In this episode of the Pharmacy View Podcast’s Rx to Riches stream, international host Michael Alexander, a Pharmacist, entrepreneur, digital health enthusiast, Co-Founder of Audirie, and the Regional Vice-President of Health Plans at Omada Health, speaks with Surge Singh, Co-Founder of Locumate and Locumate.ai. Surge shares how their platform is transforming the way Pharmacists connect with locum opportunities, addressing inefficiencies that have long plagued the industry. What started as a personal frustration—when Surge’s wife received an unexpectedly high invoice for a locum Pharmacist—led to the creation of a holistic talent orchestration platform. By leveraging high-tech solutions and combining technology with human interaction, Locumate has grown from a simple marketplace into an end-to-end staffing solution, making it easier for Pharmacies to find the right professionals quickly and efficiently. Over the past 2 years, Locumate has evolved significantly, expanding from a transactional marketplace into a comprehensive workforce management system. Initially, Pharmacies sought locums through external agencies, but Surge and their team recognised a broader issue: many Pharmacies first search within their internal networks before turning to external sources. To address this, Locumate developed a seamless solution that integrates internal talent pools, personal networks, agencies, and marketplaces, allowing Pharmacies to access the best professionals at the click of a button. This shift positions Locumate as a true orchestration engine for healthcare staffing, ensuring that the right professionals are matched with the right opportunities. Finding a suitable locum has often been compared to a blind date—uncertain and sometimes mismatched. Locumate is solving this by incorporating shift feedback data to identify workforce gaps and partnering with training providers like Audirie and the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. By integrating AI-driven talent matching, the platform now ensures that the best-suited locum is placed in each Pharmacy, rather than just filling shifts. Demand from industry professionals has also led to Locumate’s expansion into other healthcare sectors, including physiotherapy and podiatry, further cementing its role as a scalable, multi-sector solution. Surge shares the journey of expanding into the U.S. market, a process that began with a chance conversation at an accelerator program and led to a pivotal meeting at the NCPA conference in Kansas City. Despite initial scepticism, a simple chat over a pumpkin spice latte with the CEO of the California Pharmacy Association resulted in a strategic partnership with the American Pharmacists Association, opening doors for Locumate in the U.S. However, breaking into the market required board approvals, legal navigation, and compliance with strict regulations, particularly in California. Looking ahead, Locumate is positioning itself as Australia’s first AI-enabled job board for Pharmacy, with plans to expand into the U.S. and other allied health sectors. The platform is broadening its scope to include Pharmacy technicians, retail staff, and students, while also focusing on workforce skill development through collaborations with organisations like the American Pharmacy Association. In the next five years, AI-driven recommendations will help Pharmacy professionals identify ideal career paths based on their skills and personalities, removing guesswork from job matching. Surge highlights the need for a mindset shift in the Australian Pharmacy industry, urging professionals to embrace technology-driven workforce solutions rather than resisting change. Ultimately, Locumate aims to revolutionise Pharmacy workforce management, ensuring that both professionals and employers benefit from a more structured, data-driven approach.
