"officeless" doctor

The promise of the paperless office never materialized, but the concept of an “officeless” doctor is intriguing.

In our quest for peak productivity, we have altered the

product: what was a relationship is now strictly a service. The real appeal

of a return to the home visit is that it may restore the physician-patient

relationship to its rightful place. In his own home, the patient achieves a

one-on-one closeness and commands the sole focus of the physician. In the

office, he is one of many, receiving the divided attention of a harried, multitasking

doctor. The take-a-number format of the busy bakery or delicatessen

may work to serve food efficiently, but it doesn’t foster the personal

and social component of a visit with the doctor. Done right, a house call

takes time; that is a good thing.