17 Mar What Can An Urgent Care House Call Treat?

House call healthcare has come back into fashion in recent years, especially in response to the pandemic. But what if you need urgent care? What can a house call doctor treat? How do you know whether you need urgent care or emergency services? Keep reading to learn more!

Urgent care vs. emergency care – how to know which you need

It can feel like a challenge to know whether you should seek help from an urgent care provider or go to an emergency room. Most people are aware that you shouldn’t go to an emergency room for minor issues like a headache or low fever, but what about issues like ankle sprains or respiratory infections?

Urgent care house calls are appropriate for common issues that do not require in-depth evaluation. If you have chronic health conditions, you should speak with your doctor to determine if there are any symptoms or situations that require an emergency room visit that would otherwise be directed to urgent care. Symptoms that indicate a major medical emergency should be treated in the emergency room.

Signs that you should go to the emergency room include:

• Chest pain (may be a sign of heart attack)
• Vomiting or coughing blood and/or severe abdominal pain
• Fever over 102.5 degrees
• Severe trouble breathing
• Seizures
• Allergic reactions
• Sudden change in mental status, weakness, difficulty thinking and speaking (potential stroke symptoms)
• Pregnancy complications
• Bleeding that does not stop after 10 minutes
• Deep wounds and compound fractures (where bone has pierced through skin)
• Major head injuries
• Overdoses
• Physical abuse, including sexual assault
• Suicidal behavior

It’s important that you visit an emergency room instead of waiting for an urgent care house call if you have any of these symptoms. An urgent care house call doctor may not have the equipment or training necessary to help you. Additionally, delaying emergency care may significantly impact recovery time, and cause more long-term damage.

What ailments can be treated with an urgent care house call?

House call doctors have resources to treat more than you might think. This is in part due to the fact that most house call doctors have concierge practices, meaning they accept payment directly from patients instead of working with insurance companies. Concierge practices tend to be more patient-focused because they avoid the administrative burdens of complying with insurance company requirements and filing countless claims.

Examples of conditions that can be treated with an urgent care house call include:

• Influenza, bronchitis, and pneumonia
• Sinus, ear, and respiratory infections
• Stomach flu and food poisoning
• Rash, allergies, and asthma
• Anxiety, depression, and insomnia
• UTIs and STDs

Urgent care house call providers also have access to more diagnostic tools than most people realize. House call doctors use portable equipment that allows them to process certain test results and obtain scans that can help determine the source of a patient’s symptoms. Examples of tests or screenings an urgent care house call doctor may use include:

• Covid-19, Rapid Strep, and Flu tests
• Lab tests to determine allergies, food sensitivities, hormone imbalances, and more
• Mobile imaging scans including x-rays, ultrasounds, EKGs, or ECGs

What are the advantages of urgent care house calls over clinics?

Concierge urgent care house call providers generally have more availability over clinics that accept insurance, which may mean shorter wait times than at a clinic. Urgent care house calls are also an ideal option for households with multiple people in need of care; for example, if the whole family has influenza. Clinics may not have enough openings to accommodate an entire family on the same day. These benefits are in addition to the obvious convenience of not having to leave home when you are not feeling well.

For those at high risk of hospitalization from Covid-19, the possibility of getting infected while seeking treatment for another medical issue is scary. An urgent care house call greatly reduces the likelihood of exposure to Covid-19 and its variants you would otherwise encounter in the reception area of a clinic.