Published: February 19, 2024
Visiting your primary care provider may be challenging with a busy schedule but, there are many reasons to prioritize getting your, and your family’s, annual wellness visits scheduled!
“We are committed to ensuring continuity of care for all patients, so completing your annual wellness exam or completing a sport physical along with a well child exam is important,” says Zuhair Abualrihy, M.D, of Sparrow Medical Group Portland. “Tracking you and your family’s growth as well as proactively discussing health concerns helps prevent illness as well as identify issues early.”
Here are some important reasons to book your next annual wellness exam
- Track your health year to year and update your records. You and your provider can talk about ways to improve your health and create an action plan during your wellness exam. Your health record will be updated, and the provider may also update your list of current medical providers. This allows them to make more informed decisions about your treatment plan, screenings, and other recommendations they may have.
- Be efficient with your time! Booking your child(ren)’s well-child exam may allow you to maximize your time and complete their sports physical at the same time. Sports physicals are covered by most insurances when included in annual wellness exams. Updated sports physicals may be completed on or after April 15, 2024, to be considered for the 2024-25 season.
- Catch issues early and correct unhealthy habits. Annual visits for you and your family mean that your provider can easily track changes in your health and potentially treat them at an earlier stage. A wellness exam is designed to offer preventative health services and advice (diet, exercise, sleep, stress and more).
- Build a deeper relationship with your provider. When you skip your annual wellness visit, you may end up only visiting your primary care office when you are sick. The better your provider knows you and your family, the easier it is to care for you. The wellness exam is also a great opportunity for uninterrupted discussion with your provider to raise concerns and ask questions.
###
Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier healthcare organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia and St. John, as well as Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. Sparrow is part of University of Michigan Health. Through the dedication of our 10,000 caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience. For more information, Sparrow.org.