House Calls

In this user-friendly reference manual House Calls, Dr. Terry Hollenbeck shares knowledge and guidance on an array of interesting and useful topics relating to everyday health awareness in today's world. A neighborhood doctor with 40 years' experience, Dr. Terry has for more than 10 years shared his knowledge and insights with the community through his column "Valley Doctor" in the local newspaper, the Press-Banner. A selection of those writings was compiled to create this book.
Dr. Hollenbeck recently retired his practice as an urgent-care physician at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation Santa Cruz in Scotts Valley, California. Born into a family with several generations of doctors, Dr. Terry remembers the time when doctors would make house calls. In tune with the open-hearted approach Terry's patients have appreciated through the years, his writings include reflection on his personal journey with cancer treatment for multiple myeloma.
CLICK HERE to view Dr. Hollenbeck's blog
Introduction: "I used to go on house calls with my physician father when I was a young lad. I thoroughly enjoyed going into strangers' homes and watching my dad as he treated the homebound patient. House calls fell out of favor when physicians no longer had the time to do so, and also because of the modern changes occurring in the practice of medicine, such as the increasing need and use of X-rays, lab tests, EKGs, and other new technologies that were impractical to bring to a patient's home.
As an urgent care physician for more than 35 years and seeing people in my clinic for their various illnesses, I realized that a significant number of these patients had problems that could be diagnosed and treated without an actual office visit. Then I thought back to the old house call days when all this could be done in a patient's home. It made me think about what I would want to say and do if a patient was sitting in front of me in my office. I like to think of this book as bringing my office experience and expertise into your home."