Primary care at home on the Illinois side
The Metro East is the part of Illinois that lies across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. Gateway’s region covers both sides of the river, and this page is for people who live in Illinois. Four counties are involved: Madison, St. Clair, Monroe and Clinton.
Primary care at home brings a clinician to the house, apartment or senior living community. Gateway’s clinicians provide the medical care. We connect adults with partner clinicians and manage the work around the visit. See our overview of primary care for the range of care that can be arranged.
Who visits
Visiting clinicians who see patients through Gateway may be physicians, podiatrists (DPM), nurse practitioners or nurses, matched to the patient’s needs. The treating clinician makes every clinical decision.
Towns and counties we look at first
Availability is confirmed by address and care setting, so use this as a guide to our pages rather than a promise of visits.
- Madison County. Includes Alton, Edwardsville, Collinsville and Granite City.
- St. Clair County. Includes Belleville, Fairview Heights and O’Fallon, Illinois.
- Monroe and Clinton counties. See Monroe and Clinton counties for the more rural areas to the south and east.
The full list of Illinois town pages appears at the bottom of this page and in the Metro East overview. O’Fallon, Illinois is a different city from O’Fallon, Missouri. Give us your full address if you are not sure which applies.
Crossing the river for care
Many Metro East residents see physicians, specialists or hospitals in Missouri, and others use Illinois providers. Bridge traffic and unfamiliar parking can make that a hard trip for someone with limited mobility.
A house call removes the crossing for routine primary care. When a specialist visit or test is needed, the clinician will say so, and Gateway can help with scheduling and transportation arrangements. Visits happen where you live, whichever side of the river your other doctors are on.
What a house call can include
The treating clinician decides what each visit covers. In general it can include a health history, an exam, a medication review, follow-up for long-term conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, orders for tests or equipment, specialist referrals and a conversation about future care wishes.
Working with your current doctors
A house call does not have to replace the doctors you already see. With your permission, visit notes go to your current physicians, and the clinicians agree on who handles refills, forms and test results. If you have no primary care clinician, tell us when you call.
Illinois plans are not Missouri plans
Insurance can be where people cross state lines without noticing. Illinois Medicaid is a separate program from Missouri’s MO HealthNet. Illinois residents generally use their own state’s Medicaid, and the rules, managed care plans and participating providers differ between the two states. If you live in Illinois, ask your Illinois plan about home visits.
Medicare is a national program, but Medicare Advantage plans have service areas and networks that can differ across the river. Whether a visit is a benefit and what you might owe depend on the treating provider, your plan and the care needed. Our page on Medicare and primary care at home lists questions to ask.
Where visits take place
- Private houses and apartments
- Assisted living and memory care communities
- Skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers
Visits in a community are arranged with the community as well as the resident.
How to start
Call 314-325-0126 with the patient’s ZIP code, or send a request for care with a name and phone number. Please keep medical details for the phone call. We confirm availability for the address and explain the next step. A family member can call for someone else, and no referral is needed to start.
House calls are planned care, not emergency care. For chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke or heavy bleeding, call 911.
Common questions
Does Gateway make house calls in Illinois?
Gateway’s region includes the Metro East, and we coordinate care there with partner clinicians. Availability is confirmed by address and care setting, so call 314-325-0126 with the ZIP code and we will tell you what we can arrange.
Will my Illinois Medicaid plan work with a Missouri clinician?
That depends on the plan and the treating provider. Illinois Medicaid is separate from Missouri’s program, and participation rules differ. Ask your plan which providers can see you at home, and tell us your plan when you call so we can raise the question with the practice.
I live in Monroe or Clinton County. Can I still ask?
Yes. Call with your ZIP code and the care setting. Rural addresses can take more checking, and we will tell you plainly what we can confirm and what we cannot.
Can I keep my doctor in St. Louis?
Yes. Many Metro East residents keep a physician or specialist in Missouri. A house call clinician can work alongside that doctor, and with your permission notes and questions go to the doctor’s office.
Can visits happen in senior living communities?
Yes, you can ask. Visits in assisted living, memory care and other communities are arranged with the community as well as the resident, and the treating clinician works alongside the nursing staff.