House Call Pediatricians
Given the popularity of childbirth by midwifery doubling over the past twenty years to a level of 10% of all births, and given the significant growth in the use of doulas during that same time frame, can pediatricians who make house calls be far behind?
The answer is yes! The tradition of the family doctor coming to the home (that ended when baby-boomers were children) has come full circle. Now you have one more important option to consider when selecting a pediatrician for your new baby, what type of care-giving environment is best suited for your child and your home, life, and work demands.
A family’s life-style is a key element in structuring a newborn’s optimal healthcare atmosphere, now that the baby lives outside the womb. The infant’s comfort level with a doctor who visits the house can be an enhanced positive experience when the fear of strangers and a doctor’s office is basically eliminated. As the child grows, its confidence, emotional stability and communication with the visiting pediatrician improves, due to the development of a more personal connection between the doctor and the patient in the comfort of home. Multiples and children with special needs particularly benefit from such in-home relationships with their physicians.
There are several valuable benefits of selecting a concierge pediatrician:
- Improved one-on-one communication resulting in better quality time and care
- Health savings account (HSA) and flexible savings account (FSA) funds may be used toward annual contract fee
- After-hours house calls in lieu of rushing child to emergency room in middle of night
- Elimination of worry about doctors being off-duty, or family travel; concierge practice communicates 24/7/365 via phone, e-mail, Skype, text messaging, etc.
- Establishment of doctor as a trusted confidant on learning problems, personal issues, medical issues, etc., as child matures
- Significant reduction in lost time from work or loss of professional billing time
- Comfortable ambience for child to relate with their doctor
- Single visit can treat more than one child
- Immunizations, bloodwork tests, well visits, prescribing of antibiotics (if appropriate) in the convenience of parents’ home
- Avoidance of traffic, weather, parking, scheduling conflicts
- Conducive home turf atmosphere for youngsters with chronic illnesses, mobility and behavioral challenges
- Better understanding of patients’ needs by doctor - personal attention versus 10-minute office visit
- Ideal convenience for parents with several small children
- Available pre-natal advice during home visits
- Ultimate confidentiality
The bottom line—as with most valued matters in life—you get what you pay for.
With these types of advantages, and the relatively low fee structure, who wouldn’t want individualized, personal medical attention given to their newborns as they grow to become toddlers, youngsters and teens? Retainer-based practices are a growing phenomenon. Only a
couple of dozen pediatricians in major metropolitan areas have begun such a practice.
You may have to run a search on the Internet to find childrens’ doctors who make house calls in your area. Naturally, it is vitally important to select a pediatrician who is board-certified by the Academy of Pediatrics, and someone who is on staff at the local hospitals.
Lastly, be sure to check with your insurance carrier. Several plans cover reimbursement for medical visits, tests, etc., but not necessarily the membership fee; HSA and FSA funds, however, quite often do address and qualify for payment of this portion, and may also help compensate you for somewhat higher deductibles if your new pediatrician is an out-of-network provider.