As 2022 winds down, ensure you’ve taken care of all your health-related tasks. That includes your annual wellness visit. If you haven’t visited your primary care provider yet, there’s still time. Your wellness visit is free of charge, regardless of whether you’ve met your deductible. So, there are no excuses. Why is it so important that you schedule your wellness visit?
It’s Not a Physical
It’s important to point out that annual wellness visits are not the same as annual physicals. Wellness visits are way more valuable. They touch on how you’re doing both physically and mentally. And they give you an opportunity to build a relationship with your doctor. During these visits, you’re not just discussing your aches and pains. You’re talking about overall conditions and creating a treatment plan to help keep you healthy.
Establishes Personal Health Benchmark
If you only visit your doctor when you’re sick, they never truly get a complete picture of your health. By taking a preventative care approach and seeing your doctor routinely, including for your wellness exam, your provider can establish your personal health benchmark. This is a benchmark that will help your provider gauge your overall health over time. Together, you’ll see whether your conditions have improved or declined, which will help guide you on your healthcare journey.
Catch Diseases Early
Your wellness visits allow your provider to compare your personal health benchmarks from year to year, helping to screen for diseases. The slightest change could signify the onset of a health condition. For example, a significant rise in your blood pressure or cholesterol could be an early symptom of heart disease. When caught early, you can take proactive steps to treat these conditions or prevent them altogether.
Wellness Visits are Your Ticket to Better Health
If you want to achieve Better Health, you must be proactive. Your annual wellness visit gives you that one-on-one time with your provider where you can discuss everything from your hearing and vision to your diet and weight, in addition to all things health-related. It truly helps to set the path toward Better Health.
Don’t go into the New Year blind. Set your personal health benchmark now and create your health goals for next year. Schedule your annual wellness visit today!