‘Health is wealth’; that is a popular saying that we all should put to heart. Our overall well-being should be one of our top priorities in everything we do. This thinking is the reason why many of us have family doctors and regular dentists who cater to our every health need. But what if your doctor is away, or you or a family member fell sick while your doctor is unavailable? This is the job of a credible home doctor. But how exactly do you access a reliable home doctor service? Here are 5 things you need to understand about this medical deputising service and what a home doctor service can do for you.
What is a home doctor service?
The key meaning of this medical service is already in their name. This program sends doctors to your homes to perform the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of your urgent but not life-threatening health conditions. Most patients who need this program are of the extreme of ages – the elderly and sick children. Home doctors perform a complete check-up that you usually have in the hospital or clinic, but this one is performed in the comfort of your own home, while your doctor is away or unavailable.
Are there different kinds of home doctor services?
Well, the answer to this question is a bit tricky. The main objective of a home doctor service is to provide medical support to patients who are too sick to go to the hospital to get checked for their non-life-threatening conditions. With that said, there are different ways of how medical deputising services provide their platform. Most home doctor services would offer doctor home visits on weeknights, weekends, and Public Holidays to patients in different parts of Australia. Some would allow you to book a home visit or just provide you with medical advice via phone call. While most home doctor services are available after clinic hours, there are other deputizing programs that provide patients with both in-hours and after-hours medical care on behalf of their own GP in the comfort of their own home. It is best for you to become informed of what services are currently available in your area so you would know what number to call when the need arises.
How do you book for family home doctors’ services?
When the need for urgent medical attention arises, you should call the nearest home visiting doctor’s hotline. The call center agent medically trained to handle your call gets sufficient information about your condition and sends the nearest available home doctor to cater to your needs. Be sure that when you call the hotline, you already prepared the important patient’s information such as their name, address, date of birth, signs and symptoms, complaints, and their GP’s information so that the operator can endorse your situation to the family home doctor appropriately.
How much is the cost to avail a home doctor service?
The best part about having a home doctor see you, aside from the comfort and convenience that the program provides, is the fact that they are typically bulk-billed. Yes! This means that as long as you are a Medicare or DVA cardholders, the full payment of your medical home consultation is covered, and no out-of-pocket cost is expected. There are some health insurance providers who also shoulder the fees of home doctor services depending on the condition that needed medical attention. On the other hand, for those patients who are not members of Medicare or DVA and do not hold any private health insurance, you can still avail of the services of a home doctor. However, certain examination fees are expected to be paid in cash or credit card. Inquire about the provider’s specific way of payment to fully understand their compensation procedures.
Can the family home doctors replace my GP?
This is a very common misconception about home doctors. And the answer to this question is no. Family home doctors complement and act as a substitute for the medical services of your general practitioner or GP. They only provide urgent care services when your GP is not available. We, at Home Doctors Perth, therefore reiterate that your GP is still the best person to monitor your overall health. They are the ones who know your medical history and have been seeing you longer than the on-call home doctors.
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