Preventive Care
Even if you are healthy, you should still see your provider for regular checkups. These visits can help you avoid problems in the future. For example, the only way to find out if you have high blood pressure is to have it checked regularly. High blood sugar and high cholesterol levels also may not have any symptoms in the early stages. A simple blood test can check for these conditions.
The purpose of these visits is to:
- Screen for diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes
- Look for future disease risks, such as high cholesterol and obesity
- Discuss alcohol use and safe drinking and tips on how to quit smoking
- Encourage a healthy lifestyle, such as healthy eating and exercise
- Update vaccinations
- Maintain a relationship with your provider in case of illness
- Discuss medicines or supplements that you are taking
- Discuss fall prevention and managing safety and medical issues that may contribute to falls
Testing & Screening
Depending on your age and medical history, your provider may schedule you for tests or screens that may include any of the following:
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar
- Cholesterol (blood)
- Colon cancer screening test or colonoscopy
- Depression screening
- Genetic testing for breast cancer or ovarian cancer in certain women
- Hepatitis B
- HIV test
- Lung cancer
- Mammogram
- Osteoporosis screening
- Pap smear
- Tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and other sexually transmitted diseases
