Document Detail


A generalist's place is (also) in the home.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  7826455     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Regardless of how many generalist physicians we eventually have, patients will not get the treatment they need if doctors continue to work without house calls. For decades, patients have been coaxed out of their sickbeds to report to emergency rooms during "off hours," and once in the emergency room they are part of high-tech, test-driven health care. Only a return of the house call by the personal physician can reliably forestall this protocol-driven excess. There are obstacles aplenty to reviving the house call: few teachers survive who can teach this art; doctors now consider the house call burdensome work; present payment does not cover the costs; and doctors won't be safe on the streets at night. Some bureaucratic changes will be needed, of course, but most changes have to do with skills and attitudes. Care in the home is appropriate for many acute illnesses and chronic conditions. Patients need it, and doctors should provide it.
Authors:
M C Greengold
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges     Volume:  70     ISSN:  1040-2446     ISO Abbreviation:  Acad Med     Publication Date:  1995 Jan 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1995-02-22     Completed Date:  1995-02-22     Revised Date:  2004-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8904605     Medline TA:  Acad Med     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  S35-6     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
Affiliation:
Northridge Family Practice Residency Program, CA 91325.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Emergencies
Family Practice* / economics
Fees, Medical
Health Care Reform
House Calls* / economics
Humans
United States

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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