For a long time, health care providers believed that providing house calls to patients was both too costly and too time consuming. But now that people are living longer – and living alone longer, too – house calls are being revisited as a way to help people live both independently and healthfully. In an article by Andrew Van Dam on the Association of Health Care Journalists website, the author explored the current trend toward house calls. He offered that many times, patients who do not receive house calls from their physicians often are forced to make the decision not to see the doctor at all, because they can’t make it to the doctor’s office.
In response to this, patients then require more frequent trips to the emergency room or actual hospitalization, and that is far more costly than for a patient to receive a house call. With home care growing in popularity among the country’s aging population as a result of the aging-in-place movement, some home care companies are now offering patients the choice of seeing a doctor right in their own home. People who are medically fragile, frequently visit the emergency room and have chronic conditions are those who benefit from doctor house calls the most, as their conditions are more easily managed by bringing physicians, social workers and other health care providers directly into their homes.
At Providence Care, we want to make sure every person has access to the health care they need to live their best life. When people feel stressed about how they’re going to make it to a doctor’s appointment, it’s just one more concern that can have an ill effect on their health. That’s why we provide our patients with the option of visiting a physician right in their own homes, with our House Calls program. This special program provides patients with medical house calls, bringing physicians and nurse practitioners right to their door. Our primary care team is specially trained and board-certified in geriatric and internal medicine.
The benefit of choosing physician house calls is that you can expect to receive the same care you would in your doctor’s office, all within the comfort, familiarity, privacy and safety of home. You’ll never have the worry of transportation problems or uncomfortable waiting rooms again. And, when you participate in Providence Care’s House Calls program, we’ll coordinate all of your medical care for you, making sure that all of your medications, physicals and immunizations are current. As a result, you’ll experience fewer trips to the emergency room and hospital, and a more comfortable way of life so that you can enjoy more, in spite of your medical condition.
At Providence Care, we don’t stop with providing you compassionate care at home from our physicians and nurse practitioners. We are able to provide x-rays, lab work and blood draws right in your own home. We will visit you based on your own individual needs, and never rush – our staff focuses on your care, not the clock. If you’re unsure as to whether house calls can help you, you should know that most of our patients include those who are:
- Frail, elderly and debilitated
- Homebound due to mobility issues
- Unable to easily visit their doctor’s office
- Suffering from a medically complex or chronic illness
When you choose the House Calls program, Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance will pay for your visit. You will never be turned away for an inability to pay. To become a House Calls patient, call Providence Care at 844.628.CARE (2273). We will schedule an assessment within 24 hours.