On the Revival of Individual House Call Doctors

Re-Thinking a Popular Practice from the Past

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, MEd, CMP™

[Publisher-in-Chief]

More personal than a corporate home care medical business model, most people view house calls as a popular practice from the past.

Although less than 5% of the nation’s doctors regularly make house calls today, the medical house call industry is swiftly picking up momentum once again. It is a move that is greatly benefiting physicians and patients alike.

Why House Calls?

It’s because we live in a society that has become technology focused. While this emergence has benefited many in terms of medical advancements, there are a growing number of patients who are uncomfortable with next-generation medical practices. These people, particularly the rapidly aging elders of the nation, want to be cared for in a friendly, nurturing, and convenient way. As people age and fall ill, it becomes increasingly difficult to leave the home for office visits. Not to mention, there are many handicapped patients as well who have to arrange for wheelchair vans or ambulances just to visit the doctor. The COVID pandemic and tele-health are illustrative.

Meeting a Niche Market Need

Thanks to the desire of physicians seeking to open their own medical house call practices, these patient needs are slowly being met. Some of these physicians are strictly open for house call visits only and have no physical office. They commonly take appointment requests via phone calls and emails with the overall goal to combine the service of an old-time, small town doctor with the latest technology designed to meet people’s emotional, and financial, needs. Patients are also able to save a considerable amount of time by not having to leave the house to go to the doctor’s office, and not having to fill prescriptions. After all, many medical house call physicians travel along with certain medications that can be dispensed on location. Narcotics, however, will likely still need to be filled with a paper or e-prescription.

While highly convenient for patients who wish to receive medical house call services, the reviving industry is fitting for physicians. In recent years, Medicare has increased its level or reimbursements for physicians who travel to patients. Just in the past few years alone, Medicare has been billed approximately $1.75 million annually for house calls. 

Enter the DNPs and NPs

Even nurse practitioners [NPs] and Doctors of Nursing Practice [DNPs] who make a small number of house calls are typically unaware that they can maximize profit potential with medical house calls. Some NPs have even offset operating expenses by offering house calls to make their office based practice more appealing to their patients.

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Technology Enabled

Also, significant advances in technology have enabled popular medical equipment to be smaller and portable. Physicians are able to perform standard procedures, such as skin biopsies and blood draws while outside the office. They are also able to easily access patient medical records through usage of a laptop, as well as resources such as the Physicians’ Desk Reference [PDS] through usage of a hand-held personal digital assistant or smart cell phone.

Assessment

For example, this firm educates patients and supports physicians who are ready to make a transition from office-based positions to medical house call practices. There are no royalty or membership fees, and this is not a franchise. It helps transition to a reportedly more pleasing, profitable way to practice medicine today.

LINK: https://www.resurgia.com

Conclusion

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About Carena In-Home Medical Care

In-Home Medical Care Services for the Modern Era

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™

[Publisher-in-Chief]Dr. David E. Marcinko MBA

We have written about the high cost, questionable quality and scheduling burden of emergency room visits on the Medical Executive-Post before. And, for some non-emergency or after-hours needs, the ER may possibly be one of the worst places to deliver medical care.   

Enter Carena, Inc

Seattle-based Carena Inc. was founded in 2000 on the principle that expanding access to medical care improves outcomes and reduces costs. By providing around-the-clock medical care and education at a patient-identified time of need, Carena patients, clients and health plans are reported to experience lower costs while patients receive the right care – at the right time [www.CarenaMD.com].

A New [Old] Business Model

Carena is not an emergency room, not an urgent care center and not someplace patients go. This medical group delivers 24/7 house-calls both to render care and provide education for urgent medical needs.

House calls last as long as needed—often an hour—to make sure patients have the care and education needed to take control of their health.

The Carena model also offers medical care at the workplace enabling corporate clients to offer on-site care without the cost and space requirements of a typical employer-sponsored health clinic.

Home Visits in the Modern Era

Carena medical group physicians treat a wide range of urgent concerns. They carry an updated version of the traditional “doctor bag” filled with state-of-the art and portable instruments. For example, physicians have the equipment to suture minor cuts, deliver nebulizer treatments for asthma, or obtain lab samples. They run in-home rapid diagnostic tests for influenza, strep throat, and other medical issues. If X-rays or tests are needed, physicians coordinate scheduling and share results with patient PCPs. Electronic medical records are used throughout.

Always Open 24/7

Carena is always open. No waiting in the ER while doctors treat true emergencies. No wondering if other waiting patients are contagious.  

Reduced Financial Shock.

Carena house calls are reported to costs about 30-35 percent less than a typical emergency room visit of about $1,500.

Another New Term

With apologies to my esteemed colleague Robert M. Wachter MD, the hospitalist guru at UCFS, Carena doctors are often called “housepitlists.”  

Assessment

Carena is a medical company that provides a new model of health care delivery for innovative, self-insured companies. Internist Frances Gough MD is the Vice President of Product Development at Carena, Ted Conklin MD is the founder and Ralph C. Derrickson is President and CEO. Corporate clients for both Carena business models are Costco and the Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, WA.

Disclaimer

I own shares of MSFT common stock and am a professional member of MS-HUG.

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Conclusion

And so, your thoughts and comments on this Medical Executive-Post are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, be sure to subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

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Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com 

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