Having almost become extinct, house calls stage a recovery

A small but growing tribe of doctors, nurses, physician assistants, and nurse practitioners are reviving the house call—a once-common practice for keeping Americans healthy and in touch with their doctors. Having virtually disappeared from medical practice by the 1980s, the house call has been making somewhat of a comeback, thanks primarily to Medicare changes that make house calls more easily billable. Advocates say revival of the house call could help reduce healthcare costs sand enhance quality of care for many elderly and chronically ill patients.