Group of doctors offering house call services in Barrie

Dr. Danial Schecter, medical director of Simcoe County House Calls tends to Jessie Newton, 99, at her home in Barrie, Ont. on Saturday, May 16, 2015. (Katherine Ward/ CTV Barrie)

A group of physicians in Barrie will now offer in-home medical visits on evenings and weekends.

Jeffrey Dacruz is used to waiting in urgent care clinics. He comes here because he hasn't been able to get a family doctor.

“I can't find one and a lot of the doctors have been kind of full,” he says.

Beginning on Saturday, there's a new way for people like Decruz to be seen by a physician. A group of Barrie doctors have started a business making old fashion house calls.

“It's aim is to who either are unable to see their own family doctor in a timely fashion or who don't have a family doctor and who think they need a physician's evaluation, but who don't want to go to an urgent care clinic, a walk-in clinic or the emergency department,” says Dr. Danial Schecter, medical director of Simcoe County House Calls.

People call in the morning and get an appointment for later in the day.  Jessie Newton, 99, likes the idea because she can get her medical questions answered, and not have to make an unnecessary trip.

“For me to go anyplace, I have to get in my chair, and my daughters have to put me in the car, and out of the car, take the chair all a part, take it all a part before going in the car, and it takes time,” Newton says.

Doctors in this program can't do any in-depth procedures, but they can do simple exams, write prescriptions and make recommendations. The program is for anyone; all that's needed from the patient is an OHIP card.

But some doctors aren't necessarily happy about this new program because they say it could hurt their family practices. Dr. John McKee says that's particularly true for patients who are already signed up with family doctors.

“When you have a house call service coming in from the outside, you are now interfering with the service model that is set up by the (Ontario’s Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care),” says McKee. “I guess it could ultimately lead to less provision of care for those patients because they may be forced financially to de-roster a patient who was on their roster because they are now going outside.”

However, Schecter doesn't share that view, and says both models can work together to fill the medical gaps.

“This shouldn't be in competition, this should really be in cooperation and we are not trying to take business away from any other family physician. We are just trying to serve those patients who are in greatest need.”

Right now the house calls program can see as many as 20 people in a day, but for real emergencies, doctors still say don't hesitate to go to the ER.

For more information about the program, you can visit the Simcoe County House Calls website.