Apollo, a healthcare technology startup that matches healthcare professionals with medical facilities seeking immediate shift coverage, recently announced that all usage fees for its staffing platform have been waived for the next four weeks as the company pivots to focus on supporting healthcare professionals and facilities on the frontline of the coronavirus outbreak. To date, Apollo has more than 90 physicians enrolled with several major health systems, and since the onset of the pandemic, platform users—both providers and facilities—have quadrupled.
Founded in 2019 by medical students at the University of Iowa, Apollo’s online platform was established to address the hiring crisis in medicine by increasing provider transferability and staffing speed. Using the platform, hospitals post jobs for professionals seeking positions, who then create profiles to be matched algorithmically with facilities most in need.
“Having grown up as the child of a physician that primarily served rural hospitals, I have witnessed firsthand the impact that provider shortages can have on patient care,” said Dr. Jon Lensing, co-founder and CEO of Apollo. “In rural areas, when a hospital closes, patient death rate rises roughly 5.9%. This is what we aim to change in founding Apollo and shifting to provide our platform for free for four weeks as we pivot to combat the spread of COVID-19.”
Apollo is waiving all fees to aid healthcare facilities seeking increased care for patients due to COVID-19 in order to:
- Address the significant need for medical professionals across various specialties—including physicians, nurses and medical assistants
- Provide a centralized location to host hiring needs of medical facilities and availability of healthcare providers
- Connect available providers/volunteers to facilities in direct need
- Help clinical teams save critical time and resources to maintain focus on serving patients
- Automate matches for quick and secure provider placements
“Designed by and for healthcare providers, the Apollo platform and team have proven to be highly adaptable and responsive, connecting providers and hospital systems and care facilities and enabling real-time responses to critical workforce needs,” said Michael Flesher, CEO at the Iowa Medical Society.
“Apollo’s platform enables healthcare facilities to proactively engage with available medical professionals in a streamlined manner,” said Dr. Charles Keller, former Chief Medical Officer of Mercy Medical Center. “It truly has the potential to transform the dynamics of how healthcare is provided.”
Without Apollo’s technology, hiring healthcare providers to fill staffing gaps often requires two to six months, with time-consuming paper applications and long lead times. During this time of crisis, healthcare facilities do not have time to navigate such a cumbersome process. Additionally, Apollo’s platform eliminates the need for third-party staffing agencies, providing users significant cost savings, which can be reallocated to patient care.
About Apollo
Apollo is a healthcare technology startup committed to improving community health through the accelerated delivery of patient services by matching physicians and residents with hospitals actively hiring for temporary provider coverage. Apollo facilitates permanent placements for those seeking full-time employment. The company headquarters is located in Iowa City, IA. For more information, visit www.apollohct.com.
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