Five Reasons to Make That Well-visit Appointment
4/22/2021
If you've put off seeing your doctor for fear of catching or spreading the COVID-19 virus, Keys Medical Group primary care and family medicine physicians want you to know it's safe and important to schedule an appointment.
Precautions for your safety include social distancing, masking of patients, staff and providers, and enhanced cleaning of commonly touched surfaces. Telehealth, or virtual visits, are available with most providers.
“We want our community members to feel comfortable getting the care they need and making their overall health a priority,” said Norman “Rocky” Tingle, M.D., medical director of Keys Medical Group. “Even in as challenging a year as this has been, it is important to continue to manage chronic conditions and routine medical issues so they don’t become more serious problems.”
Here are five reasons to make an appointment for your next well-visit or check-up.
- Check on your general health. The practice has a record of your health metrics over time, including cholesterol, blood sugar, weight and others. If any numbers are trending in the wrong direction, your doctor can help you make a plan to get back on track with lifestyle changes, diet or medical treatment.
- Manage chronic conditions. Ongoing medical concerns, whether diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or others require regular monitoring by a provider to keep them from progressing to life-threatening levels. Regular checkups can help you avoid a medical crisis.
- Identify issues early with routine screenings. The practice keeps records of your screening exams to help you remember when it’s time to get your colonoscopy, mammogram, bone density test, prostate exam and other screenings. Early identification of many illnesses can give you the most options for treatment and better outcomes.
- Stay current on vaccinations for your protection. While you’re hearing plenty of news about the COVID-19 vaccine, there are a number of other vaccinations to prevent disease as your immune system weakens over time. Flu shots annually. Tetanus shots every ten years. Vaccines for shingles and pneumonia and more. The practice will remind you when it’s time to get your immunizations.
- Keep prescriptions updated. Bring a full list of your medications, including any over-the-counter, so your physician has a complete picture of what you’re taking. An annual review can identify possible side effects or medication conflicts.
Of course, the most important reason is peace of mind about your health. Keys Medical Group has 15 providers in 8 convenient locations to make it easy for you to access care. Schedule an appointment online at KeysMedicalGroup.com or call one of our primary care locations.
Keys Medical Group is a multi-specialty practice of board-certified physicians working with other healthcare providers in primary care, general and interventional cardiology, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic surgery and sports medicine, otolaryngology, psychiatry, and pulmonology.
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