Houston company makes house calls

HOUSTON – The house call is back!

Dispatch Health is in nine cities across the country, including Houston.

They'll come to your home, your job, wherever you need them. 

EMT Amber Rafiq and nurse practitioner Ebony Washington work nonstop from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. KPRC was there to watch them pack up, load medical equipment and determine a plan of action on their drive to see the patient.

“Consider maybe doing a flu swab,” Washington said.

“A strep swab, maybe?” Rafiq suggested.

Market director Kim Bergeron said their services have been popular among elderly people who may be at more health risk sitting in a waiting room than at home sick.

“We see all patients from three months to 108 is the oldest we've seen. Their immune systems are compromised, typically the older we get but when we are sick you can't fight things the way you typically would,” Bergeron explained why staying at home may be a better option than sitting in a waiting room.

That's why, she said, assisted living facilities have been one of their most frequent clients. Friday morning they got a call from senior living facility employee, Marci Walters, at The Village of Meyerland.

Walters stayed on the job while Dispatch took her vitals, symptoms and administered a flu test.

“Flu test is negative, so no flu right now,” Washington read the results.

That means Walters doesn't need an IV, antiviral or antibiotics, but those are other services she could get if it was necessary.

“It's a lot easier than going to the emergency room or an emergency care center and it's right where I work,” Walters said.

Dispatch can also treat urinary tract infections, migraines, respiratory infections, sprains and fractures, joint or back pain. They said they can bill insurance, so you'll be billed as if you visited an urgent care clinic. If you're uninsured, you can pay a flat fee of $275.

Dispatch health is available seven days a week, including holidays, call: 713-422-2920.

They are currently available in these areas: 

Downtown
Jersey Village
Memorial
Bellaire
Missouri City
Sugarland
Katy