Urgent care is not emergency medical care. It is provided for problems that require treatment in the near future, usually same-day. It is not appropriate for emergencies involving serious or life-threatening conditions. If you are unsure whether your problem is a true emergency, you should call 9-1-1 now, or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Why doesn’t Urgent Med Housecalls have an office or clinic?
We are dedicated to providing housecalls only, for the convenience and benefit of our patients. The doctors work from home. This allows us to maintain a low overhead, thus keeping urgent housecall services affordable for many.
What happens when I request service from Urgent Med Housecalls?
When Urgent Med Housecalls is called, a doctor will usually answer the telephone directly. This is the beginning of the personalized service that is provided by Urgent Med Housecalls. After questions are answered, and housecall service is determined to be appropriate, the doctor will come to you.
How long will it take for my doctor to arrive?
The doctor will usually arrive within one hour and may arrive within minutes in many cases — especially if the housecall is requested within the city of San Francisco. The doctor will advise you of the estimated time of arrival. For your convenience, you may request a preferred time to meet with your doctor. You will have direct telephone contact with your housecall provider available to you at all times before your doctor arrives.
What happens during the housecall?
After introductions, your doctor will perform a history and physical examination appropriate for the problem and will then recommend treatment options. After all questions are answered, instructions given, and paperwork completed, your doctor will depart. However, you will continue to have direct telephone access to your caregiver for any follow up questions or needs that may arise. In most situations, your housecall physician will offer to leave your medications with you so that you can avoid a trip to the pharmacy. Alternatively, written or telephoned prescriptions are always available.
Can you describe an actual house call service that you provided?
One recent patient had just arrived from her travels with a terrible case of gastroenteritis (stomach flu), with significant dehydration, and she was groaning in pain. Within minutes of my arrival she received rapid hydration with IV fluids, medications were given through the IV, and her pain and nausea were resolved. She was smiling, and was much more comfortable. I observed her for awhile, then left. During this visit, my procedures were kept sterile, furniture was protected from contamination, and I kept a nearby compact medical bag with extensive resuscitation gear to be used in the extremely unlikely event of serious medication reaction or other problem. Her room was left clean, as when I had arrived. I then left her with instructions, supplied her with appropriate medications, and left the hotel. She had my direct telephone number to call anytime, 24/7, if she experienced problems, or had further questions. She never left the comfort of her bed during treatment, except to go to the bathroom. She fell asleep immediately after I departed, she later told me. I called her the following morning to confirm that she was, in fact, well, and she reported being very satisfied with her care.
What lab tests are available during the house call?
Mobile laboratory testing is offered. Many tests are available during the housecall visit. An iStat is carried for portable instant bedside blood testing for glucose, electrolytes, kidney function, and blood count. Blood test results are usually available withing minutes of the blodd draw. Point of care testing for strep A, mono, influenza and pregnancy are available. Urine dip analysis is also performed. Tests can also be arranged to be done at a lab of your choice. Lab specimens, including cultures or other specialized tests, obtained during the housecall visit may be sent to the lab for processing.
Tell me more about xray services
Xray service is available to be brought to you upon request. A certified xray technician brings a portable xray machine to your home, hotel room, workplace, or wherever you are. The xray images are processed on site, and films are reviewed by your housecall physician or a board certified radiologist. Copies of the images may be provided to the patient upon request. Portable ultrasound studies may also be available for specific situations. Additional studies, including CT or MRI may be completed at a radiologic center of your choice. Your house call provider will arrange for the appropriate tests and will further direct your care based upon the results.
Tell me again why I should use your service?
Convenience — no need to travel to the clinic or hospital. No need to wait endlessly in the waiting room. The doctor will come to you. Medications and supplies can be brought to you. We are available for after hours urgent care.
Comfort – rest in familiar surroundings while your physician cares for you. Avoid the stress of sitting in a crowded waiting room for hours on end.
Connect with your physician — spend more time with your housecall doctor getting your questions answered. Your doctor will get to know you better, which can further facilitate optimal patient care. Maintain ability to directly contact your doctor after the housecall visit.
Professional – Urgent Med Housecalls is staffed solely by experienced board certified emergency physicians to ensure optimal care. Providers continue to practice hospital emergency medicine to maintain knowledge base, and proficiency in emergency procedures. We believe that this allows our patients to receive top quality housecall urgent medical care.
What type of patients benefit from house call services?
Anyone wanting urgent care services brought to them for convenience may request service. While many of our patients are travelers, we also care for local residents on tight schedules, homebound patients, visually impaired patients, geriatric patients, mobility-challenged patients, and agoraphobics find use for house call services. Many patients call simply because we offer after hours urgent care when their doctor does not. Some call after seeing how crowded a waiting room is. Parents call because of the inconvenience of having to arrange for childcare for the other children while a sibling is taken for treatment. A few local physicians and surgeons offer our convenient services to certain patients when afterhours problems arise. We assist with certain problems that post surgical patients may encounter-at the request of the surgeon. Hospice and palliative care patients or their family members occasionally request our services. Anyone can benefit from house call service.
If Urgent Med Housecalls is staffed by emergency physicians, why can’t they respond to serious or life threatening emergencies? Emergency physicians in hospital emergency departments rely on numerous immediately available resources to safely evaluate and care for the seriously ill or injured.
Emergent radiologic studies such as stat CT scans, ultrasounds and MRI’s are needed for many situations.
Other laboratory testing often is immediately required. And perhaps most important are the numerous medical personnel ever present and available in the emergency department including nursing, respiratory, therapists, lab and xray technicians, and unit secretaries who perform crucial multi-tasking functions.
Additionally, many emergent surgical and interventional procedures and specialists are readily available in the emergency department.
When 9-1-1 is called, emergency service personnel, including highly trained paramedics, arrive using flashing lights and sirens and bringing with them crucial lifesaving equipment and medications. All of this usually occurs within minutes.
Urgent Med Housecalls providers are functioning solo in most cases, with more limited resources, do not use sirens, and cannot guarantee arrival within minutes.
For serious or life threatening emergencies call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department immediately.