A passion for service: HouseCalls practitioners share their stories
The power of HouseCalls
No matter what part of the country they’re from, HouseCalls advanced care practitioners (APCs) are united in their passion for service and helping UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members live healthier, richer lives. Whether it’s somewhere rural, in the heart of the city, or somewhere in between, HouseCalls APCs are meeting members where they live.
Beyond providing routine care and assessments, HouseCalls APCs work to educate the members they serve and help ensure they have the tools to make informed health care decisions, after they leave.
“It's just so important that every interaction I have throughout the day and every appointment we instill some sort of education into our membership and our patients that we serve,” said Robert Riepenhoff, a geriatric adult nurse practitioner for HouseCalls in Ohio. “So many people have medications that they really don't know what they're taking and why.”
A HouseCalls visit gains its impact from its versatility. The experience can help to address gaps in care, assess a member’s home for potential risks and provide a point of connection to a member’s provider. If the member does not have a provider, a HouseCalls practitioner can help the member get one.
In 2024 alone, HouseCalls addressed over 3 million gaps in care for UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage members. Moreover, 75% of these members had an in-office primary care visit within 90 days of a HouseCalls visit.1
No matter what the situation, the connective thread between each HouseCalls visit is compassion. Going to the provider can be intimidating, and reliable transportation can be difficult. Older adults, especially those who might be struggling with anything from food insecurity to a chronic condition, sometimes just need a friendly face to help begin a health care journey. Each HouseCalls APC is driven to provide empathetic care in all of these circumstances and beyond.
“The social aspect of our job is really important because I think a lot of times, members are very apprehensive to let people in their house,” said Tyanna Montijo, a HouseCalls APC who sees members in a mix of urban, rural and tribal areas in Arizona. “Maybe they don't really like talking to people. So I use it as an opportunity to just sort of say, ‘Hey, you know, we're in your home. These are your rules. I'm just going to be asking you some questions. Tell me what you feel comfortable answering.’”
And what’s more, sometimes it’s observing what’s going on in the home that can help drive better outcomes. For example, it might be seeing some easy fixes to help prevent falls in the house. Or an APC can connect a member to needed resources to help with social drivers of health – such as food, housing and transportation that make up over 80% of health outcomes.2 In fact, 575,000 of HouseCalls visits were completed in low-income communities in 2024.1
“Being inside their home, I really get a bigger picture of any health risks that they may have,” said Tammy Pennington, who works in southwestern Virginia. “And it opens up many more areas of conversation and teaching that I can provide to them.”
HouseCalls visits exist at the intersection of rigorous, evidence-based care and a friendly face.
“During just a brief one-hour visit,” Robert said, “we can go from the person being kind of cautious when you initially see them, to the end of the visit where you're getting a huge bear hug.”
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