Fam Pract Manag. 2000;7(10):12
To the Editor:
I don't think house calls today are an “anachronism” [see “A Bygone Era,” Letters, September 2000].
I'm a solo, small-town family doctor who makes house calls and nursing home calls with complete patient records and references — black bag in one hand and portable computer in the other.
On my computer I carry patient records and 15 major reference texts. The computer is more than just a fast list of cytochrome P450 interactions. It allows me to evaluate complex information patterns. On site I quickly produce typed notes, and in the nursing home I print my note or consult with attached references.
The computer allows me the efficiency to do my hospital and office work, make my house calls and still be home to eat supper and help my wife clean up the kitchen.