Modern healthcare has shifted towards the Patient-Centric approach with the great significance of convenience, customizability according to the needs of the patients, and easy access to the services. Among various innovative services, the service is now getting immense popularity which is visits to doctors at home. This service was prevalent in older times among the wealthy people but now it is available for every individual of the society.
This article focuses on the importance of bringing healthcare professionals to your doorstep for convenient and easy diagnosis and treatment. The revolutionizing approach along with the service of nursing at home is beneficial, innovative, and has great future potential to fulfill the demands and needs of the customers with comfort and reliability.
Doctor Visit at Home
The concept of visiting of doctor at home is simple and does not involve any complicated procedure. This advancement includes the scheduling of an appointment with the doctor and the doctor travels to your home for consultation. The service is extremely beneficial for patients suffering from chronic diseases as it is crucial in the management of the disease and the post-surgical care, people with immobility, elderly patients, people with hectic schedules, and people having limited access to the hospital or healthcare facilities.
In the past, doctor home visit was a common practice typically in small-sized communities but this practice declined more drastically during the 20th century due to the centralization of the healthcare system. But today it is seen that the historical practices are gaining more popularity due to the increased demand for tailored care and advancements and revolutionizing concepts in portable medical technology.
Benefits of Doctor Visit at Home
- Accessibility and Ease: Patients can get their treatment in a stress-free environment with better recovery due to less stress without going through long waiting hours and logistical issues.
- Tailored Care: A personalized and effective treatment plan can be suggested by the doctor more accurately after understanding the patient’s living standard and lifestyle with the challenges faced daily.
- Lowered Infection Risk: Hospitals and clinics are a hub of infectious diseases and people with compromised immune systems are susceptible to these infections thus getting professional care at home reduces the risk of getting an infection greatly.
- Involvement of Family: When a doctor visits at home the family members can communicate actively regarding the treatment protocols for better patient care.
- Accessibility to Vulnerable Groups: People with disabilities, living in areas where medical services are not available, and elderly people benefit from this service immensely as it ensures that they are getting proper medical attention.
Nursing at Home Benefits
Home care nursing complements the home visits of a doctor as it gives daily medical support to the patient. This service involves the delivery of personalized care according to the needs of the patient by highly skilled nurses.
The key responsibilities of a nurse taking care of a patient at home involve the following;
- Management of the medications, ensure that the patient is taking the medicines timely as well as in the correct dosage as prescribed by the doctor.
- In the case of wounds, the nurse is responsible for the proper dressing of the wounds and monitoring them to make sure that the wound is healing and no infections are present.
- Management of chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and disorders associated with the respiratory tract by assisting them is crucial for the effective treatment and maintenance of health.
- It is essential to provide support to the patients during rehabilitation after surgery for speedy recovery.
- Nurses are also responsible for providing emotional support and psychological comfort to the patients as when the patient’s mental health is good the recovery is smooth.
The role of home care nurses is vital in the connection between patients, their families, and the doctor as they provide inclusive and organized care instructions and implement the doctor’s instructions skillfully.
Concerns and Challenges Associated with Visit of Doctor at Home
The concept of a doctor’s home visit is full of benefits but it has some drawbacks and limitations as well. Some of them are discussed briefly below;
- Home visits are generally more expensive as compared to the conventional clinic visit. The additional cost is due to the travel and extra time of the doctor dedicated to a single patient only.
- In rural or underserved areas, the availability of healthcare professionals is limited and the ones serving this service are inadequate in number.
- Some medical conditions need diagnostic tools that are not portable and this causes a great limitation to this service.
- Giving care that is consistent and with the standard quality is challenging without strict regulations.
Role of Technology in Healthcare Services At-Home
Advancements in technology including consulting with the doctor online, portable devices, and health records that are available digitally have played a vital role in bringing back the doctor home visit services. These technologies are discussed in detail below to better understand their role;
- The advanced portable devices that can measure blood sugar levels, blood cholesterol, blood pressure, pulse rate, etc. are advantageous in monitoring the health condition regularly.
- Telehealth is also an emerging tool through which patients can consult their doctor comfortably from home through video calls. The doctor can easily guide the patients about their health condition and the possible treatment options.
- The development of health applications also plays an important role as the patients can track their health records, book visits, and keep their health in check.
- Smart use of technology helps in the early detection of the disease resulting in early medical intervention and effective treatment.
Conclusion
Bringing healthcare to your doorstep is an evolving service where patients’ comfort is prioritized. The availability of doctors for home visits along with the nurses’ care at home provides a complete package for professional care with emotional support for effective treatment and speedy recovery of the patients in the comfort of their own home.
