Are Wellness Visits the Same As Annual Physicals?

A physical examination is a routine test performed by Dr. Priti Ranjan at Nest Family Medicine to assess your overall health. This allows her to evaluate your health status and offers you a chance to discuss any health-related questions or concerns you have. During your annual exam, she will review your general medical history, check your vitals, and discuss your lifestyle. The goal of this visit to our Plano, TX office is to identify any possible signs or concerns of diseases so they can be treated early to prevent more serious health issues from developing. However, most insurances only allow this exam once a year. A wellness visit is a preventive service, which patients usually won’t pay anything for.

What is an annual physical exam?

At Nest Family Medicine, we recommend having a physical exam annually, especially those over age 50. At your annual physical exam, we will want to learn many aspects of your health, including:

• Weight

• Height

• Age

• Blood pressure

• Heart rate

• Temperature

After this initial exam, we will inspect your body for any abnormal growths or signs of concern, including swelling, bruising, and inflammation. Next, Dr. Ranjan will have you lie down to assess your abdomen and other body parts. After she completes the physical portion of your exam, a blood test is performed to complete a full blood count and cholesterol check. If necessary, she may also order additional tests.

Annual physical exam vs. wellness visit

While an annual physical exam is important, a wellness visit focuses on ensuring your health stays at its best for the future too. A wellness visit hopes to prevent disease by developing a personalized treatment plan. We will look at your current health, your family history, and potential risk factors to determine this plan. We may perform a risk-assessment questionnaire that helps us look for any risk for developing certain things, such as diabetes, heart disease, or colon cancer, to name a few. We will look for any signs of cognitive impairment during this visit and screen for depression.

We will create a schedule for the next decade for tests such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and other screenings. During this wellness visit, you may also choose to get a vaccine, such as a flu shot or the COVID-19 vaccine.

After your visit

Once your visit is over, you will schedule a follow-up exam to review the results of your blood work and other tests (if ordered). Depending on your results, Dr. Ranjan may make several recommendations on how you can improve your health. They may include changes to your diet, exercise, and other lifestyle choices, such as smoking. She may choose to prescribe certain medications that can help manage any risks for developing future medical problems.

Schedule your wellness visit for optimal health

At Nest Family Medicine, we are committed to providing compassionate, patient-focused care for patients of all ages. We offer both annual exams and wellness visits that focus on preventive treatment. If you are experiencing health issues or you want to find ways to prevent you from developing certain diseases in the future, schedule a wellness visit with Dr. Priti Ranjan at our Plano, TX, office. We accept most major insurance plans and Medicare.