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3 reasons house calls may be the future of medicine

Thursday June 15, 2017,

3 min Read

During the 1950’s and 60’s, it was not uncommon to find house call doctors with their big black bags visiting patients in their homes. These home visits allowed physicians to fully understand their patients' situations in environments that were familiar and comforting to their clients. As time progressed, rapid advancements in medical technology made it impossible for doctors to carry around bulky diagnostic equipment, thereby giving way to walk-in appointments. But here’s why we think house calls may be the future of medicine.

Don’t Take Our Word. Look At The Statistics.

House call visits in America increased from 1.4 million visits in 1999 to 2.3 million in 2009. A recent study by the Grand View Research company found that the home healthcare market in 2014 was worth $756.8 million and is expected to grow 10.9 percent by 2022. This is probably because of the huge graying population - many of whom are not able to easily get to a doctor's office because of declining health. The Affordable Care Act also encourages patients to seek treatment within the comfort of their homes through initiatives like the Patient Centered Medical Home pilot projects and the Accountable Care Organizations (ACO).

Home Visits Are Convenient And Easy On The Pocket

House calls are especially popular among the elderly who can call book appointments at their own convenience. They can avoid depending on others for transportation to routine office visits. Regular visits from geriatricians can also help these patients prolong the years they spend at home, rather than in nursing home facilities. The physician can coordinate between the patient’s care primary providers, family and other health practitioners. And since the visit is a scheduled appointment, there is no extra fee for an out of office hours consultation.Home visits are also patient-centric. Unlike a walk-in appointment, doctors spend 45 minutes to an hour for individual visits. The doctor is not under pressure to rush through the appointment.

House Call Doctors Help Prevent The Weak From Contracting Infectious Diseases

If you’re recuperating from an operation or have a weak immune system, doctors on house calls can help stop you from contracting an infection. The hospital atmosphere sometimes triggers allergic reactions in people with weak immune systems and put them at a risk of infection. It's nice to know you can receive the same care at home as you would in a clinic. The proverbial doctor’s black bag today includes a lot more than prescription medicines and first aid kits. Medical advancement has added a portable EKG kit, IV medications and more to a house call doctor's equipment. Physicians can now cloud connect with labs for the latest diagnostics and print reports quickly.