Why You Should Seek Preventive Care

Preventive care refers to the proactive measures taken to prevent health issues rather than addressing them after they have already arisen. This approach also involves detecting potential conditions or illnesses early before they develop into more severe problems.

Providers recommend seeking preventive care at least once a year. Your healthcare provider may suggest more frequent visits depending on your age and health status. Preventive care is for patients of all ages, including children, adults, and seniors.

Benefits of Preventive Care

Seeking preventive care from a primary care provider offers individuals various advantageous outcomes. These include:

Catching Health Issues Early

Preventive care plays a crucial role in promoting good overall health. By regularly seeking care, individuals can identify potential health issues at an early stage when they are easier to treat. It's a chance to review your family history for key past health problems such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and strokes among others, which may impact one's own healthcare decisions and screening. Additionally, preventive care encourages healthy behaviors such as exercise and healthy eating contributing to improved overall health. By practicing preventive care, individuals take a proactive approach toward their health and actively work towards maintaining and improving it.

Better Management of Chronic Conditions

Primary care doctors can help manage a patient’s chronic conditions long-term. Chronic conditions can include diabetes, heart disease, asthma, obesity, and more. Primary care providers can monitor symptoms, new issues related to the condition, and medications.

Lower Overall Costs

Detecting chronic conditions at an early stage can significantly diminish the necessity for more complex interventions in the future and hospitalizations, which are known to drive up healthcare expenses. Taking proactive measures at an earlier stage can substantially alleviate the impact of long-term illnesses on the healthcare sector. Many preventive care costs are covered by health insurance so the patient does not need to pay a large sum out of pocket.

What Counts as Preventive Care?

The most common preventive care measures include a physical exam by your provider, immunizations and vaccines, and routine blood work. In addition to these, preventive care can consist of the following:

• Blood pressure, cholesterol & diabetes screenings
• Cancer screenings (mammograms, colonoscopies, and skin checks)
• Health education and counseling
• HIV and STD testing
• Lifestyle interventions (such as smoking cessation or weight management programs)
• Preconception and prenatal care for pregnant women
• Screening for mental health conditions
• Vision exams

St. John’s Health provides primary care services to patients in Jackson, Wilson, and Lander. Contact one of our primary care offices today to schedule preventive care services.