By Shelly Abell, R.N., St. Luke’s Clinic – Family Practice Associates
Historically, people felt the need to seek medical attention when they were ill, felt under the weather, or near death. A prevailing medical strategy was, “If it is not broken, don’t fix it.” Fortunately, the annual wellness exam has become a common practice for people who are hoping to head off health problems before it is too late.
The annual wellness examination is an opportunity to focus on disease prevention and health promotion. Examinations provide a stepping stone for the development of a relationship between the provider and patient. Medical providers use the wellness exam to evaluate how the body is performing. An average wellness exam may include but is not limited to the following components:
- Comprehensive exam specific to age, gender and risk factors.
- Vital-sign monitoring that typically includes blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, as well as temperature, height and weight.
- Medication management (risk vs. benefit).
- Chronic disease care.
- Laboratory tests which may include a complete blood count, chemistry panel, lipid panel (cholesterol test), prostate-specific antigen (men only), thyroid panel and urinalysis.
- Skin evaluation for dermatological health.
- Updated health history.
- Developmental, behavior and/or psychologic health evaluation.
Additional differential screening tests for men and women may be requested.
Preventive care to offset chronic disease should be woven into all aspects of life, including where we live, work, learn, play and grow. Apart from disease screenings, the annual wellness exam is beneficial to answer patient questions about health and lifestyle choices while presenting an opportunity to steer patients in a healthy direction. When scheduling an annual wellness exam, you are making an important decision to take responsibility for your health and quality of life.
Don’t have a physician? Call the Center for Community Health (208) 727-8733 for help finding the right provider for you.
