歸根結底，美國醫療系統最大的問題之一是供需問題。美國許多地區沒有足夠的醫療專業人員，為大量需要醫療護理的患者提供服務。但隨著數字化水平的日益提高，有一個方案可以解決這種不足，即將醫療保健就業市場向零工經濟類人員配置系統開放，包括護士崗位。

數字醫療初創公司Nomad Health便采取了這種做法。它將自己形容為醫療人員配置領域的“Airbnb”。該公司屬于遠程醫療領域的一個分支，只是其更專注于雇主而不是消費者。

該公司推出的系統可以匹配來自特定科室（包括內科和急診）、正在尋找自由職業機會的醫生與需要額外人力的醫院。Nomad甚至可以處理后端的保險事務。該公司正在擴大平臺，將全美國希望在德克薩斯州加入該平臺的醫院內尋找短期崗位的認證護士納入其中。其最終的計劃是將該系統在全國鋪開。

Nomad聯合創始人兼CEO亞力克西·納齊姆博士在接受《財富》雜志采訪時表示：“護士人才的短缺，是妨礙患者得到護理的主要因素。”

而數據似乎也證明了納齊姆的評估。美國醫療院校聯合會預測，相對于美國的人口和醫療需求，到2030年，醫生崗位將出現40,800 - 104,900人的缺口（該機構表示，造成這種情況的部分原因是擴大持續醫療教育和醫生實習期培訓項目的資金不足）。美國護理學院協會也指出了類似令人擔憂的趨勢，例如護士隊伍老齡化，以及人才短缺，無法滿足預期需求等。

一項數字解決方案，可能不足以解決這些系統性問題（還需要國家在監管和立法方面做出改變）。但納齊姆希望這項方案能夠幫助緩解一部分沒有得到充分認識的醫療需求。（財富中文網）

譯者：劉進龍/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.