What is an annual wellness physical?
A physical exam, also known as a wellness check or medical exam, is a routine healthcare assessment designed to evaluate your overall well-being. Whether you’re wondering, “What is a physical?” or considering an annual wellness check, understanding the importance of these examinations is crucial.
During a physical exam, a healthcare provider conducts a thorough assessment of your health, focusing on various aspects of your well-being. This comprehensive evaluation includes reviewing your medical history, assessing risk factors for diseases, and evaluating your current medications.
The physical portion of the exam typically involves measuring your height and weight, checking your blood pressure and pulse, and conducting various health tests. These tests may include blood tests to screen for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, thyroid issues, kidney and liver function, and immune system health.
Additionally, your healthcare provider may recommend specific screening tests tailored to your age, gender, and any risk factors you may have. These could include Pap smears, STD screenings, mammograms, and PSA tests.
What to expect during an annual wellness exam?
The medical exam will cover a comprehensive review of your health. Your health care provider will ask questions to assess your overall well-being, perform a thorough physical evaluation and order a series of tests to get a basic idea of how your body is doing. Typically, your physician will use a physical exam check list tailored to your age, gender, and any risk factors you may have. Among these checks are the following:
- Review and verification of medical conditions and medical history
- Assessment of risk factors for disease
- Assessment and evaluation of current medications
- Height and weight check
- Blood Pressure and Pulse check
- Health tests
- Blood tests that would screen for diabetes, heart disease, thyroid, kidney, liver, and immune system function
- Recommended screening tests, such as Pap smear, STD Screening, mammogram, PSA
These annual health tests are vital because they act as preventative care, detecting abnormalities in their early stages, before they affect your body. They are regarded to be the most important component of your annual wellness exam with your doctor.
What is a virtual annual wellness exam?
A Virtual Annual Wellness Visit includes all of the same health checks, blood tests and screening tests done during an in-person exam. In addition, a Virtual Annual Wellness Visit includes a head-to-toe virtual physical exam. The virtual physical exam is done via visual inspection, patient-presented data like vital signs, and physician-guided self-palpation by the patient. It is helpful for the patient to have their own home monitoring devices (scale, blood pressure cuff, thermometer and pulse oximeter) and other monitoring or wearable devices to use during the visit. Before the visit, patients might be asked to weigh themselves in the morning and to take an accurate basal blood pressure, pulse and temperature readings.
When do I need to come in for an in-person annual wellness exam?
- When the in-person exam is required by an organization, institution, employer or a professional school (ex: USCG Mariner Physical Exam, DOT exam, College Physical Exam)
- When you developed new, unusual symptoms (e.g. severe abdominal pain, acute chest pain)
Book your annual wellness physical exam today:
A physical exam is a vital component of your overall healthcare regimen. These regular checkups serve as a form of preventative care, enabling the early detection of abnormalities and conditions before they become problematic. So, whether you opt for an in-person physical exam or a virtual one, you are taking proactive steps to monitor and maintain your health.
What are the benefits of a annual physical exam?
- Personalized, high-quality and compassionate medical care
- Thorough information about the current status of your health and well-being
- Current, evidence-informed recommendations on wellness, fitness, nutrition and lifestyle changes
- Targeted treatment recommendations on how to better manage existing medical conditions and symptoms
- Preventative guidance on reducing or elimination medical risk factors
- Knowledge and help to regain a sense of control over health outcomes