Questions To Ask Your Doctor At Your Next Wellness Visit
Article Courtesy of | St. Joseph Health
Both you and your doctor want the same thing from your annual virtual or in-person wellness visits—to check in and make sure you’re not only healthy now but also setting yourself up for a healthier future.
Here are four questions we recommend you ask your primary care physician during your next wellness visit.
- Am I able to schedule a virtual visit for my next appointment?
- What lifestyle choices do I need to make?
- What vaccines are recommended for me?
- When do I need to start seeing a geriatric specialist?
Keep reading to learn more about why these questions are important to ask your physician.
1 Am I able to schedule a virtual visit for my next appointment?
Televisits have existed for many years to help patients connect with their doctors from the comfort of their own homes. In an episode of the Inside Health Podcast, Dr. Clint Cheng, a primary care physician at St. Joseph and Texas A&M Health Network in College Station, joins Kevin Keys to discuss virtual appointments. Dr. Cheng mentions that while some people will prefer in-person appointments, televisits are still a useful tool.
“It’s great to have technology to allow us to overcome some of the hurdles that this pandemic has put in our path.” —Dr. Cheng
While some patients might feel anxious that telehealth will eventually replace in-person visits, that’s not the case. Telehealth serves to elevate your care side by side with your usual in-person visits.
2 What lifestyle choices do I need to make to have a healthy future?
You are the one who knows best what kind of lifestyle you want to lead. Do you work an office job and want to know what kind of physical activity will help keep you fit? Maybe you have friends who recently started a keto diet, and you want to know how that would impact your health?
The best person to discuss this with is your primary care physician. Your physician can look at your previous bloodwork and medical history to help you choose the best lifestyle to positively impact your health.
3 What vaccines are recommended for me?
In a world where vaccine misinformation is rampant, it’s more important than ever to ask your primary care physician about vaccines. Immunizations can help protect not only yourself but also your community from the spread and mutation of diseases.
While not every person is eligible to get certain vaccines, we still recommend you talk with your primary care physician about your options.
4 When do I need to start thinking about senior care?
Aging happens to all of us, but it can be difficult to determine when to seek a geriatric specialist for ourselves or our loved ones. Senior care is an integral part of human life and something that we see as an imperative facet of health care.
Don’t be afraid to bring up your concerns about senior care with your primary care physician, and be sure to ask when you should consider visiting a senior care specialist. Your primary care physician can refer you to a specialist who will focus on your individual care needs.
Schedule your annual wellness visit with your primary care physician today!