Health

The Doc Makes House Calls

Posted at August 18, 2006 11:37

By Diana Lambdin Meyer

Dr. Natalie Hodge goes about her work as a pediatric physician each day the old fashioned way — she makes house calls to her young patients in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton and surrounding neighborhoods.

Dr. Hodge estimates it has been more than thirty years since doctors have made regular house calls in this country. While a handful of physicians make house calls for a portion of their practice, she is believed to be the only doctor nationwide to have a house-call only practice.

A graduate of the University of Kentucky School of Medicine who did her residency at Children’s Hospital of St. Louis, Dr. Hodge practiced for seven years in a traditional medical office setting, seeing as many as forty patients a day. After giving birth to two children of her own, now two and five years old, Dr. Hodge wanted something different for herself and her patients.

“When I had my own children, I realized how convenient and pleasant it would be for the doctor to see my children at home.” She now sees an average of five patients a day.

Having just celebrated her first anniversary in business as Personal Pediatrics, Dr. Hodge has received inquiries about her practice from
doctors around the country.

To learn more about Dr. Hodge’s innovative work, visit www.personalpediatrics.com.

February 2006

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