Why Annual Wellness Visits are Truly Important

Helpful Highlights

• Foremost, providers see things people may not notice themselves. Spending a lot of time with someone blinds us to subtle changes occurring that a provider can detect.

• The best time to see a provider might be when we're feeling well because it's easier to highlight signs and symptoms that indicate we are not well.

• Bringing a family member, friend, or care partner to an annual checkup can be helpful for all involved—including the provider—offering another perspective and supporting the individual during the visit.

• Adhering to any follow-up recommendations, treatments, or referrals is an important part of ongoing health and well-being.

There’s no rule on how often older adults should see their healthcare providers, but most should have at least one medical checkup a year, even if they seem perfectly well. During annual wellness visits, the provider can evaluate for disease risk, review medications, check on health concerns and chronic condition management, talk about lifestyle topics, and go over recommended tests.

But why have an annual checkup, really?

A provider can do routine tests that we can't access at home, such as bloodwork, EKG, and other screenings. These provide important insights into health status.

Age increases the risk of health problems and many conditions don't have symptoms until they're really bad. A provider is more likely to find a health problem than we can on our own.

Problems and risk factors can be found that increase the likelihood of getting sick in the future and spark a discussion on what can be done about it.

It's an ideal opportunity to review medications, which is essential for safe and effective care. The healthcare provider needs a complete and current list of all prescription and nonprescription drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal products. That way, the provider has the most up-to-date list and can identify any potential interactions, any that are possibly causing health problems, and confirm that medications are effectively managing chronic illnesses.

Annual visits also highlight habits that may need improvement—diet, exercise, sleep, stress—and provide sound, personalized advice from a medical professional.

Staying up-to-date on recommended vaccinations and getting the latest information on managing chronic conditions is easier during these visits.

Preventive care saves money by reducing the need for costly treatments through early detection and intervention.

Only a provider can refer someone for additional tests or specialists when needed. They are key in coordinating total care.

Finally, providers can review recommendations with care partners or family members attending the visit, offering guidance and support in helping someone maintain independence and well-being.