Get Ready for Your Yearly Checkup: 3 Simple Steps
Based on Medicare.gov, Yearly "Wellness" visits
Learn why annual physicals in West Ashley are crucial for your long-term health. Discover how our integrative approach combines preventative care with wellness strategies for optimal health outcomes.
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Checkups, preventive care and ongoing care for chronic conditions in West Ashley, Charleston. New patients are often able to be scheduled within a week of requesting an appointment. Schedule an appointment today.
In this guide
Before the Visit
- List every medicine and supplement
- Note any new symptoms
- Ask relatives about new diagnoses
During the Visit
- Share how you sleep and feel
- Ask what each test is for
- Ask which screenings are due
After the Visit
- Compare results with past years
- Ask what your numbers mean
- Keep up with your screening plan
What the guideline says
- An annual physical reviews your medical history, family health history, medicines, supplements, allergies and vaccines.
- The exam checks vital signs such as blood pressure, heart rate and weight, and compares them with earlier years.
- Mental health is part of the visit, with questionnaires that screen for depression and anxiety and questions about sleep, stress and substance use.
- The focus changes with age, from building healthy habits as a young adult to fall risk, medicines and memory at 65 and older.
- Before the visit, list every medicine, vitamin and supplement you take and write down your questions.
- Medicare covers a yearly wellness visit, but it does not cover a routine physical exam.
Source: Medicare.gov, Yearly "Wellness" visits
Read the full article: Annual Physicals in West Ashley: Why They're Essential for Long-Term Health →
This guide is general health information and does not replace advice from your own provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bring a list of every medicine, vitamin, supplement and herbal remedy you take, notes on any new symptoms, updates on your family health history, your questions, records from specialists you have seen and your insurance card.
Most routine blood tests do not require fasting; if yours does, your provider will tell you. If you take insulin or diabetes pills, ask before fasting.
Your primary care provider coordinates them based on your age and risk: mammograms with imaging centers and colonoscopies with gastroenterologists in the Charleston area.