What should I expect from my Annual Wellness Visit?
Before your visit, your PCP will ask you to complete a Health Risk Assessment (HRA). The HRA asks about your health status, injury risks, and urgent health needs. Your first Annual Wellness Visit will be the most comprehensive. During your visit, you can expect your PCP to:
- Record your height, weight, blood pressure, other basic measurements
- Assess your functional ability and safety risks (hearing screening, falling risk, ability to complete activities of daily living, and home safety)
- Ask about your medical and family history
- Document and review all your medications, including prescriptions and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs
- Screen for cognitive impairment (Alzheimer’s and dementia) and depression
Each year, your PCP will use this information to update your preventive health plan and screening schedule. They may also refer you to necessary health education or preventive counseling services to lower risk factors for things like weight loss, fall prevention, tobacco cessation, or physical activity.
You should always come prepared with your medical and family history, immunization records, a list of your current medications (prescribed and OTC), and any questions or concerns you may have.
It is important to follow your PCP’s recommendations and schedule the follow-up care you may need. By the end of your visit, you and your PCP will have created (or updated) your personalized prevention plan. This written plan lets you know which screenings, shots, and other preventive services you need to complete in the next 12 months. These services may include:
- Blood pressure screening
- Bone density scan
- Cancer screenings (ex. breast, colorectal, lung, prostate)
- Cholesterol test
- Diabetes screening
- Vaccines (I.e., COVID-19, flu, pneumococcal, shingles)
- Vision and hearing tests