Making Your Health Our Priority
What to Expect at a Yearly Wellness Exam (or Checkup)
Is it time for your yearly checkup? It will be very helpful for you and your physician to start your partnership when you’re not facing big challenges, and a baseline exam will allow your clinician to recognize changes more easily to your health status.
Be open and honest with your care team about any medical concerns or changes in your body. Monitoring and transparency are keys to faster diagnosis and better outcomes.
Preparing for your wellness appointment
Choose to book an appointment directly online, schedule via phone, or schedule through MyChart with your existing provider. In the weeks leading to your appointment, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Bring a list of medications and supplements - Write down your medications, the dosage, and how often you take them. If you have previously seen the SSM Health provider, you can also update the medications directly in your MyChart account prior to your appointment.
- Family history - If this is the first time visiting your SSM Health primary care provider, be sure to note your family's health history. Capture any diseases, illness or causes of death in your blood-related siblings, mother, father, and grandparents.
- Questions and concerns - To ease your mind, it is helpful to write down your questions and concerns prior to the appointment. If you are experiencing abnormal symptoms write down what you are feeling or observing, how often this happens, and inquire if you see any trends. For example, does the symptom start after you eat something in particular? What is your activity level when experiencing a certain symptom?
What to expect during your wellness visit
In order to stay up to date on all aspects of your health during your visit your care team will:
- Measure your height, weight, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI)
- Review your medical and family history
- Discuss your lifestyle habits like diet and exercise
- Perform a basic physical exam
- Review your current prescribed and over-the-counter medications
- Offer you any vaccinations you are due to receive
Additionally, your clinician will discuss ordering indicated imaging or lab services such as X-rays, blood work, or cancer screenings. Your care team will review the tests and get back to you with the results via MyChart or phone.
Additional health tips by age
Along with the preventive screenings, there are many health conditions to be mindful of that tend to happen at certain ages. Learn more in our Men's Health, Women's Health and Senior Health sections.