title: Why go see the doctor? Care goes from office to home as technology divorces function from geography.
abstract: Two functions of home care, assistance to improve disabled and aged patients' mobility and function, and self-care that includes treatment, screening-monitoring, exercise assistance, and information exchange, are described, as are the technologies used for these functions. Social and economic pressures as well as professional rationales that expand the use of technologies at home are noted, as is their impact on the site of care and on the patient-doctor relationship.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Stoeckle
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lorch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004389:Durable Medical Equipment / Q000191:economics; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D013677:Medical Laboratory Science / Q000191:economics; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D012656:Self-Help Devices / Q000191:economics; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D017216:Telemedicine
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic