Traveling healthcare providers face unique challenges with every assignment: securing safe and comfortable housing, navigating new cities, accessing professional resources, and finding ways to stay connected and grounded. Fortunately, the right tools can help you manage these aspects with confidence and efficiency. Here’s a detailed guide to the most useful apps for travel healthcare professionals, organized by category and including practical insights into how each one can support your journey.
Housing & Relocation
Furnished Finder
Furnished Finder is a housing platform specifically tailored for traveling healthcare professionals. Unlike Airbnb, it focuses on medium- to long-term stays (30+ days), making it ideal for the typical 13-week assignment. Listings are typically fully furnished, include utilities, and are located near major healthcare facilities. Landlords on the platform are familiar with the needs of travel professionals, including flexible lease terms and verification of licensure. It’s one of the most reliable ways to find affordable, vetted housing with minimal risk.
Airbnb / Vrbo
While originally designed for vacation rentals, Airbnb and Vrbo are useful for healthcare professionals seeking housing during contract transitions, short-term assignments, or personal travel. Some hosts offer discounts for monthly stays. This is what we generally use when we travel, but obviously compare it to other hotel options. When prices are similar, I recommend using Vrbo over Airbnb. We’ve had some interesting Airbnb hosts or experiences that you won’t have on Vrbo because you will have the place to yourself.
Safety & Neighborhood Research
Before applying to any contracts, we thoroughly vet the safety and livability of potential areas using the following apps. It can help you identify what neighborhoods to try to live in and what areas to avoid. Understanding neighborhood dynamics ahead of time helps ease any stress or anxiety about moving in a new area.
NeighborhoodScout
This app and website provide in-depth data about neighborhoods across the U.S., including crime rates, housing market trends, school quality, and demographic profiles. It’s a valuable tool when evaluating potential housing locations in unfamiliar areas. The crime data is particularly useful for solo travelers and those arriving in urban environments. NeighborhoodScout helps you avoid high-risk areas and make informed decisions about where to live.
CrimeMapping / SpotCrime
Both apps aggregate real-time crime data from police reports and local news sources. With interactive maps and customizable alerts, you can track incidents near your potential housing or workplace. SpotCrime emphasizes user-submitted data and has broad coverage, while CrimeMapping partners directly with law enforcement agencies, providing verified and detailed reports. These tools add an extra layer of situational awareness, particularly helpful if you’re working night shifts or driving through less familiar neighborhoods.
CityProtect
CityProtect is another good option for vetting the area. It collaborates with police departments to provide up-to-date crime incident reports. The interface allows filtering by crime type and date range, helping you look at recent crime info. CityProtect also includes options for community engagement and public safety resources.
Navigation & Local Logistics
MyWay Route Planner App
Ideal for home health professionals, this app helps you plan efficient routes to multiple patient homes while tracking mileage for reimbursement. It supports route optimization, integrates with calendar tools, and allows you to save contacts for reuse. It saves time, reduces fuel costs, and improves day-to-day efficiency on the road. For clinicians managing caseloads across rural or urban settings, it is a great tool.
SpotHero
For those on assignments in major metropolitan areas, parking can be a major challenge. SpotHero enables you to search for and reserve parking spaces in advance, often at a discounted rate compared to on-site options. It covers parking garages, lots, and sometimes even private driveways. This is particularly useful when you’re traveling to new cities and are unsure where to find cheap or free parking. It could also be used if you’re commuting to a hospital or clinic where parking is limited or expensive.
Clinical Support & Education (PT & OT)
Visible Body: Human Anatomy Atlas
A professional-grade 3D anatomy visualization tool, Visible Body is excellent for both patient education and clinical reference. It offers interactive models of all body systems, videos and includes common pathologies, making it useful for explaining complex diagnoses in a visually engaging way. I use it with a ton of my patients, they love visuals. It can be a study tool for continuing education classes, but I primarily use it for patient education.
Muscle Trigger Points
This app is a great reference guide for patients with interesting pain referral patterns. It provides detailed maps of myofascial trigger points and their referral patterns, helping to diagnose and treat your complex pain presentations. This tool can also be used to help guide dry needling by identifying the common points for trigger points. Although there’s varying evidence on whether to do general dry needling vs trigger point dry needling.
Wellness & Recreation
AllTrails
AllTrails offers detailed maps and user reviews of hiking, walking, and biking trails throughout the U.S. and beyond. It’s an excellent tool for discovering outdoor recreation options near your temporary home, whether you’re looking for a quick after-work walk or a weekend adventure. Filters help you search by distance, elevation, difficulty, and features like waterfalls or dog-friendliness. It’s a great way to maintain physical and mental health during your assignment.
Merlin Bird ID
For those who enjoy nature, Merlin Bird ID helps identify birds by photo or sound. Birds are a big part of your environment and it adds a layer of appreciation for your surroundings. There’s a collection log so you can see which birds you’ve encountered and try to catch them all. I don’t play Pokémon Go but this is the real-life equivalent.
Community & Networking
MedVenture
Built specifically for travel healthcare professionals, MedVenture connects you with others on assignment in your area. Features include forums, meetups, reviews of hospitals and housing, and a profile system to help you find social connections and professional support. It’s one of the best tools for combatting loneliness and building a support network while on the road.
Nextdoor
Nextdoor is a hyperlocal social platform that connects you with residents in your current neighborhood. It’s useful for staying informed about local news, safety alerts, events, and recommendations for services like auto repair or pet care. It adds a sense of community, even if you’re only in town temporarily.
Conclusion
Travel healthcare assignments can be demanding, but the right apps make the experience smoother, safer, and more fulfilling. Whether you need housing, clinical tools, recreation, or community, the resources above provide comprehensive support throughout your journey. Consider exploring and customizing this toolkit to match your specialty and assignment needs.
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