All too often, acute health problems merit an immediate trip to the hospital for seniors. So imagine an advanced care house call that comes to you instead, generally within 1-2 hours. Out-of-pocket costs are very affordable; the contribution to peace of mind is invaluable. Fortunately, this is a reality with new on-demand healthcare services.
Getting care in the home is becoming more mainstream. Notes
US News & World Report: “Home Care for Seniors: a Win-Win…Patients do better, families feel safer and aging in place is more likely with home care…
WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE? Older adults with disabling conditions get easier access to medical care…Medicare gets the promise of reduced hospital readmissions. Family members get more peace of mind. And most important, seniors get a chance to stay in their homes as long as possible.”
The New York Times adds: “
Before 1950, nearly half of all doctors’ visits in America were house calls. But then the country began building big hospitals and luxurious doctors’ offices, and doctors acquired sophisticated equipment they couldn’t put in a medical bag. Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement systems made home visits untenable…But the house call is now a better idea than ever...One study from 2014 found that for frail elderly people, house calls saved Medicare $4,200 per person per year.”
Here are 5 ways
DispatchHealth house calls prompt peace of mind for seniors:
Puts gears into motion immediately.
Seniors often wait, and wait, and wait to go through normal non-emergency channels. Their primary care doc may be unavailable for weeks. When an urgent situation arises, minutes count. By default, many seniors call 911 to get help quickly.
This sets into motion a series of events that land them in ERs and hospitals where expensive, debilitating issues are too often the result. In stark contrast, the time from initial contact to completion of a house call is typically 2-3 hours. And that includes upwards of an hour on average spent on-site diagnosing and treating.
Provides multiple, user-friendly options to get started.
Technology can be a lifesaver, but when seniors have to be tech-savvy to access needed care, something is wrong. DispatchHealth offers options for every orientation, including phone, website access and an app easily downloaded to both Apple and Android smartphones. Convenience replaces complexity. User-friendliness replaces user frustration. All this promotes peace of mind.
Offers pricing predictability.
In a healthcare cost system seemingly designed to keep seniors in the dark, DispatchHealth makes it simple. Seniors with commercial insurance or Medicare can expect to pay $6-45 out-of-pocket. Non-insurance treatment is a flat $375 fee. That includes everything. There are no additional bills for “this and that and everything else.”
Gets high marks for quantity of time spent, quality of care given.
Besides bedside manner and meaningful dialog to thoroughly understand the patient, advanced technology and treatments are on-scene, too. The New York Times sums it up: “
That sophisticated equipment that helped put an end to house calls? Now most of it is mobile, too.”
DispatchHealth shows up with more advanced lab testing capabilities than most off-site urgent care centers. Administering IV medications and antibiotics, repairing lacerations, placing catheters, cauterizing and packing nosebleeds, and splinting injured extremities are just some of the tools in the toolkit.
Does it all at home.
The old adage, “There’s no place like home” speaks to the peace of mind that comes with being in familiar, comfortable surroundings. Given the scary scenario leading to ordering urgent care, receiving all needed care at home is a huge boost to peace of mind and ability to concentrate fully on getting better. It’s time to cut seniors a break. DispatchHealth house calls provide that opportunity. Check us out to see how our actions match our words.
