Annual Wellness Exams With Internal & Family Specialists

What Are The Specific Benefits Of Annual Visits With Family And/Or Internal Medicine Doctors?

Wellness visits are what allow us to stay healthy from year to year, because the services offered during these visits are preventative. In children, for example, services include vaccinations or guidance through complex teen developments. For adults, it can include family planning and STD screenings. Annual physical exams also allow doctors to spot the signs of mental health or chronic illness risk factors. 

The annual exam most valuable when we can discuss someone’s medical history, chronic issues, and recommendations for lifestyle changes. By addressing risk factors for various illnesses - and by ordering regular testing for ailments that patients are at an increased risk of developing - we can help patients prevent many health problems altogether. When problems cannot be 100% prevented, annual visits also allow us to form care plans with patients that prevent illnesses from becoming intense and harmful; and this early intervention reduces the impact of the symptoms patients may experience.

What Exactly Does A Family Practice Doctor Do?

Family practice specialists provide ongoing, regular, and comprehensive health care to people and families. Family medicine gets its name because this type of care grew out of the need to support the ongoing health of entire groups of people (i.e. families and communities), instead of merely treating the acute problems of a particular organ system, sex, or other specialized medical categories and focuses. This means that rather than specializing in a single type of care or health issue, family practice doctors study a range of biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences. This allows them to address the general health - and preventive health - needs of all people.

Your Practice Also Offers Internal Medicine Services - How Is This Different From Your Family Practice?

Defining internal medicine versus family practice care is a very common question. Essentially, the primary difference between an internal medicine doctor and a family medicine doctor is their line of study. Internal medicine is defined by a focus on the study of adult health issues, rather than family/pediatric care. 

What Is An Annual Wellness Exam?

An annual wellness exam refers to a yearly doctor’s visit, ideally with a single primary care physician (or PCP). By meeting with your doctor on a yearly basis, you as an individual will have an opportunity to review your physical state and confirm the best steps you can take to care for your body and health from year to year. Yearly appointments will also allow you and your doctor to confirm whether or not you need to begin any screenings for age-related illnesses, as well as for illnesses that may run in your family.

Do I Really Need To Schedule An Annual Doctor Visit?

Yes! Meeting us on yearly basis will ensure your access to timely and standard physicals, blood lab work, and screenings based on gender, age, family history and other factors. (Note that if you are diagnosed with a chronic condition - such as high blood pressure, diabetes or other risk factors for heart disease - your doctor will likely recommend even more frequent consultations.)

What Should I Expect During My Annual Exam?

During your annual wellness exam, you may experience a combination of the following:

• Your doctor will check your height, weight, and blood pressure, as well as take other routine measurements
• Your doctor will check your vital signs, including temperature, heart rate, and respiration rate
• Your doctor will conduct an annual physical exam, which includes an inspection of your eyes, ears, and throat; sometimes this will include lightly touching areas like your abdomen and back as well
• Your doctor will check your vaccination history; you may need a new vaccine or a booster shot during your visit
• You and your doctor will review your prescription medications, as well as vitamins and supplements
• You may answer a health risk assessment questionnaire to help identify your health status, injury risks, behavioral risks, and urgent health needs
• Your doctor may review and confirm your medical and family history, and coordinate additional screenings as needed (ex. blood tests, colonoscopy, etc.). Your doctor will also use this history, and your current health overall, to provide guidance on reducing your risk for disease and illness moving forward

Based on the information gathered, your doctor will finally provide specific health advice and referrals as needed to bring your day-to-day healthcare records and plans up-to-date.