Who says doctors no longer make house calls?
You can have a doctor come to your house or the home of a loved one on a regular basis. Just contact Brooklyn House Call (www.brooklynhousecall.com, 718-360-9370) to make the arrangements.
This organization, started about a year ago, sends doctors to the homes of senior citizens, so that their health can be monitored and maintained, in their own comfortable environments.
This service is so important to the community as everyone knows how difficult it can be for seniors to get themselves to the doctor’s office, especially during this time of year when the weather can be brutal, and roads may be slippery. People who may be unsteady on their feet under normal conditions, may be very reluctant to venture out in nasty weather. Yet, seeing a doctor on a regular basis is vital to maintaining good health, especially when one reaches a certain age, or if one has conditions that require ongoing medical care.
Brooklyn House Call has helped hundreds of families, says Daniel Stokar, Director of Patient Interests. “We can keep people out of the hospital 30-40% of the time,” he says. This is what happens when people take a pro-active approach to health care. Health issues that may arise can be taken care of before they become monumental problems.
Incredibly, EKG’s, sonograms, and x-rays can be taken right in the home, he says. “These are all very mobile now.” Such convenience puts patients at ease because they are in familiar surroundings, yet they are being provided with the services they need. It combines the best of good, old-fashioned attention with the latest, modernized healthcare.
“I can’t tell you how many calls we get from people thanking us for taking care of their parents,” says Stokar. “People feel connected to a home-care physician. They feel reassured that someone is watching over them.”
Dr. Sam Lupin is Brooklyn House Call’s medical director, and he has over 30 years experience making house calls.
This is one doctor who has always appreciated the value of this type of service. His dedicated staff of physicians feel the same way.
Now, more than ever, home health care is essential.
“There are 43 million Americans over age 65,” says Stokar. “By 2025, there will be 77 million over age 65. There are more and more people that need to be cared for, and less and less people to do so.”
Patients who receive the services of Brooklyn House Call will be pleased to know that doctors will review their medical histories; blood work can be done; and medication management and refills will be take care of.
Stokar points out that a visit from the doctors at Brooklyn House Call usually lasts about 35 minutes, and is “comprehensive and extensive,” far different from “the five minutes” one may get with a physician at an office or a clinic. And, the seniors will be sitting in the comfort of their own homes before the doctor’s arrival, perhaps watching their favorite television shows, instead of waiting inside a crowded, cramped office.
“Some spend three hours on Access-a-Ride to get to the doctors, then they sit in an office, for hours, surrounded by sick people,” says Stokar. That’s certainly not conducive to good health.
“The benefits are unimaginable,” says Stokar. “People don’t realize that being seen on a regular basis makes such a difference.” For many patients, it’s not just a medical visit, but a social one as well, he says.
“People enjoy having a caring, compassionate visit from a doctor. It’s very reassuring, and provides an element of comfort,” he says.
“These visits are covered by Medicare,” he adds. “They can be free of charge to patients.” After each visit, another appointment is scheduled.
Brooklyn House Call is open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. Call to schedule an appointment today.
