Home visits bring physician-led care to your doorstep across the Greater Philadelphia area. Included with your Fishtown Medicine membership, they cover exams, blood draws, and IV therapy in your home or office. Fishtown Medicine is a membership practice, so the visit itself is covered by your membership rather than billed to insurance, and there is no per-visit charge or copay. Labs and imaging ordered during the visit can still run through your insurance when that saves you money. Members outside Philly can request travel-based visits.
Clinical Excellence, Delivered to Your Doorstep.
What does a Fishtown Medicine home visit include?
A Fishtown Medicine home visit covers most of what a traditional office visit covers, and often more. We bring physician-level care, lab work, and time to your front door, so you skip the I-676 traffic, the hunt for parking in Center City, and the waiting room full of sick patients.
For busy parents, working professionals, and anyone whose schedule is stretched thin, the trip to a clinic is often the hardest part of getting care.
How do home visits work with insurance and payment?
The home visit is part of your membership, so there is no per-visit charge and no copay at the door. Fishtown Medicine is a direct primary care practice, which means the membership covers your care directly and we do not bill an insurance company for the visit itself. That is what lets a visit run 60 to 90 minutes in your kitchen instead of 15 minutes in an exam room.
Most people keep their insurance alongside the membership, and it goes on doing the job it is best at: hospital care, surgery, specialists, and emergencies. Labs and imaging we order during a home visit can still run through your insurance whenever that is the cheaper path for you, and when it is not, we will tell you the cash price so you can pick. Membership is also HSA and FSA eligible, and the insurance and benefits guide walks through how the pieces fit together, with more detail on accounts in the HSA guide for direct primary care.
For members in the Greater Philadelphia Metro, that is the whole answer: your membership covers the visit and we come to you. Outside the metro, the visit is still covered, and travel and lodging are billed separately or we can connect you with a trusted local clinician instead.
How does a home visit work?
A home visit brings the clinical team and the tools to you. Seeing you where you live is a clinical advantage as much as a convenience.
1. Physician Evaluations
We provide thorough evaluations in the privacy of your home or office. This includes physical exams, metabolic assessments, and deep-dive strategy sessions.
- Greater Philadelphia Metro: Included with your Fishtown Medicine membership at no extra charge.
- Outside the Metro: We serve patients globally. For visits outside the Philly metro area, travel and lodging fees apply, or we can connect you to a trusted local expert at no extra cost.
2. Nursing and Phlebotomy
If your strategy requires blood draws, IV therapy, or specific nursing interventions, our clinical team comes to you. You will not need to visit a LabCorp or Quest unless you prefer it.
- Precision Phlebotomy: Fasting labs feel easier when the phlebotomist is at your kitchen table at 7 a.m.
- Efficiency: We handle the logistics so your day remains uninterrupted.
Why does Fishtown Medicine offer home visits?
Home visits are part of the standard membership because they take significant clinical time and resources, and the relationship-based model lets us afford that time. This keeps every visit unhurried, thorough, and private. They are also the reason we run without a traditional office at all.
- Total Discretion: The whole visit stays private. You skip the waiting room, your history remains between you and me, and your comings and goings stay discreet.
- Contextual Care: We look at your environment (air quality, light hygiene, kitchen layout, sleep setup) while we are there with you.
Actionable Steps to Plan a Home Visit
Make the most of your visit.
- Book the Window: Choose a 60 to 90 minute block that does not conflict with meetings or family routines.
- Prep the Space: Clear a quiet area with good lighting for exams, labs, or imaging review.
- Have Records Ready: Upload any recent labs or specialist notes from your member page at fishtownmedicine.com/me/records so we arrive with full context.
- Plan Around Fasting: For metabolic labs, we usually arrive in the morning so you can eat right after the draw.
- Walk Us Through Your Environment: Show us your bedroom, kitchen, and home office. We catch things an office visit tends to miss.
Scientific References
- Stall N, et al. Systematic review of outcomes from home-based primary care programs for homebound older adults. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014;62(12):2243-2251.
- Edes T, et al. Better Access, Quality, and Cost for Clinically Complex Veterans with Home-Based Primary Care. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014;62(10):1954-1961.
- De Jonge KE, et al. Effects of Home-Based Primary Care on Medicare Costs in High-Risk Elders. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2014;62(10):1825-1831.
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