17 Mar What Can A Primary Care Physician Offer During A Home Visit?

House call healthcare has been re-emerging in the past few years, surging in popularity as a result of the pandemic. But what services can a primary care physician offer during a home visit? Is at-home healthcare right for you? Keep reading for the information you need!

What is a primary care physician?

Primary care physicians practice general medicine and typically serve as patients’ first point of contact to address health concerns. There are two common types of doctors who offer primary care:

• Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) mostly accept payment from insurance companies. While this presents a financial advantage, it also means traditional PCPs are generally busier and have less availability and time to dedicate to individual patients. These limitations mean it may be difficult to find a PCP offering at-home treatment.
• Direct Primary Care physicians (DPCs) accept payment directly, choosing to focus their energy on patient care. Because they do not have the administrative burdens presented by filing claims and meeting insurance company requirements, they tend to have more availability and longer appointment times.

What kinds of services can primary care physicians provide?

Primary care home visit physicians can help address both routine healthcare as well as health issues as they come up.

Primary care services

Primary care home visit services include the same types of service you could expect in a doctor’s office.

• Annual physicals
• Preventative testing
• Blood tests and lab work

Urgent care services

Primary care home visit providers can also administer various types of urgent care treatment, including:

• Illnesses such as influenza, bronchitis, and pneumonia
• Sinus and ear infections
• Stomach flu or food poisoning
• Allergies or rashes
• Anxiety, depression, or insomnia
• UTIs and STDs
• Covid-19 testing and treatment

Other services

Concierge providers often are able to offer services a PCP may not have the resources to offer due to having more patients and having higher administrative burdens. These services can be additional general wellness services or can take the form of a particular specialty. Examples of other services primary home visit providers may offer include:

• Mobile Imaging like x-rays, ultrasounds, ECGs, and EKGs
• Addiction medicine
• Cosmetic treatments
• IV therapy

What are the advantages of primary care home visits?

There are a number of benefits to primary care home visits, which include:

• Healthcare on your schedule: Anyone with a packed schedule can benefit from primary care home visits. Providers often can administer treatment in other spaces, such as the office, meaning you can get the healthcare you need while ensuring you use your time as efficiently as possible.
• Better relationships between doctor and patient: Better appointment availability, longer appointment times, and telehealth support between appointments means a stronger relationship between doctor and patient. This enhanced trust can mean catching health concerns earlier, leading to better patient outcomes.
• Getting multiple people treated at once: If you have a busy family, scheduling multiple appointments can feel overwhelming: especially if the entire household is sick. Primary care home visit providers often treat multiple people in the same visit, making getting the treatment everyone needs a little less hectic.
• Get the treatment you need without leaving the house: If you are experiencing symptoms that make leaving the house uncomfortable or difficult, getting treatment at home can save you a lot of stress and discomfort. This is especially beneficial for those with travel obstacles, mobility challenges, or those who need urgent care treatment.
• Avoid unnecessary exposure to Covid-19: Reducing the opportunities for infection is essential for those who are at high risk of hospitalization from Covid-19. By avoiding the inevitable wait in reception to be seen by the doctor, the likelihood of being exposed to Covid-19 or its variants in the process of seeking healthcare treatment is greatly lessened.