Catch up on care: Schedule your checkup

Many of us can make a long list of things we missed in 2020: family reunions, weddings, graduations, and vacations. For too many people, checkups also belong on that list.

Yearly wellness visits are important, so now’s the time to catch up by making an appointment with your healthcare provider. Remember, checkups aren’t just for kids. Adult women and men should also protect their health by having a physical exam every year.

“Parents are likely to make sure their kids have regular checkups, but they often forget they need that care too,” said Dr. Nancy Zidek, family practice physician at Community HealthCare System, or CHCS. “Wellness visits help patients and providers connect and make sure we recognize and address any issues that arise.”

A typical wellness visit includes:

Blood pressure screening
Height and weight measurements
Review of health history, including medications and family history
Screening for various problems, including mental health issues
Preventive care recommendations, such as immunizations, disease‐based testing, and laboratory tests
Cancer screenings, such as mammograms for women or PSA tests for men

Most importantly, these visits help patients and providers get to know each other.

“An overlooked benefit of regular checkups is building a relationship with your doctor or provider. This improves the quality of care in the future, when a problem comes up,” said Dr. Marcus Weiser, family practice physician at CHCS.

According to Dr. Zidek and Dr. Weiser, patients who missed checkups last year shouldn’t be fearful about coming back to their clinic.

“Even as COVID‐19 cases decrease in our area, we are still taking precautions to protect patients and staff,” Dr. Weiser said.

Providers know many patients have experienced significant stress because of the pandemic, and they want to be sure that patients take important steps to protect their health as focus shifts from the pandemic to resuming typical activities.

“2020 was a stressful year for everyone,” said Dr. Zidek. “We know that physical and financial stress and the accumulated effects don’t disappear overnight. We are here to help our patients assess their overall health and get back on track to maintaining good health.”

Catch up on your care by scheduling an appointment today! Call your clinic or schedule in our Patient Portal.