House Calls Anytime
House Calls Are Back!
When you’re sick or injured, does anything sound so homey and comforting as a good old fashioned 24/7 house call? The term brings up images of Doc Baker trotting up in his horse and buggy to treat the Ingalls family on Little House on the Prairie reruns. Everyone knew that Doc Baker was available anytime day or night, no matter how bad the weather.
It’s nice to know that after vanishing for the past few decades, in-home medical care is making a welcome comeback. Doctor2me makes it simple to bring a physician to your door or to have a telehealth appointment. Offering all of the comfort of Doc Baker plus a whole lot more sophisticated medical technology, we make all sorts of healthcare services available at home.
How Did We Let Such a Good Thing Go?
For centuries, doctors didn’t think twice about taking their show on the road to visit patients. True, their leeches and blood letting tools are horrifying to our modern sensibilities, and maybe their entire medical education consisted of shadowing the local barber, but at least their patients didn’t have to leave the comfort (ish) of their own beds to receive medical care.
Up until the late 20th century, healthcare was not only more accessible it was more affordable. No sort of private health insurance was even offered until the 1920s. Folks who didn’t have hard cash paid what they could or traded medical services for something like chickens or garden produce. Physicians enjoyed a good meal and no overhead from maintaining a staff or office; patients got medical care at home, such as it was.
During the 1930s and 40s, 40% of American doctor appointments were house calls. Within forty years it had dropped to less than 1%. How did we ever let such a good thing slip away?
House calls disappeared when they did for several reasons. They spread doctors pretty thin-all that driving to and fro was inconvenient and costly time-wise. Late 20th century medical equipment was great, but it wasn’t especially mobile. As the cost of becoming a doctor, purchasing malpractice insurance, and providing quality treatment grew astronomically, physicians chose to opt out of the in-home medical business.
Reinventing the House Call
Doctor2me makes it possible to once again receive healthcare at home 24/7 with all the added benefits of 21st century medical technology. The internet, along with an array of devices like cell phones and tablets, allow patients to efficiently summon a house call or conduct a telehealth visit. With more and more medical equipment becoming smaller and easily transportable, services like home x-rays and EKGs that were once unimaginable can now be provided.
With Doctor2me, you can arrange for a same day in home visit or for a telehealth call within the hour. Services are covered by simple up front fees with no surprise bills and are reimbursable by most insurance companies.
Having access to in-home medical services provides peace of mind. If you fall ill in the wee hours of the morning, if you wonder whether the cut on your child’s leg requires medical attention, if you have an aging homebound parent with an acute illness, isn’t it a relief to know that help is on the way?