Doctor Housecalls Provide Home Medical Care

Doctor house calls are making a
comeback!  Once again there are physicians
who will come to your home.

An old idea in home medical care is becoming popular again in communities that service a large number of elderly patients.  Like most Baby Boomers, I have no problem hopping in my car and driving 15 miles to see my favorite doctor.  However, since moving into an over-55 community, I have learned that visiting a doctor is a much more complicated process for many of my neighbors.

Although there is a network of volunteers in our town who will drive patients to their doctors' offices, and patients can sometimes take a taxi, these options are still challenging for people who are handicapped, seriously ill or, for other reasons, have trouble getting out of the house.  With the return of physicians who will make house calls, leaving home to obtain medical care may no longer be necessary for people who are home bound.

Doctor House Calls can provide Home Health Services

There are now several medical practices in our area that offer at home care as an option for their patients.  In perusing their ads, I was stunned by the wide range of home care services that were available:

blood work
echocardiograms
urinalysis
blood oxygen level test
doppler ultrasound
EKG's
pulmonary function tests
nerve conduction tests
X-Rays
joint injections
flu shots
wound care
ear wax removal

Types of Patients seen by Home Medical Care Physicians

The doctors who offer to provide these health services in your home treat a wide variety of medical conditions, including patients suffering from these conditions:

strokes
diabetes
asthma
hypertension
emphysema
pneumonia
flu
colds
heart problems
arthritis
abdominal & stomach problems

Obviously, this list does not cover all possible medical conditions.  There are still illnesses which will necessitate an office visit by some patients.  However, if you suffer from one of these common medical conditions, it can bring you real comfort and peace of mind to have the doctors come to you.

Cost of Doctor House Calls

You may be pleased to know that many medical insurance policies will cover the cost of medical house calls with the same co-pay as an office visit.  Since you also eliminate the cost of travel, you may find that receiving home care services actually saves you money.

Availability of Doctor Home Visits

According to a November 13, 2010 article in USA Today, there are currently about 4,000 doctors in the United States that make house calls, and the number is growing.  When I entered "doctor house calls" in the Google search box on my computer, I came up with a number of entries for physicians in my area who make house calls ... in addition to the ads I have seen in my local paper. 

If you have a medical condition that makes it hard for you to get out, you may want to check with your insurance company and see if they have a list of physicians who provide at home care that would be covered by your policy.  It is certainly worth a phone call to find out!  Even if you don't need a doctor who makes house calls at the moment, who knows when you or someone you know might need this service in the future?


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photo "The Doctor Luke Fildes crop" courtesy of wikimedia.com/commons