Doctor Revives Housecalls - MSNBC

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 19 - Dr. Gresham Bayne used to run one of the busiest emergency rooms in San Diego. Now the sick don’t come to him. He runs door to door, taking medicines and his skills to them.

Yes, he’s making house calls. Thanks to a local company, the practice is actually making a comeback of sorts. And you’d be amazed at what goes into the little black bag these days.

"Everything’s become lighter, cheaper, faster," Bayne says. "You know, digitalization has allowed us not only to improve our communications, but allowed us to carry portable lab instruments that will fit in your purse and measure the seven most common emergency room blood tests in two minutes in the privacy of your bedroom."

The technology allows the company, 1-800-Call Doc, to compete with other medical offices. In just one year, business has doubled to about 1,200 house calls a month.

On the day we tag along, Bayne is visiting 99-year-old Robert Mahaffey’s, who was complaining of weakness in his heart. The patient learns right away what’s causing the problem and so does his regular doctor. The results of the cardiac output test are sent by wireless phone straight to the doctor’s office.

The doctors at 1-800-Call Doc are available between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Patients are assessed at a central phone center and prioritized based on urgency. Emergency calls are redirected to 911. All other calls are assigned to a board certified doctor.

Average response time is about three hours, but doctors can be there as quickly as an hour.

So far, a CAT scan is not available at home, but a portable MRI is in development.

The costs are reasonable and many insurance plans - including Medicare - will pay. If you are in a PPO and pay 20 percent, it is actually cheaper than the emergency room.