On Demand Healthcare Care - will this stuff really work

[Derpz]

I've been researching the intersection of Healthcare and Technology and noticed a bunch of startups trying to be the Uber for healthcare.

Found this one for nurses:

bienhealthcare.com

wondering if this kind of model will really take off and if so will nurses/PA's be able to work like an Uber driver down the road? I like the idea of flexibility with my hours...does this stuff really have a future?

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[fab4fan]

It could. There are a lot of nurses out there sick of having to deal with hospital systems/administration. They're looking for a way to be independent contractors. This may be the way to get that sort of job.

 

[TheEarDoc]

I do not see the physician groups or state licensure boards let alone the federal programs (Medicaid and Medicare) allowing this happen.

No matter where you work you still have administrative BS (seriously where do they find some of these middle management folks!?!?!) and a boss. I am just thinking from a licensure and liability insurance standpoint how much of a nightmare this would be!

 

[fab4fan]

I do not see the physician groups or state licensure boards let alone the federal programs (Medicaid and Medicare) allowing this happen.

No matter where you work you still have administrative BS (seriously where do they find some of these middle management folks!?!?!) and a boss. I am just thinking from a licensure and liability insurance standpoint how much of a nightmare this would be!

There are already nurses working as independent contractors. Not many, but they are out there.

 

[Boatswain2PA]

There is a small niche market for concierge care. Right now, this mostly falls under the construct of concierge care. If you are wealthy enough to forego the federally (or federally mandated insurance) funded healthcare, then you are probably wealthy enough to pay for a physician. I don't see the benefit of the Bienhealthcare unless they need nursing care. Need a bath, a dressing change, or a catheter flush (all truly important things), then call Bienhealthcare. Need to be diagnosed and treated for your foot ulcer? I don't think Bienhealthcare is gonna cut it unless they get someone with prescriptive authority (NPs). But even then, folks who can pay for concierge care generally won't want a NP, they will want a physician.

If the government continues to screw up health care (ie: requiring healthy people to pay thousands of dollars for a policy that will only pay off if they blow through their multi-thousand dollar deductible), then more people may take the penalty and possibly go more toward concierge care. However more likely they will just wait until they are "sick" to sign up for the government mandated healthcare systems since there is no penalty for pre-existing conditions.

I dunno....I just don't see this working as it stands now.