I am Dr. Ernest Brown, and I have been a House Call doctor since 2006. I operate in the Washington DC area, treating patients suffering from a range of ailments in the convenience of their bedroom, hotel room, or workplace.

My company, ‘Doctors To You,’ is trying to change the landscape of modern healthcare. We take a more holistic and direct approach to treating our patients. Here is a link to our group’s website: http://doctorstoyou.com

https://twitter.com/DoctorsToYou

Comments: 107 • Responses: 14  • Date: 

CHOCOLATEJ3SU518 karma

Do you deal with more people who can't get out to see you or more who are unwilling to ?

DrErnestBrown10 karma

Both. Some of our patients are homebound and need us to come to them. Others take advantage of the comfort and convenience of our service and being able to be cared for in their own home.

cards_dot_dll12 karma

Why is the answer to "How much do your services cost?" in your FAQ so long? Seems like "you'll find out when we bill you" would get the same amount of information across.

DrErnestBrown8 karma

The point of our movement is that our treatment isn't restricted by "the mafia of medicine" (aka insurance). All of our treatment is itemized and your doctor will always be transparent with you about cost prior to your treatment. We also don't charge until you are 100% back on your feet!

cards_dot_dll4 karma

Why not be transparent about costs on your website?

DrErnestBrown12 karma

Could you call your mechanic and ask how much it cost to fix your car before even taking it in?

cards_dot_dll5 karma

I'm not a motorist, but it looks like a lot of mechanics offer free estimates. Do you offer free diagnoses?

DrErnestBrown11 karma

We always do an initial consultation over the phone. If it appears that more assistance is needed then we have to start charging

michellekc7 karma

What is the most severe case you have seen on a house call?

DrErnestBrown17 karma

Most extreme case was a patient at the Ritz with acute liver failure. Looked like a pumpkin ready to explode. So I put him in my car and drove him to the hospital.

carlinha12897 karma

How much time do you spend travelling?

DrErnestBrown1 karma

It varies day to day based on the location of our patients, but we serve the entire DC metro area :)

bwh5206 karma

Is the care you provide any different than the care I would get in a doctors office or clinic?

DrErnestBrown9 karma

Yep. We provide real care and follow up until you are better. Clinics and hospitals don't do this.

I go into more depth about the benefits of a house call vs. going to a traditional doctor in my feature with the Washingtonian's "Ask the Experts" https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/02/23/benefits-house-call-vs-going-doctor/

waterbuffalo7504 karma

How much do you earn, vs what you'd earn in a traditional office?

DrErnestBrown-1 karma

I earn a lot.... because I enjoy what I do which can't be measured by a salary alone. There is great deal of personal and professional satisfaction.

bigdaddycanvas2 karma

What is your favorite part of the job?

DrErnestBrown1 karma

Being able to connect with people and help them in their time of need.

gkiltz2 karma

How are the insurance companies??

Do they just refuse to pay?

Pay but constantly piss and moan??

Pay like it was a routine office visit?

DrErnestBrown-2 karma

You can always submit to your insurance but we don't work directly with the "mafia of medicine" (aka insurance). It's not who we are. We are doing what we can to change the face of medicine to bring it back to its roots.

Arialene2 karma

What is your hope for doing all of this? What makes a house call better than having a patient come to a medical center or hospital? What equipment do you carry with you in case of emergencies?

DrErnestBrown5 karma

The hope is that overtime that we will be able to bring care back to the way it used to be. Coming to the patient allows there to be a relationship and to hone in on things that you would never typically be able to see in a medical center or hospital setting. For emergencies, I always have my phone if there is a true emergency to call 911 and remain with them. I also care AED, my medical equipment, and I'm trained in life saving practices.

suaveitguy2 karma

How was it Doctors 150 years ago were able to travel an hour to treat a patient in exchange for a dozen eggs, but today they have them wait two hrs in their office for a 5 minute consult in exchange for hundreds of dollars? Were Doctors poor then?

DrErnestBrown1 karma

That's why we're trying to change the game and bring house calls back to popularity. We come directly to the patient's home/office/hotel room to treat them so they don't have long waits in doctors offices and waiting rooms.

coryrenton1 karma

What specialized equipment do you use (or would like to see invented) for mobile treatment/diagnostics that is different from stationary devices used in hospitals?

DrErnestBrown2 karma

We use a mobile EKG and also work with a mobile X ray service. We are looking at starting to use a mobile ultrasound machine, as well as new technologies that are becoming available on the market!

TrumpJuice-6 karma

Umm why would a doctor be a better choice for a house call when NP'S and PA'S can do the same?

Edit: I meant to say " when NP'S and PA'S already do the same"

DrErnestBrown3 karma

We do have PA's as part of our house call team.