Prioritize your long-term health with regular exams!

Picture this: You’ve just arrived at work on Monday morning and a headache ensues. You take some Tylenol and hope it goes away quickly because you have a busy day ahead. After an hour, your headache worsens and you start to get a sore throat and runny nose, so you decide to leave and take a sick day. Later at home, you develop a high fever, and it’s hard to catch your breath. At this point, you decide it’s time to see a doctor to uncover why you’re not feeling well and get help —but suddenly you realize you don’t have a primary care provider!

With a quick internet search, you find a nearby primary care office and call them to make an appointment, only to be told there are no available appointments for two weeks for new patients!

Does this sound familiar?

Establishing a Primary Care Provider

To help avoid frustration with the long wait times that are customary for new patients, it’s best to establish your health care provider team by scheduling your annual or routine exams! These types of exams occur when you’re not feeling sick, otherwise known as preventive care. Preventive care may include annual checkups, screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, laboratory tests, such as cholesterol or A1C, and counseling on health topics, such as tobacco use and immunizations.

Your annual preventive exam (a.k.a. wellness visit or annual physical) not only establishes your primary care provider (PCP), but can help you catch early warning signs of a health condition (e.g., pre-diabetes, hypertension, etc.) before they become serious. They can also determine your risk for chronic conditions (e.g., osteoporosis, heart disease, etc.) due to lifestyle and family health history and work to help you stay well. Best of all, annual preventive exams are offered at no cost as part of your medical insurance plan*!

Annual Exam Recommendations

Certain types of preventive care are recommended every year (dental cleanings), while others may depend on your age, gender and family history. For example, it’s recommended for all adults aged 45 to 75 years to have a colonoscopy every 10 years to screen for colorectal cancer—IF they do not have an increased risk of the disease.

Work with your health care team to determine what screenings and tests are best for you! If your PCP cannot provide a specific test, they can give referrals and coordinate information with other healthcare providers. Be sure to check with your insurance carrier to see what’s included in your preventive care benefits.

*ACA-compliant medical plans cover preventive services with no member cost-sharing when provided by a healthcare provider that is in your plan’s network.