Since we began operations in 2015, House Call Doctor has expanded its service to 14 locations across Queensland and northern New South Wales. So, let’s take a look back at one of the first locations where we started.
Bundaberg, here’s how we’ve helped you.
Past years
Our home doctor service in Bundaberg started with just one car and has since grown to a team of doctors which treats thousands of patients in the region each year.
Over the past three years, we’ve helped take the strain off the local emergency department by treating patients in their own homes in the after-hours.
Our very own Dr Tony Tanious said: “The cases really do range from minor to severe. We’ve seen patients with ruptured appendixes through to those suffering something as simple as a fungal infection.”
Just one of the many extraordinary moments our doctors have had in Bundaberg was when Dr Tridiv Madhok spotted a cancerous mole on the back of a patient during a routine home visit.
67-year-old Christine Saunders called House Call Doctor for a bronchial condition, but as Dr Madhok was checking her back, he noticed the mole on her shoulder and suggested she see her GP as soon as possible.
“When my doctor told me it was indeed skin cancer, he advised me to ‘buy that House Call Doctor a beer’,” Ms Saunders said.
Along with life-threatening cases, our home doctors have helped Bundaberg through many flu seasons, including an especially bad one in 2015.
Just three weeks into the flu season, the Wide Bay region had presented 187 confirmed cases of influenza.
2018
This year alone, we’ve treated more than 10,000 patients with a range of presentations from minor ailments to severe cases – and there are no plans of slowing down any time soon.
House Call Doctor’s State Manager Keith Jennings said when it comes to this type of care, regional areas often get left behind.
“We have teams of local GPs and Emergency Department doctors ready to make that old-fashioned house call to help people when they need it most – when their doctor is closed,” Mr Jennings said.
