When health problems arise, it may be necessary to call a doctor at home, especially if there is no opportunity (or time) to go to the hospital.
But when a house call is really necessary, it’s worth talking about in more detail. Especially since after medical reform the patient can call the primary care specialist (general practitioner, family doctor, or pediatrician) with whom he or she has signed a declaration, without going to the registration office of the medical facility, directly over the phone. As for the clients of private medical centers, they can also summon highly specialized doctors.
In what cases should I call a doctor at home?
Calling a family doctor at home is advisable under the following conditions:
- The patient wants to avoid contact with other people so as not to infect them or infect himself with something else due to a weakened immune system;
- The patient needs to be in bed rest;
- a personal examination is necessary, since a telephone consultation with a doctor (which may be the starting point of treatment) is not sufficient to get an accurate picture and understand the patient’s treatment tactics;
- there is no need for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures, which require complex medical equipment, and all necessary manipulations can be performed by the doctor with a minimal set of instruments, which he has with him.
These conditions are relevant for various diseases and disorders, so the doctor can be called at home and a child with acute respiratory infections and an adult when, say, a pain syndrome, shortness of breath, symptoms of intoxication, dizziness and the like.
At what temperature should a doctor be called at home?
One of the most pressing reasons to call a doctor at home is a fever. It is especially common to call a doctor if a child has a fever. This is justified if the high temperature is accompanied by poor health, signs of intense intoxication, and pain in the throat, head and muscles.
However, if the temperature is subfebrile (that is, more than 37.2 and less than 38), and the patient’s condition remains satisfactory and the child feels generally well, there is no urgent need to call a doctor. Temperatures up to 37.5 do not need to be knocked down, because with its help the body fights the disease.
What does the doctor do when making a house call?
During a house call, the doctor performs an initial examination aimed at clarifying the condition of the patient and making a diagnosis, if it is possible without additional tests. Such a doctor’s consultation at home will allow you to understand what to do next to treat the disease.
It is also possible to take tests at home, if it is physically difficult for the patient to go to the clinic. In addition, it is relevant in case of the likelihood of high contagiousness of the patient. So, in conditions of COVID-19 epidemic, taking a rapid test for coronavirus at home means protecting others from the possible spread of the disease.
After that, the doctor writes a prescription for the necessary medications and, if necessary, conducts possible procedures at home, for example:
- Getting an injection at home. This injection may be needed, for example, for pain relief, blood pressure normalization, and the like;
- Do dressings at home. This is especially relevant if the patient is physically unable or unwilling to do it themselves;
- place a catheter at home;
- To put a dropper at home.
If the doctor has established a set of necessary medical procedures, but the treatment takes place at home, and there is no desire or need to go to the hospital, for many of the procedures on the list above, you can use the service of calling a nurse at home.
How much does it cost to make a house call?
The price for a house call varies depending on the cost of the services the doctor or nurse will provide. During the call, you can check with the dispatcher about the approximate amount that will be needed to pay for the services provided.
When can a house call be refused?
A patient may need to be hospitalized if his condition worsens dramatically, and there is a need for urgent medical manipulation, which is only possible in a hospital. In such cases, the patient must be brought to a medical facility as quickly as possible, and a house call will be denied simply because it is not sufficient for effective care.
How is a house call different from an emergency?
Emergency care is the calling of medical professionals to a patient as soon as possible. The goal is to save a person who is in a critical condition or on the brink of it. Emergency care can change to hospitalization if necessary.
Doctor’s house call is not an urgent medical care, although a specialist from our medical center will arrive quickly enough. The purpose of such a call is to help the patient without the need for him to go to a medical facility.