Add an Annual Physical To Your Health Routine

A regular health routine can help benefit your long-term wellness, but it can be hard to know where to start. Adding an annual physical to your schedule is a simple way to get ahead of your health. Here’s why.

What is an annual physical?

Think of a physical as a yearly check-in with your primary care physician. It’s a chance to update your physician on things that might affect your health. You and your physician will discuss your lifestyle, family medical history, and more. These conversations give your physician a better understanding of your unique situation and allow for more personalized care.

Your physician will also perform physical exams, hence the name physical. You might be familiar with most of these general exams where your doctor checks your eyes, ears, nose, throat and more. Based on what your physician discovers during the physical, they may refer you to more specialized care or recommend changes to your lifestyle. These recommendations can be general screenings like evaluating BMI or a lipid panel to check cholesterol levels. They can also be more specific to the patient, like A1C to check blood sugar and lung screenings for smokers. Your physician might even recommend heart and vascular screenings like a heart scan, carotid artery screening, or abdominal aortic aneurysm screening.

Based on your medical history, your primary care physician will also tailor your annual physical to best suit you. This could be based on existing conditions, things you discussed at your last physical, or your age.

What is the benefit of an annual physical?

An annual physical allows you to get ahead of any healthcare needs before they become problematic. Treatment becomes a lot easier when we detect issues early. Early detection is a large influence on better health outcomes like longer lifespans and lower mortality.

But physicals are equally as important if you’re relatively healthy. An annual physical is also about building a relationship of trust with your provider. The better the relationship between you and your physician, the more personalized care they can provide.

How do I schedule an annual physical?

It’s easy to schedule your annual physical online using MyChart or by speaking with your primary care provider. Don’t have a primary care provider? Use the Find a Doc tool to locate a great Community physician near you online or by phone.

It’s important for all adults to integrate an annual physical into their health routine regardless of age or wellness. Get ahead of your health and develop a better relationship with your physician by scheduling yours today.