Nomad Health — Seriously?

One of the biggest problems in the U.S. medical system boils down to a simple issue of supply and demand.

In many parts of the country there just aren’t enough health professionals to deal with a glut of patients who need care. But in the increasing digital world, one solution to this shortage could be implemented by opening up a healthcare job market with a gig economy style staffing system.

This is the approach of a digital health startup named Nomad Health which describes itself as an Airbnb system for medical staffing. The company is sort of an offshoot of telemedicine — just more focused on the employer, rather than the consumer.

It already has a system in place to match doctors from certain specialties (including internal and emergency medicine) who are looking for freelance work with hospitals that need extra manpower. Nomad Health even takes care of the back-end insurance paperwork.

Now it’s expanding its platform to involve certified nurses throughout the country who are seeking short-term positions with participating Texas hospitals. The eventual plan is to roll out the system nationwide.

Of course, one digital solution isn’t enough to overcome the major systemic issues that would also require regulatory and legislative changes. But I can see how it can help mitigate the under-appreciated need in medicine. And for me it’s just another inspiring example of how we can work things out by bringing in digital changes into the existing system.

Guys, take a look at Nomad Health, Twitter and check the updates. What are you thoughts?