Ever needed to go to a doctor for a check-up but you’d rather not spend the effort and time to go to the clinic? Wouldn’t it be much more convenient if the doctor comes to your home instead? Well, there’s no need to worry since there are some doctors who you can call to have them perform the medical check-up at the comfort of your home. In fact, this has also been the preferred option for elderly patients, who find it hard to travel to the hospital or clinic for a check-up.
Although most people go to the hospital or clinic to see a doctor, because of many factors such as traffic and travel time, the availability of doctors on call has gradually increased and more and more people are starting to avail of this service.
In this article, I’ve listed down some benefits of getting a doctor on call instead of going to the doctor’s clinic or hospital for a consultation:
1. Patients can skip the traffic
Having to ride public transportation or drive your car during heavy traffic can be a very stressful situation. Besides wasting time and energy, stress can take a toll on someone’s mental health. Calling a doctor to visit you at home solves that problem, as instead of waiting for your bus or taking the MRT, the patient can just sit down and wait for the doctor to come at the comfort of his/her home.
The doctor on call brings his/her own medical kit and equipment, and the check-up is often done on the patient’s bed so that the patient is as comfortable and stress-free as possible. After the check-up or consultation, the patient can then immediately resume his daily activities at home, instead of having to travel back home from the clinic or hospital.
2. Patients can skip the long lines
The lines for a doctor’s consultation can get very long, especially in a public hospital. After travelling a long way to the hospital, the patient also must sit down and wait for his/her turn for the doctor’s consultation as, more likely than not, a lot of people have already arrived in the doctor’s clinic or hospital before the patient. Waiting time on a public hospital can be very long, depending on the time of day and the demand for the doctor’s specialization. Private hospitals and clinics have shorter wait times, but this is at the cost of a higher consultation fee.
Doctors on-call charge nearly the same or slightly higher fees as doctors in private hospitals, but the great thing about them is that you don’t have to endure the lines at the clinic. There are times, however, that the doctor may be busy with another patient at that same time, but this can be solved easily by arranging your appointment with the doctor beforehand.
3. Doctors on-call are great for elderly patients, pregnant women and persons with disabilities
The act of travelling to a hospital or clinic may be a strenuous activity for elderly people, pregnant women and persons with disabilities (PWD), which is why a lot of them prefer to call a doctor to visit them at home. Having a doctor on call means that the patient can rest while waiting for the doctor to arrive. Travelling can also be a risky activity for these patients as there is a small chance for accidents to occur.
4. More convenient and personalized care
Unlike doctors in hospitals where they must cater to a large number of patients per day, doctors on house call usually only visit a few patients per day. This allows them to give a more personalized visit and advice to their patients, which in turn makes the patient feel much more comfortable. Doctors on-call also generally have a better rapport with their patients as they can afford to take more time with the consultation compared to hospital doctors. At the patient’s home, the doctor can give his full and undivided attention to that single patient and can discuss with the patient in greater detail.
What’s even better is that thanks to technology, you don’t even have to call the doctor literally. There are apps in your smartphone like Speedoc that can share your location to the doctor or ambulance on call so that you won’t have to tell the doctor your address over the phone. Talk about convenience!
5. Having doctors on call is more cost-effective in the long run
Although the upfront consultation fees are slightly higher when it comes to house call doctors, the patient can save so much money in travelling as well as during emergency situations where a hospital will charge much more compared to a non-urgent check-up. Moreover, the patient not only saves money but also time, effort and stress as he/she does not have to worry about waiting for lines and asking family members or friends to accompany him/her to the hospital.