Make Time to Prioritize Your Health

Many people believe that annual wellness visits are only necessary for children and seniors. But getting a yearly checkup should be an important part of everyone’s wellness plan, no matter your age.

“Often, middle-age adults don’t routinely come into the clinic for wellness visits,” said Stacey Greenwell-Osborne, APRN, CHI Saint Joseph Medical Group – Primary Care, Bardstown. “But it’s important for everyone to have an annual wellness visit, which helps us to take steps to prevent disease.”

Practicing Prevention

An annual wellness visit gives your doctor the opportunity to discuss screenings and other issues that don’t normally come up during visits to address specific illnesses.

During a wellness visit, doctors will check vitals, administer any necessary vaccinations and do a brief physical exam. They will also talk about cancer screenings, as well as lifestyle changes that can improve your health, such as quitting smoking and losing weight. He or she may also order blood tests to check cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

“I encourage everyone to attend their annual wellness visit to establish an individualized wellness care plan,” Greenwell-Osborne said. “We also have telehealth availability for patients who prefer meeting that way.”

Ready to schedule your annual wellness exam? Find a provider at CHISaintJosephHealth.org/find-a-provider to make an appointment.

A version of this article originally appeared in the Summer 2021 edition of Spirit of Health. For more stories like this one, subscribe to Spirit of Health magazine today.