A Survey on the Status of Dermatology Home Visits Initiated by a Home Care Support Clinic in Sapporo City.

Abstract

Our clinic is a home care clinic located in Sapporo City, and we began providing dermatology house calls by a full-time dermatologist. We retrospectively investigated the actual situation of 300 consecutive new patients during the first six months. The most common underlying conditions among them were sequelae of cerebral infarction, intractable neurological diseases, and dementia, while the most common dermatological conditions were eczema/dermatitis, skin mycosis, and pressure ulcers, in that order. It was possible to achieve stable profits within two months from the start of house calls. It has been reported that over 70% of home care patients have skin diseases. While there is significant demand for house calls by dermatologists, the reality is that not many medical institutions provide comprehensive dermatology house calls due to profitability and other issues. It is strongly desired that the medical fee system be reviewed in accordance with social needs.