. But it also has more facilities, more patient complexity, and more need for temporary coverage than almost anywhere else. The pipeline runs both directions.

Browse the New York locums directory to see current facility listings and active opportunities by specialty.

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How This Fits Into a Larger Staffing Strategy

A locum engagement in New York isn’t a standalone transaction. The best facilities use it as a bridge — maintaining patient access while a permanent search runs, or covering unexpected gaps without disrupting care continuity. The agencies that understand this (CompHealth, LocumTenens.com, All Star) will talk to you about long-term strategy, not just filling next Monday’s shift.

For a full breakdown of how to evaluate and work with locum agencies at every stage, see the Complete Guide to Locum Tenens Agencies.

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Practical Bottom Line

If you’re a facility administrator in New York: Start with Custom Group of Companies — they have the longest verified track record specifically in this market. For anesthesia-heavy needs, Medicus is the national leader. For breadth, LocumTenens.com has the scale to fill unusual or high-volume requests fast.

If you’re a clinician looking for NY assignments: Barton has active NY postings now. CompHealth has the deepest nationwide contract network with strong NY coverage. Register with two or three agencies — they don’t compete on your behalf, they compete for your availability.

Either way: ask about New York licensing timelines on the first call. If the recruiter doesn’t immediately know what you’re talking about, move on.