Heritage Health

In an era of computers and hand-held devices, healthcare providers are looking back to an old-fashioned approach to medicine, talking with patients about whatever might ail them.

In recent years, the health care industry has created the annual wellness visit.

Annual wellness visits focus on preventive care for health and wellness issues and developing strategies to address them, based on the patient’s overall health and risk factors such as family history, smoking, eating habits and substance abuse.

“We’ve found that there are a lot of factors that influence a person’s overall health,” said Dr. Peter Purrington, Heritage Health’s Chief Medical Officer. “Knowing a patient’s social interactions with friends and family is important to understanding stress and accompanying behaviors. A patient might be using alcohol as a coping mechanism for undiagnosed depression. We can connect the dots and provide resources to help that patient.”

It’s an approach gaining popularity across the country because it allows the provider to create a master plan and schedule important tests, such as colonoscopies and mammograms that can help detect cancer.

“Early detection saves lives and the annual wellness visit provides an avenue for a referral to those screenings,” he said. “If we can save lives by having those conversations, it is invaluable.”

People often confuse annual wellness visits and annual physicals.

“Patients need to ask for an annual wellness visit,” said Purrington. “It is similar to but different than an annual physical. Ultimately, they are different things.”

What are the differences?

An annual wellness visit allows the patient to sit down with their provider and review all aspects of their life. Think of it as a wholistic approach to health care, focusing on mind, body and spirit. A physical is simply looking at a person’s body and how its functioning.

An annual physical is a more extensive exam that typically includes drawing a patient’s blood and sending it to the laboratory to check things like cholesterol, white blood cell counts and liver and kidney function. Physicals might also include a lung exam, head and neck exam, abdominal exam and a check of your reflexes.

“Your medical provider cares about you and annual wellness visits are a great opportunity for you to talk with your provider about all of your health concerns,” said Purrington.

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To schedule an annual wellness examination call (208) 620-5250.