Capital District Times

For many individuals, visiting a primary care provider involves traveling to a clinic. However, the patients of Dr. Kevin Costello enjoy appointments in the comfort of their own homes. Dr. Costello is one of the few primary care physicians in the Capital Region who provides home care.

Dr. Costello has recently been recognized by the New York Chapter of the American College of Physicians with the Award for Clinical Excellence. He is described as “an exemplary internist, a clinical role model, a physician we would all want for our parents, and ultimately ourselves, and a clinician who has delivered care under the most challenging conditions ranging from medical field deployments in Operation Iraqi Freedom to the care of vulnerable homebound adults.”

Initially trained in geriatric medicine, Dr. Costello began home visits while working at Albany Medical Center's Internal Medicine Group in the 1990s. By 2004, he transitioned to seeing nearly all his patients at home. Now, he manages the health of over 150 patients throughout an 11-county area, often traveling 300 miles weekly. His workdays begin early with administrative duties and phone calls and can extend late into the evening. He also schedules weekend appointments when needed.

Dr. Megan Gerber, chief of Albany Medical Center’s Division of General Internal Medicine, remarked that Dr. Costello’s patients are elderly individuals with complex medical needs who have typically been deterred from routine care due to travel difficulties or anxiety about medical settings. The demand for Dr. Costello's services has surged post-pandemic, leaving a lengthy waitlist for new appointments.

Dr. Costello collaborates with other home care providers, including the Albany Med Health System Visiting Nurses. This organization offers both skilled and personal care services at home, ranging from wound and pulmonary care to personal assistance with daily activities.

Dr. Costello's car also doubles as a teaching environment. He is frequently accompanied by students from Albany Medical College's Geriatric Medicine program or other health disciplines, who benefit from the interprofessional learning opportunity. Patients and their families have been receptive to this educational aspect of care.

Dr. Costello aspires to establish a home care training program in association with Visiting Nurses, Albany Medical College, and other local entities. He emphasized the need for rebuilding and expanding the home care workforce through cooperative efforts in the wake of the pandemic.

The need for such services continues to grow, illustrating the vital role that home-based care providers like Dr. Costello play in the healthcare system.