The rise of the healthpreneur: doctors, nurses and allied health going solo

A new breed of professionals, known as healthpreneurs, are redefining healthcare delivery for the post-COVID era. These are doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dietitians and others, blending clinical know‑how with savvy business skills to create independent practices, digital platforms and innovative solutions.

“We’re seeing more clinicians realise they don’t need to fit into the traditional model to make an impact,” says Ellie Bakker, CEO and Founder of Splice Marketing and Co-Founder of Veri Health and Telehealth Mastery.

“You can build a business that aligns with your purpose, lifestyle and clinical expertise—without losing sight of why you got into healthcare in the first place.”

Imagining a different path

Dr Sarah Lin was a GP in a busy suburban practice. Her days were back-to-back with ten-minute consults, chronic underfunding and an inbox full of administrative overload.

The pace? Relentless. The joy? Long gone.

Most days, Sarah ended up skipping lunch. Most evenings, she was catching up on admin.

Then came the pandemic. Like many, Sarah pivoted to telehealth. And that’s when something clicked. It was a terrible time in so many ways but telehealth’s flexibility worked for her and for her patients.

Now, 5 years later, Sarah runs a successful virtual perimenopause clinic, complete with a subscription model, a library of digital resources, and a growing waitlist.

As a healthpreneur, she works fewer hours, enjoys more independence and feels fulfilled.

Sarah isn’t real but her story is increasingly common. Countless healthcare professionals are escaping shift work or bureaucracy to redefine healthcare their way.

Just look at businesses like Macintyre Health, PharmOnline, Bedpost Sleep Collective or iXope.

What is a healthpreneur?

At its core, a healthpreneur is someone who fuses health expertise with entrepreneurial skill to launch businesses that deliver care in creative ways.

Think of them as the architects of modern, patient-centric healthcare. Healthpreneurs may offer:

• Online courses
• Virtual coaching
• Boutique clinics
• Digital health products
• Community memberships.

They see beyond prescriptions and pivot toward service design and sustainable income streams. They’re not stepping away from care. They’re reimagining how, when and where it happens.

Why is healthpreneurship booming?

There are 3 key reasons for the rise of healthpreneurship:

1. Rising patient demand: Modern patients want more than prescriptions. They want access, answers and prevention. Whether it’s gut health coaching, fertility nutrition, diabetes care or mental wellness programs, people are paying for holistic, high-touch services that fit their lives.

2. Technology advances: “Technology has completely levelled the playing field,” Bakker explains. “Today, a solo clinician can build a brand, automate workflows, run digital campaigns and deliver telehealth at scale – tools that once required a full marketing department or corporate budget are now accessible and affordable.”

3. Autonomy and impact: Tired of restrictive schedules and heavy bureaucracy, many healthcare professionals are seeking greater autonomy, flexibility and purpose.

“Patients are craving connection and credibility,” adds Bakker. “The healthpreneurs who win are those who combine authenticity with consistency – showing up online, building trust and demonstrating real expertise.”

Healthpreneurship across disciplines

Healthpreneurship finds expression across medicine, nursing and allied health:

• Doctors (both specialists and GPs) are launching virtual second opinions or niche practices focused on weight loss, sleep apnoea, stress management or longevity.
• Nursepreneurs – especially nurse practitioners with prescribing rights – are opening mobile wound care businesses, women’s health practices or mental health services.
• Physiotherapists, dietitians, and OTs are designing scalable online programs, partnering with wellness brands, and licensing IP in niche areas.

Keys to healthpreneur success

Entrepreneurship isn’t a walk in the park. Healthpreneurs must manage financial planning, marketing, legal compliance, and quality assurance, areas most health education leaves out.

“The biggest mistake I see clinicians make is thinking being great at what they do is enough,” says Bakker. “Clinical skill is the foundation—but systems, brand clarity and consistent marketing are what make it sustainable.”

Find your niche

You can’t serve everyone, but you can be someone’s hero.

“Pick a niche and own it,” advises Bakker. “When you know exactly who you serve and how you help them, everything becomes easier—your messaging, your content, your referrals. Trying to appeal to everyone dilutes your impact.”

Build a strong personal brand

You might excel in clinical work. But clients need to know you exist and believe in your expertise. This means crafting a clear value proposition, sharing your story, maintaining consistency across channels, and engaging your audience with valuable content. In short, it means strong branding to help your business stand out.

Collaborate

Healthpreneurs rarely work solo. Teaming up with other health professionals broadens the offering and brings more value to clients.

Macintyre Health, for example, was started by a credentialled diabetes educator who then qualified as a nurse practitioner. With a niche focus on using diabetes tech to improve outcomes and an emphasis on whole-person care, the business has now grown to include more diabetes educators, a dietitian, an endocrinologist and a practitioner with a background in rural and remote healthcare.

Embrace technology

Email funnels, booking systems, social media, health apps are vital tools that scale your reach, liberate your time and elevate client experience.

Use technology to streamline and simplify your business and to automate repetitive tasks so you can concentrate on more strategic input.

Productise your service

One-on-one appointments are hard to scale. Turn your expertise into a membership, course or resource hub to build recurring revenue.

Track your metrics

Forget vanity. Focus on cost per acquisition, conversion rate, show rate, and client lifetime value.

Stay compliant

Ensure you’re across AHPRA and TGA advertising codes, Australian privacy law, data handling, and scope-of-practice rules to protect your patients and your business.

Common pitfalls to avoid

It takes grit to turn clinical skills into business systems that deliver long-term sustainability.

“Scaling too fast is a trap,” warns Bakker. “Get one process right—your onboarding, your client experience, your retention—and refine it before you chase growth. The goal isn’t just a bigger business; it’s a better one.”

“And don’t forget yourself in the process,” she adds. “Many healthpreneurs leave employment to find balance, only to recreate burnout. Build your business around your life—not the other way around.”

What’s next?

Healthcare entrepreneurship is maturing fast, spanning innovation, leadership, digital transformation, empowerment and social impact.

“Healthpreneurship isn’t a trend—it’s a structural shift,” Bakker concludes. “As clinicians gain confidence in business, marketing and technology, we’ll see an explosion of innovation led by people who genuinely understand patients. That’s where the future of healthcare is being built.”

Healthpreneurship is not just a fad – it’s a movement. It’s doctors, nurses and allied health professionals choosing creative freedom, direct impact and business ownership. With the right mix of niche clarity, tech tools, collaboration, and entrepreneurial mindset, you really can transform healthcare.

About Ellie Bakker

Ellie Bakker is the CEO and Founder of Splice Marketing, Co-Founder of Veri Health and Telehealth Mastery, and one of Australia’s leading voices in healthcare marketing and entrepreneurship. With more than 15 years’ experience helping clinicians build scalable, purpose-driven businesses, Ellie has guided hundreds of healthcare professionals from “on-the-tools” roles to successful founders and thought leaders. She is an award-winning entrepreneur and regular industry speaker on the future of healthcare marketing, digital transformation and sustainable business growth.