歸根結(jié)底，美國(guó)醫(yī)療系統(tǒng)最大的問(wèn)題之一是供需問(wèn)題。美國(guó)許多地區(qū)沒(méi)有足夠的醫(yī)療專(zhuān)業(yè)人員，為大量需要醫(yī)療護(hù)理的患者提供服務(wù)。但隨著數(shù)字化水平的日益提高，有一個(gè)方案可以解決這種不足，即將醫(yī)療保健就業(yè)市場(chǎng)向零工經(jīng)濟(jì)類(lèi)人員配置系統(tǒng)開(kāi)放，包括護(hù)士崗位。

數(shù)字醫(yī)療初創(chuàng)公司Nomad Health便采取了這種做法。它將自己形容為醫(yī)療人員配置領(lǐng)域的“Airbnb”。該公司屬于遠(yuǎn)程醫(yī)療領(lǐng)域的一個(gè)分支，只是其更專(zhuān)注于雇主而不是消費(fèi)者。

該公司推出的系統(tǒng)可以匹配來(lái)自特定科室（包括內(nèi)科和急診）、正在尋找自由職業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)的醫(yī)生與需要額外人力的醫(yī)院。Nomad甚至可以處理后端的保險(xiǎn)事務(wù)。該公司正在擴(kuò)大平臺(tái)，將全美國(guó)希望在德克薩斯州加入該平臺(tái)的醫(yī)院內(nèi)尋找短期崗位的認(rèn)證護(hù)士納入其中。其最終的計(jì)劃是將該系統(tǒng)在全國(guó)鋪開(kāi)。

Nomad聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人兼CEO亞力克西·納齊姆博士在接受《財(cái)富》雜志采訪(fǎng)時(shí)表示：“護(hù)士人才的短缺，是妨礙患者得到護(hù)理的主要因素。”

而數(shù)據(jù)似乎也證明了納齊姆的評(píng)估。美國(guó)醫(yī)療院校聯(lián)合會(huì)預(yù)測(cè)，相對(duì)于美國(guó)的人口和醫(yī)療需求，到2030年，醫(yī)生崗位將出現(xiàn)40,800 - 104,900人的缺口（該機(jī)構(gòu)表示，造成這種情況的部分原因是擴(kuò)大持續(xù)醫(yī)療教育和醫(yī)生實(shí)習(xí)期培訓(xùn)項(xiàng)目的資金不足）。美國(guó)護(hù)理學(xué)院協(xié)會(huì)也指出了類(lèi)似令人擔(dān)憂(yōu)的趨勢(shì)，例如護(hù)士隊(duì)伍老齡化，以及人才短缺，無(wú)法滿(mǎn)足預(yù)期需求等。

一項(xiàng)數(shù)字解決方案，可能不足以解決這些系統(tǒng)性問(wèn)題（還需要國(guó)家在監(jiān)管和立法方面做出改變）。但納齊姆希望這項(xiàng)方案能夠幫助緩解一部分沒(méi)有得到充分認(rèn)識(shí)的醫(yī)療需求。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

譯者：劉進(jìn)龍/汪皓

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 an increasingly digital world, one solution to this shortage could involve opening up the health care job market with a gig economy-style staffing system—including to nurses.

That's the approach that Nomad Health, a digital health upstart which describes itself as an "Airbnb" system for medical staffing, is taking. The company is sort of an offshoot of telemedicine—just one that's more focused on the employer, rather than consumer, side.

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 the extra manpower. Nomad even takes care of the back-end insurance paperwork. Now, it's expanding its platform to include 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.

"The nursing shortage is a major factor when it comes to barriers to accessing care," Nomad co-founder and CEO Dr. Alexi Nazem told Fortune in an interview.

The numbers seem to line up with Nazem's assessment. The Association of American Medical Colleges projects a physician shortage, relative to America's population and medical needs, of 40,800-104,900 by the year 2030 (in part driven by a lack of funding for more continuing medical education and residency programs, according to the AAMC). The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has pointed out similarly troubling trends such as an aging nurse workforce and shortfall against expected demand.

One digital solution likely isn't enough to overcome these major systemic issues (that would also require regulatory and legislative changes). But Nazem hopes that it can help mitigate an under-appreciated need in medicine.