In short: If you're well enough to wait in an urgent care lobby, you're well enough to be seen at home. A house-call physician can handle the vast majority of what brings people to urgent care — and do it on your couch.
When home is the better choice: fevers and flu, sinus and ear infections, UTIs, strep, stomach bugs, sprains, minor lacerations, rashes, migraines, back pain, and post-op check-ins. It's also the kinder option for elderly parents, sick kids, immunocompromised patients, and anyone who simply shouldn't be sharing air with a packed waiting room.
What to expect: a board-certified physician at your door, typically within a few hours. They bring the same diagnostic tools you'd see in a clinic — exam kit, rapid tests, EKG, point-of-care labs, IV fluids, and common medications. Prescriptions go straight to your pharmacy. A full visit note follows by email.
When to skip the house call and go straight to the ER: chest pain, stroke symptoms, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding, head injury with loss of consciousness, or any sudden severe symptom. When in doubt, call 911 first.
For everything else, picking up the phone is faster than driving across town. We send the doctor to you®. Call 1-888-933-3305 to request a visit.
Author
Doctors @ Your Home Editorial, MD
Reviewed by the Doctors @ Your Home clinical editorial team.