See the Doctor When You’re Well – Routine Wellness Checks

How often do you see your primary care physician? Did you know you should see them at least once per year when you’re not sick? 

Regular wellness checks are an important part of every patient’s health, no matter their age. These routine checks and preventive screenings should begin immediately after birth and continue throughout the rest of a patient’s life.

What is a wellness check-up?

A good primary care provider offers a patient-centered approach that customizes interventions and screenings to an individual patient’s age, gender, risk factors, and other determinants of health vulnerabilities. 

Routine wellness visits – sometimes referred to as “routine health maintenance visits” – typically last longer than a standard sick appointment. During that time, the provider will go through a number of preventive health checks and screenings that focus on disease prevention, early detection of various conditions, and the promotion of overall wellness. 

How often should I see my doctor for a wellness check-up?

Most patients should see their primary care provider for a “well check” at least once per year. However, some patients may benefit from more frequent check-ups. 

For example, infants typically have five or more well visits in the first year of life. Patients with chronic concerns like diabetes, asthma or hypertension may see their provider more often to ensure their conditions are well-managed and to avoid preventable complications. 

What is the provider looking for at a routine check-up?

Plenty of generally healthy patients may have no symptoms at all prior to their routine check-ups! But numerous conditions can develop without symptoms (like chronic kidney disease, for one), and others can be slowed, prevented or reversed if they’re caught early enough. 

Routine health maintenance may vary for each patient. Some things, like a healthy weight, active lifestyle and balanced diet, are beneficial for everyone. But providers may also monitor other concerns based on the patient’s individual and family health history. 

Some common preventive activities at any check-up may include:

• Vaccinations 

• Weight checks and/or monitoring

• Patient education and lifestyle counseling, as needed

• Lab work to check cholesterol levels, organ function, enzyme levels and more

• Preventive screenings, especially for hereditary conditions or age-related concerns

• Check-ins on key health indicators, like blood pressure, mental health status and more, depending on the individual patient’s risk factors

• Prescription reviews to ensure all medications are working as intended, that no dangerous interactions are present, and that all prescriptions are ideal for the patient’s current health condition

What factors may influence the preventive care patients receive at routine health check-ups?

Properly done, routine health maintenance is personalized, and patient education is an important piece of every check-up. As mentioned above, a number of conditions can be slowed, prevented or reversed when a patient understands the risks and can make necessary changes. Additionally, early detection can be the difference in a relatively treatable condition and one that changes everything, like with many cancers.

Some factors that may influence the specifics of your regular check-up(s) include:

• Family history, especially for conditions with strong genetic components like heart health, obesity, hypertension, cancer and more;

• Lifestyle factors, such as a habit of smoking, poor diet or physical inactivity;

• Age, especially as a number of risks increase as patients get older;

• Chronic conditions, defined as any health concern that lasts more than one year and that typically requires ongoing management;

• Environmental exposures, especially if the patient works in a high-risk job or is otherwise exposed to things like mold.

Are there risks associated with skipping routine wellness check-ups?

In addition to early detection of a variety of conditions, regular wellness check-ups can establish a valuable “baseline” for your primary care provider regarding your health. 

The risks of skipping these regular check-ups include: 

• Late diagnosis of a disease, which can make it difficult to manage or, in some cases, fatal;

• Increased risk of chronic disease (especially if early intervention could prevent or reverse it, such as in the case of prediabetes); 

• Preventable infections;

• Poor management of risk factors;

• Reduced quality of life;

• …and more.

Ready to see a provider?

The board-certified providers at The Kinder Clinic are available to assess your needs and support your health. Click here to request an appointment, or call us at 337-738-2713.