Faith Community Hospital System discusses the importance of preventative healthcare.
JACKSBORO, Texas (Dec. 5, 2022) – Are you healthy? Do you know if you are at risk of cancer or disease? Are you taking the proper precautions to prevent the onset of certain ailments? These questions, along with others, are what medical providers aim to answer during annual wellness visits. While these essential screenings are important, Faith Community Hospital System (FCHs) reminds adults in the community to schedule annual wellness visits.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), regular health exams, screenings and tests can help medical providers find problems in patients before they advance.
“When it comes to preventative healthcare, annual wellness visits can mean the difference between life and death. It’s an opportunity to document the state of your health and be on the lookout for conditions that you might be at risk for down the road,” says Jessica Coker, Family Nurse Practitioner in Jacksboro. “Having a proactive role in your healthcare means you are doing what you can to live a longer, healthier life.”
The CDC estimates that fewer than half of American adults, age 65 or older, and fewer than a quarter of adults, ages 50 to 64, receive the recommended level of preventative health services. This includes immunizations, and cancer and cardiovascular screenings.
Annual wellness exams typically review height and weight changes; check for possible diseases that could be treated early; update necessary immunizations; and order laboratory screenings that check cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.
Before your next wellness visit, Cocker recommends that you review your family health history and write down any new conditions or diseases that have occurred in your family since your last visit. If you have put off any health screenings previously recommended, it is important that you share that information with your medical provider. Lastly, think about any symptoms you have been experiencing or want to ask your medical provider about.
“Being open and honest during a wellness exam is what is most important. Your health is at stake,” Coker explains. “Time with your primary care provider is the perfect opportunity to ask questions about your health that may have been lingering in the back of your mind for some time.”
Most private health insurances, along with Medicare, cover the cost of preventative wellness visits once a year.
For more information about annual wellness visits, or to find a local medical provider, please visit www.fchtexas.com
