Dr. Yacov Geva, CEO of G Medical Innovations, has been in the home health monitoring business for more than 30 years and understands one important tenet of patient care: Patients generally get better in their own environment than in a hospital.
Yet for years, the standard in the U.S. – following the decline of physician house calls after World War II – has been to go to a clinic and then, if warranted, seek additional hospital treatment.
Now, U.S. health care is moving forward by taking a look back at patient home care. The impetus for this trend was what Dr. Geva describes as “an unwelcome visitor.”
“A new guy arrives in town and convinced us all to avoid visiting doctors and hospitals. So for two years we’re looking for solutions that will help us avoid contact and going to clinics.”
The “new guy” was, of course, COVID.
COVID triggered the necessity for home-based health care applications, particularly telehealth and, with the advent of the home COVID test, home health testing. That “experiment,” made more workable with government and regulatory changes, increased this country’s confidence in and comfortableness with home-based health care.
But Dr. Geva said that patient demand was always there.
“When you’re not feeling well, it takes effort to get out of bed, get showered and dressed, and find a way to get yourself to the doctor. Given a choice, many of us would like to stay in the privacy of our bedrooms.”
Nowhere is that privacy more appreciated than when it comes to testing for certain ailments. G Medical Tests and Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of G Medical Innovations, aims to provide as many home test kits as possible, as affordably as possible.
With seven tests already on the market, Dr. Geva said they are developing a series of 21 tests, and developed a test for monkeypox before the media urgency. Tests are now available for food sensitivities, indoor and outdoor allergies, HPV, thyroid functioning, testosterone levels, and the hemoglobin A1C test. The kits are readily available at popular retail sites, and cost significantly less than they would if administered at a clinic or hospital, ranging from $50 to $260.
Cost to the patient is just one factor, however. Dr. Geva said that home health care also costs the government less.
“Home health care taxes our government far less than continuing with the current system,” said Dr. Geva. “The U.S. population is getting older and having more health issues. At this rate we will spend 50% of our GDP on health care in 20 years without home health alternatives.”
Dr. Geva said that physicians are on board, as well.
“Insurance companies put pressure on doctors and hospitals for shorter hospitalization stays,” he said. “Home tests and at-home monitoring accomplishes that. Physicians can also see more patients with more issues.
“At-home tests don’t compete with hospitals and doctors, they help them identify issues in as little as one to two days that may otherwise be unknown, or take weeks to discover. All sides are winning.”
The G Medical tests are non-invasive, sent to CLIA-certified labs, and are manufactured using FDA-approved components. Insurance reimbursement may vary based on individual carriers.
In an era where a cry for increased access applies to many societal issues, few are as significant as health. Home health tests increase access and bring parity to quality health care. With other players expected to enter what Dr. Geva calls “a big market that’s big enough for many players,” that access should only increase.
COVID taught this country a lot of things. One was that the health care industry can do things differently and when it comes to home health care, for the better.
