Your Annual Wellness Exam: Why Starting the New Year With a Checkup Matters

You’ve probably made a few resolutions to start the new year, right?

If any of them focus on diet and exercise, board-certified family nurse practitioner Pamela Phillips, Ph.D., FNP-C, and our team at Phillips Family Medical think the absolute best way to start those resolutions off with the best chance of succeeding is by scheduling an annual wellness exam to start the new year with a checkup.

Here are a few reasons why it matters.

Establish a baseline

If you’re planning to lose weight and improve your health this year, you need to know your starting point. We’ll take all your vitals (blood pressure, weight, etc.) so you’ll know your baseline measurements and can see where you need to improve.

Build a personalized plan

Once you have these baseline measurements, you can work with our team to develop a personalized plan to lose weight, lower your blood pressure, improve your fitness, control your blood sugar, or deal with whatever issue is most pressing. We can customize this plan to your specific situation and lifestyle to give you the best chance of success.

Detect issues early

Coming in for an annual exam also lets us detect the early signs of any health problems you’re not yet aware of, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, or high cholesterol. Early detection enables us to treat the problem when it’s small and treatment is easier, before it affects your health too much.

Review medications

We can also review any medications you’re taking to make sure they’re still effective and appropriate, and adjust them as necessary. We’ll also ensure any new prescriptions won’t interact negatively with medicines you’re already taking.

In addition, if you have any chronic conditions such as high blood pressure or asthma, we can assess your current situation and see if you need any changes to your treatment plan.

Schedule screenings

At your annual exam, we can ensure you’re up-to-date on your vaccinations, and we can schedule any screenings you’re due for, such as a mammogram or cancer screening.

Strengthen your relationship

Visiting your provider each year enables you to build a strong relationship. You may not think this is necessary when your health is good, but when issues arise and you contract a disease or face an emergency medical situation, you’ll be glad your provider knows you and your medical situation personally. They can coordinate treatment and give you the best care possible.

Ready to get that exam scheduled? Our team at Phillips Family Medical is here to serve you. Just call our DeSoto, Texas, office during regular business hours or use our online scheduler anytime.