Austin, Texas-based Enzyme Health, a startup focused on staffing telehealth positions through a “gig economy” model, has landed $1.7 million in seed funding. The new money comes from Silverton Partners and private investors. 

What they do

The company, which was founded in 2018, employs machine learning to match doctors and nurse practitioners to jobs that fit their skillset and desired schedule.  Clinicians can chose to work part time or full time. The startup positions itself as an alternative to a traditional hospital position. 

“Traditional healthcare jobs require spending 50 to 80 hours per week in a hospital, which often means clinicians give up work-life balance and doing the things they enjoy,” Enzyme Health cofounder and CEO Michelle Davey said in a statement. “We started Enzyme Health after speaking with hundreds of doctors who wanted more career flexibility, but couldn’t find the time, resources or job opportunities to make that a reality.”

The Texan startup hires for some of the major telehealth players in the US including Doctor on Demand, MDLive, Hims, Hazel and Parsley Health. 

What it’s for

While the company has not been specific about what the new funds will be used for, in a statement released by the startup, said that in the future it will continue to build a team of digital health and recruitment specialists. 

Market snapshot

As telehealth grows in popularity, there is now a demand for practioners to staff these resources. In 2017 Nomad Health expanded its online freelance marketplace for healthcare professional staffing to include postings for telehealth positions alongside traditional healthcare roles. The listing which are from providers including American Well and First Stop Health, include listings in specific areas like teledermatology and telepsychiatry. 

On the record

“We want to become the backbone of the digital healthcare industry,” Michelle Davey, Enzyme Health cofounder, said in a statement. “Soon, every healthcare encounter will start with some form of telehealth, whether it’s a video consultation, an AI-driven symptom checker, or a smart wearable device. By connecting clinicians with these opportunities, it becomes possible to transform the way they work and to offer more work-life balance than they’ve ever had.”