In-home Health Care Services Increasing

Main Category: Primary Care / General Practice
Also Included In: Caregivers / Homecare
Article Date: 26 Sep 2007 - 5:00 PDT

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A "new kind of medical practice is flourishing nationwide that offers to go to where the patients are -- whether a home, an office or a hotel -- to treat ailments as diverse as a sprained ankle or a bad case of bronchitis," the New York Times reports. Fees for home physician appointments can range from $250 to $450, as well as additional costs for tests and medications, with payment due at the time of appointments. In most cases, patients must pay the fees out of pocket, although some PPOs might reimburse members for between 70% and 100% of the cost.

Walter Krause -- founder of Inn-House Doctor, a company with 40 physicians on call in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C., that provide home appointments -- said, "When you call, you can speak to a doctor in five minutes, and that doctor can be there with you within the hour. Where else do you get that kind of delivery?" According to the Times, the practice has increased in recent years as the "demand for primary care physicians outweighs the supply in many cities," hospital emergency departments "are becoming overloaded with nonemergency cases" and reimbursements for physicians have decreased.

Rick Kellerman, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians, said, "We have that perfect storm. The current system doesn't work well for patients or physicians," adding, "More doctors are coming up with new home business practice models. They're exasperated with paperwork and insurance regulation" (Alsever, New York Times, 9/23).

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