Advantages of In-Home Doctor Visits

Years ago, finding a doctor who made house calls wasn’t a big deal. In fact, house calls made up 40 percent of doctors’ visits in the 1940s! Fast forward to today and while visiting physicians are far less common, thankfully, they’re not impossible to find.

VNA Health Group’s Visiting Physician Services is one of the most experienced house call practices in New Jersey and has been around for over 25 years. We visit patients in their homes every day, focusing on older adults and those who are homebound. After working in this industry for many years, we’ve found that some benefits are exclusive to in-home visits. Below are some of the most significant.

Better Care – YOU are the Only Patient

When a patient is ill or homebound, they need the highest quality of care. Having the doctor see you in your home means you have undivided attention and you’re not one of many patients in a busy office. Your waiting room is your living room so there is no stressing over long wait times.

Seeing patients in their home offers insight into key social and environmental factors that may be missed in an office setting.  It allows the physician to see the bigger picture, resulting in a greater scope of care.  Plus you’ll be more relaxed, leading to more complete assessments and engaging conversations with your doctor.

Safer Option

Another benefit to seeking visiting physician services is that it’s a safer way of delivering care, especially in light of the pandemic this past year. You can avoid picking up unnecessary germs or viruses which is so important for the older, frail patient. Those who are immunocompromised run the greatest risk of ending up sick after a doctor’s visit.

House calls also help reduce trips to the emergency room and hospital admissions.  You receive regular visits which are mostly monthly so the physician stays on top of your care avoiding trips to the hospital whenever possible. All Visiting Physician clinicians are pre-screened daily, wear personal protective equipment and follow all safety guidelines.

Convenient – No Need for Transportation

Many homebound patients have trouble finding reliable transportation. Some have to rely on family members taking off work to drive them or arrange for transportation with medical transport companies which could be costly. This can be a hassle and also increases the risk for injuries.

With in-home physician services, transportation is not an issue. The doctor comes directly to your home and spends quality time with you. You can even make sure that other family members are there for your appointment.

More Quality Time

House calls allow you and your family to have more quality time together and to feel at ease knowing that quality medical care is just a phone call away. These visits are covered by traditional Medicare, Horizon and Amerigroup which is a huge benefit.  In addition, in-home tests can be arranged such as X-Rays, EKGs, bloodwork, ultrasounds, etc. which saves you the time of having to travel to imaging centers or other offices to have tests performed.

The old fashioned house call has returned and is thriving! VNA Health Group’s Visiting Physician Services team is ready to deliver safe and personalized medical care in the comfort of your home.  Contact us today to learn more about our house call services for your loved one.