House calls see increase in patient demand

PLYMOUTH — Summit Health Associates, a personalized, in-home medical practice, is continuing to serve local patients in the Lakes Region during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have been in operation since 2019, visiting patients at their homes, offices, or while they are in residential treatment. The option of having a nurse or doctor come to you is very attractive to a lot of people seeking a personalized healthcare relationship,” said Matthew Howe, RN, Summit Health co-founder.

Howe equates the current situation to the house calls physicians made decades ago. “The difference now is that we have access to advanced technology to better serve our patients. For example, we recently acquired a portable ultrasound, allowing us to do point-of-care imaging. We've been able to do imaging of the lungs of patients who are suffering from respiratory illness, which has been particularly useful,” he said.

"We are happy that our model works particularly well to serve our community at a time like this. Healthcare delivery will be changed forever in the wake of COVID-19, and in-home or video conference medical care is making sense on many levels,” said Summit Health co-founder Andrew Seefeld, MD. “It's akin in some ways to the old country doctor visiting you at home. I even use my grandfather’s black medical bag when I visit patients, which really is the hallmark of home healthcare of the past for many folks.”

For more information about Summit Health, visit SummitHealthAssociates.com or call 603-481-0005.