Geriatric house calls: relic of the past or challenge of the future?

Historically, house calls played an important role in mainstream medical practice, but since the early part of the 20th century, medical care has been increasingly focused on the acute care hospital. This focus appears to have contributed to increasing physician frustration, patient alienation, and a growing public dissatisfaction with service. The geriatric population, and in particular the frail elderly, are a unique and growing proportion of the general population, and they are also the major consumers of health care resources. Patient-oriented and professional factors point to a need for physicians to return to making more house calls. Active participation by primary care physicians in developing standards and conducting research in this area of practice is necessary.