What Can a Primary Care Doctor Do for You at a Home Visit?
Have you ever wondered if you could receive healthcare without having to leave your own home? It is possible with home visits from your primary care doctor. They provide the convenience of medical care without having to travel to a doctor’s office or hospital. Not only do home visits give you the flexibility to receive care in the comfort and privacy of your own home, but they can also save time, money, and energy.
During home visits, your primary care doctor is available 24/7 and can spend time taking care of you and your family without the distraction of insurance paperwork. Primary doctors are also able to provide more comprehensive and personalized care for their patients, including diagnosis and treatment for both acute and chronic illnesses. They can also coordinate care with other specialists, home health agencies, and social services. We will provide you below with information about primary care home visits, the services available, and how Community Healthcare Partners can help.
What is a Primary Care Home Visit?
A primary care home visit is when a primary care doctor visits their patients at their home to perform a physical examination, diagnosis, provision of healthcare education, and treatment. Home visits are typically scheduled in advance; however, some doctors or medical professionals are available 24/7 to do a “walk-in” appointment for any urgent care needs that arise.
Primary care home visits are provided by primary care physicians (PCPs). Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) practice general healthcare and serve as the first point of contact during health concerns, such as preventive care, treatments, or detection of an illness or condition. PCPs are also able to provide referrals to a specialist when needed. However, PCPs accept payments from health insurance companies, which can provide some limitations when providing at-home treatment, including spending less time with a patient.
At Community Healthcare Partners, we provide primary care for individuals to receive at-home visits, so it reduces waiting times, ensures patient safety, and saves money while receiving personalized care. Contact us today for more information.
Benefits of Receiving Primary Care at Home
There is a myriad of benefits when receiving primary care at home from a PCP, including the following:
- Convenience: Since home visits are scheduled and done during normal business hours, patients do not need to rearrange their schedules to visit the doctor's office.
- Save time: Receiving a doctor's home visit means that patients do not have to travel to and from a medical office, which can be time-consuming.
- Save energy: Traveling to and from a medical visit takes a lot of effort and energy, particularly for the elderly or those who have disabilities and their families.
- Privacy: Some patients prefer to keep their health conditions private from others, and a hospital or doctor’s office visit won’t provide privacy against other attending patients.
- Intimacy: For those with a newborn at home or caring for an elderly person, home visits allow patients to be treated in a familiar environment and with people they trust.
What Services Can Primary Care Physicians Provide?
Primary care physicians provide a range of services, including routine healthcare and addressing health issues or concerns when they arise. Common routine services include annual physicals, preventative testing, and blood tests. For urgent healthcare situations or treatments, services include treating an illness, such as flu or pneumonia, sinus or ear infections, allergies, digestion issues, anxiety or depression, and COVID-19 testing.
At Community Healthcare Partners, we have a team of medical professionals providing a range of services, including the following:
- Physical exams: We perform annual (or more if needed) visits to ensure the health of our patients is up-to-date by checking blood pressure, weight, and vision. We also work with our patients to detect a potential disease, update clinical data, review vaccinations, and review medications.
- Preventative care: Involves screenings to catch a potential disease, such as blood pressure, breast cancer mammograms, diet counseling, type 2 diabetes, and more. Preventative care allows primary care providers to catch a disease or illness in the early stages for easier and less costly treatments.
- Chronic disease management: Chronic diseases require ongoing care and support, as these tend to be long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or arthritis. Our team provides regular visits, provides support to our patients, and completes referrals when needed.
- Prescriptions: A detailed list of prescriptions for all medicines, vitamins, supplements, and so on is vital information for primary care physicians to have during an at-home visit and an emergency. We provide our patients with the literature they need so they can learn about dosing information and any side effects.
- Care coordination: This helps meet the patient’s needs and preferences, so medical professionals and PCPs can use it as a guide to provide an effective at-home visit.
- Patient education: We have a range of resources to help educate our patients on a myriad of conditions and processes, including pneumonia, diabetes, pain management, and assisted living along with some programs, including behavioral health and speech therapy, to name a few.
If you wish to take advantage of the services provided during at-home visits, contact Community Healthcare Partners for more information.
Let Community Healthcare Partners Help
Primary care home visits are becoming increasingly popular in the last few years, as they allow patients to receive care in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Primary care visits can be scheduled during normal business hours, take less time than going to a doctor’s medical office, and often result in fewer expenses than going to an emergency room.
At Community Healthcare Partners, we have a dedicated and caring staff with a mission of providing the highest quality health care to our patients in Lincoln, Omaha, Fremont, and surrounding areas. We have a team of nurse practitioners and physician assistants who are able to provide comprehensive care in the comfort of your homes.
We assist patients in navigating the healthcare system by providing referrals to specialists, coordinating with hospital care, and completing follow-up treatments. Patients and their families or caregivers will benefit by knowing that quality healthcare is available right away. To receive more information, you can contact us by completing our online form or giving us a call today at (402) 858-4044 for the Lincoln location and (531) 213-4125 for Omaha and Fremont.