Q:  Do Medical Doctors Actually make house calls?  A: Yes, licensed medical doctors can actually visit you at your home.  This hearkens back to days of old when doctors would travel to see the sick in their homes.  In the last half-century this type of medical practice is becoming once again popular.

Q:  Do you have to be disabled or homebound to have a house call?   A:  No,  anyone can utilize and enjoy the benefits of a house call.  You will avoid having to take time to travel to a physician office, wait for possibly hours in a waiting room.  You will avoid un-necessary exposure to other sick patients in a waiting room.

Q:  Can the doctor be my primary doctor?  A: Yes, absolutely, Dr. Saleeby is selective about becoming a Primary Care Physician (PCP) as he typically manages Natural HRT and places patients on a year-long plan for good health. 

Q:  Do I need a referral for Dr. Saleeby to make a house call?  A: No,  just pick up the phone and call us to schedule an appointment.

Q:  How much does a medical house call cost?  A:  Dr. Saleeby’s practice is a “Fee-for-Service” practice model and in such he does not file or accept insurance payments.  You can file for reimbursements and Dr. Saleeby’s office will help with the codes you will need for that task.  Payments are paid in advance or at time of delivery of service with cash or check.  Fee range can be discussed beforehand.

Q:  What medical insurance does Dr Saleeby accept?  A: Dr. Saleeby does not accept or file insurance.

Q:  Does Dr. Saleeby or Carolina Mobile MD provide Emergency Medical Care?  A: No, if you are experiencing a true medical emergency, we encourage all persons to call 911 Immediately.

Q:  Does Carolina Mobile MD accept Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) Insurances?   A: No, Dr.Saleeby does not accept HMO insurances.

Q:  Can Dr. Saleeby see you in your office or work place?  A:  Yes, provided you have permission for the doctor to see you at your place of work.

Q:  Will I always be seen by a medical doctor?   A: Absolutely, Dr. Saleeby sees all his patients personally.  We do not utilize mid-level practitioners or physician extenders.  He will usually be accompanied by a medical assistant.

Q: How long does it take to get an appointment?    A: Generally you will be seen within 48 to 72 hours of request.  Carolina Mobile MD covers a large area and we attempt to cater to our patient needs as quickly as possible.

Q: Can I see the doctor on the weekends?    A: Yes. Dr. Saleeby makes occasional calls on Saturdays.

Q: What if I need special tests?   A: Dr. Saleeby will order whatever "ancillary" tests, services or procedures that may be required to fully evaluate any medical problem. Imaging studies requiring huge equipment, like CT or MRI, must be done at a nearby imagine center or hospital.  A prescription for labs will be written to allow you to visit your local diagnostic lab.  You can file these with your insurance (if applicable).  Reports are then sent to Dr. Saleeby.On occasion we can perform blood draws and administer medications/IV infusions in your home.

Q: Do you accept new Medicare or Medicaid patients?    A:  We do not accept Medicaid patients and those Medicare patients must sign that they are paying out of pocket and will not file for reimbursements.  Carolina Mobile MD has “opted out” of Medicaid and Medicare insurance plans.

Q:  Can I get a Myers' Cocktail infusion at home?   A:  Yes, but this has to be scheduled in advance as they are prepared daily and must be infused within a set time period.

Q:  Do I have unlimited access by phone or e-mail?   A:  For the most part yes.  Dr. Saleeby is very accessible, but it depends on the plan you have with Carolina Mobile MD

Q:  If I need a specialist will the doctor refer me?   A:  Of course, Dr. Saleeby will make the appropriate referral to specialist in your area.

Q:  Will the doctor care for me if I am admitted to the hospital?  A:  No, typically Carolina Mobile MD is a "out patient only" practice.  We encourage patients to maintain and utilize catastrophic health care insurance for those type of health care issues.

Q:  What benefits are there to House Calls / Home visitation?   A:  The care you receive is of the same quality and standard of care.  You will be in a more comfortable and convenient environment, you will not be exposed to other sick people, you will have more time with your doctor and his undivided attention.  No waiting for over an hour for 15-minutes with your doctor in an often rushed and impersonal environment.

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Local doctor pays house calls

with mobile medical service

Photo by Jessica Johnson

Dr. JP Saleeby and his wife, Sharon, provide mobile health care in the area via their new venture, Carolina Mobile MD. Saleeby will make house and business calls to patients in a two-hour radius of the Charleston area. Sharon Saleeby also works as a respiratory therapist at the Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital.

Dr. JP Saleeby wants to make a career change that eventually would take him out of the emergency room and into a patient's living room or office. Saleeby, an emergency room doctor for the past 16 years, and his wife, Sharon, a respiratory therapist at the Medical University of South Carolina Children's Hospital, launched Carolina Mobile MD in October. With it, the Saleebys will bring care to patients rather than having patients come to them.

JP Saleeby integrates traditional and alternative medicine but focuses on hormone management in his house-call practice. The Saleebys geared their fee-for-service practice to the busy professional who wants to save time by avoiding a waiting room and spend more of it with a doctor. They do not take insurance and plan to offer services to patients living within a two-hour drive of the Charleston area. Saleeby said he was inspired to make house calls because of what he's seen as the emergency room director at Marlboro Park Hospital in Bennettsville. There, Saleeby has treated a steady flow of patients who come to the E.R. with preventable problems, consequences of diabetes and hypertension, and avoidable heart attacks and strokes

Nationally, hospital emergency rooms have reported an increase in patients, but a decline in the actual number of emergency cases, Saleeby said. More and more people come in with requests to refill prescriptions, complaining of chronic pain or with symptoms of minor illness, cases not meant for an E.R. As an emergency room doctor, Saleeby said, he has just a few moments to make a diagnosis. His mobile program would allow him to spend 60-90 minutes with a patient, longer than a typical doctor-patient interaction. Sharon Saleeby said medicine of today focuses on treating disease rather than preventing illness. The couple plan to take a different approach in their practice, offering patients a prescription for healthier living. Beyond the routine physical, JP Saleeby might also recommend an exercise regimen and vitamins, supplements and herbs for a patient to take.

Saleeby had a practice in Savannah but closed it in 2004 and later moved to the Florence area to make a home with his wife, a Mount Pleasant native. He's continued to see some of that practice's former patients via the Web and through house calls. Arguably, Saleeby could offer the same care in a brick-and-mortar practice. But a mobile practice allows him to avoid overhead costs: office equipment, staff and waiting room

Visit www.Saleeby.net

Reach Jessica Johnson at jjohnson@postandcourier.com

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