Two New York City public, nonprofit hospitals allow artists without health insurance (is there another kind of artist?), to barter their talent for medical care. The Artist Access Program is a brilliant, clever idea, and it could go further.

In the midst of our recession and high unemployment, all kinds of professionals are without insurance, while public hospitals are suffering short budgets and hiring freezes from cash-strapped states. Let’s expand the smart thinking at Bellevue and Woodhull hospitals to other professionals: attorneys; accountants; investment managers; social workers; the manual trades; nursing; technicians; human resources; and others.

Of course, there are hurdles, but with an attitude of “How can we do this?” rather than, “Here’s why we can’t,” there are considerable opportunities for hospitals with hiring freezes and Americans without health insurance.

I’d love to hear from hospital folks: how could your facility get this done?