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A Richfield Medical Group patient gets his blood pressure checked during an annual wellness exam

Why You Should Schedule Your Wellness Exam

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Call it a checkup, a physical or a wellness exam — an annual visit to your primary care physician is the number one best way to be proactive about your health. Many people only visit the doctor after symptoms begin to develop. But taking the initiative to see them even when you feel fine is an important part of maintaining your good health and catching potential issues early on.

Here are a few reasons why you should schedule your wellness exam today:

Preventative Care

Wellness exams are designed to catch potential health issues before they become a bigger problem. For example, a blood pressure health screening can detect hypertension, a leading risk factor for heart disease. Cholesterol screenings can gauge if blood sugar is healthy or near early diabetic levels. By monitoring for certain underlying conditions early, you and your doctor can work together to prevent them from affecting your health, plus stay up to date on when — and how often — you should schedule your screenings.

Early Detection

Catching health issues early aims to identify disease at the earliest possible point before it can progress into something more serious. For example, if you have an abnormal mole, a skin exam can detect it early and prevent it from turning into skin cancer. In the event cancer is detected, early detection greatly increases your chances of a successful diagnosis and treatment outcome. Taking the time to schedule one wellness visit a year can make this the main differentiator in staying healthy.

Establishing a Relationship With Your Healthcare Provider

Having a regular healthcare provider or primary care physician can be beneficial for many reasons. They can get to know you, evaluate your lifestyle habits and review your medical history, which can help them make more informed decisions about your care. It’s also a great time to ask your healthcare provider any questions you may have about your health, enabling them to provide you with guidance and support throughout your health journey. 

It Helps Create a Baseline of Health

Staying accountable and actionable about your health starts with your wellness visit and continues with the healthy habits you make every day. After vetting your health info and talking about ways to improve your health, your primary care physician may work with you to create an action plan. Do you need to quit smoking? Exercise more? Eat healthier? Make other lifestyle changes to avoid turning to medication and/or lowering the risk of chronic conditions? It’s a chance to be proactive about your choices and track your health progress every year with every visit.

Keeping Your Vaccinations and Medical Records Updated

Given the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the world, we’ve become more conscious than ever before about getting vaccinated to protect ourselves from new and emerging diseases that can affect not only ourselves, but our loved ones and others, too. Keeping up with regular physicals and wellness exams keeps you on point to making sure all your vaccinations recommended by your doctor are up to date. 

It’s Cost-Effective

Regular wellness exams can save you money in the long run. Not only can detecting certain health issues early prevent costly medical treatment bills, but also, many insurance plans cover the cost of checkups and wellness exams — a cost-friendly way to maintain your health for years to come. And if you don’t have health insurance at the moment or coverage including wellness visits, many doctors’ offices and clinics offer affordable or discounted billing plans.

Schedule a Wellness Exam With Richfield Medical Group

At Richfield Medical Group, we strive to create a collaborative, accessible healing environment where fun, passionate people thrive and excel at improving and sustaining health. Your health starts with you, and working with your doctor to schedule an annual wellness visit is a great way to make healthier choices, prevent illness and start taking charge of your own health outcomes. 

Ready to request an appointment and start your health journey with us? Start by contacting us today.

A Richfield Medical Group doctor holds a stethoscope to a patient's chest during a medical wellness screening

What To Expect During a Medicare Wellness Screening

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Getting regular check-ups is an important part of maintaining your physical health. In the past, people only used to visit their doctors when they were sick, but that trend has changed. Preventative health care is becoming commonplace. People are becoming more health conscious and many are eager to take a more active stance in managing their health. 

There has never been a better time to preemptively seek medical advice on how to live a healthy lifestyle. This is why scheduling Medicare Wellness screenings is so important. Read on as we explain everything you need to know about them.

What Is a Medicare Wellness Screening?

Once you enroll in Medicare, you are eligible to receive a Welcome to Medicare Wellness visit within the first 12 months. An annual wellness screening is a yearly appointment with your primary care physician. When you come in for your Medicare Wellness screening, you can expect the following:

  • Complete review of your medical and social history
  • Depressing screening
  • Fall risk screening
  • Blood pressure, height, weight and BMI check
  • End-of-life planning discussion
  • Education, counseling and a referral based on results of review

Your Annual Medicare Wellness Visits Are Important

After your first visit, you should continue attending Medicare Wellness screenings on a yearly basis. You will find that these visits are similar to the initial one you had. You can expect:

  • A review and update of past medical, family and social history
  • Blood pressure, weight and BMI check
  • Depression screening
  • Screening for fall risk and ability to perform daily living activities
  • Cognitive impairment screening
  • Review of your current medical providers, such as if any specialists are involved in your care
  • Review of medications
  • Health advice covering risk factors and how to minimize them, as well as treatment recommendations

We Provide Outstanding Primary Health Care

Richfield Media Group provides in-clinic services, such as radiology, access to a hearing specialist, and of course laboratory testing and screening. In most cases, our physicians receive and review your results within 5-7 days. When you visit Richfield Medical Group, you will enjoy a collaborative, accessible healing environment. Our fun, passionate team members strive to improve and sustain your health. In most cases, the key to staying healthy is by staying ahead of the curve. That is why preventative care is so important.

Are you trying to decide which level of care is right for you? Look no further. At Richfield Medical Group, we take a personal and proactive approach to improving and maintaining our patients’ health. From virtual visits and testing to preventative care, our dedicated medical staff prioritizes the health of you and your loved ones. If you would like more information on virtual visits, primary health care or Medicare Wellness screenings, please contact us today. 

A mother schedules her next clinic visit for her children in the waiting room at Richfield Medical Group in Minnesota.

When to Schedule a Clinic Visit for Your Child

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Having a trusted primary care doctor near you is essential as you take care of your family. Children face a myriad of health challenges and risks that can be difficult to diagnose and treat without the help of a family doctor. When your child presents with pain, illness, or lingering symptoms, it can sometimes be hard to decide whether or not they require medical attention.

When determining whether to schedule a clinic visit, a set of guidelines can be immensely helpful. Consult this checklist to learn how best to proceed with the medical care of your child.

If It’s Urgent, Go to the Emergency Room

Certain symptoms can be cause for immediate concern, and in such cases, you should take your child to the nearest emergency room or urgent care facility immediately. If your child experiences any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention right away:

  • Persistent, intense vomiting
  • Labored breathing
  • Eye tearing for more than 15 minutes, or eye trauma
  • Cuts or gashes that may require stitches
  • Head trauma
  • Fever over 100.4 degrees for an infant, or over 105 degrees for a toddler and older
  • Severe headache
  • Refusal to eat or drink
  • Signs of serious dehydration

These symptoms could be caused by a larger issue impacting your child’s health, and they should be dealt with urgently.

If It’s NOT Urgent, Schedule a Clinic Visit

If it is clear that your child is not in immediate danger of an urgent health issue, you may need to schedule a clinic visit and consult with your local family doctor instead. Call a physician and schedule an upcoming appointment in the event of:

1. Chronic Symptoms

Symptoms that periodically arise, fade away, then resurface days or weeks later could be the sign of a condition or ailment requiring treatment. Chronic issues such as joint pain or headaches are often associated with an underlying cause that can be assessed and treated by a family care provider.

2. Long-Lasting Symptoms

If a mild symptom, such as dull pain, fatigue, or fever persists for an extended period of time, it could indicate that the body is dealing with a chronic issue or is having trouble fighting an illness. Symptoms that persist for more than a few days should be treated by your primary care physician.

3. Mild Injuries

Injuries that result from sports, falls, or other activities and result in swelling or lasting pain could be cause for concern. Hairline fractures, sprains, and strains can become worse over time if they are not properly treated, so always schedule a clinic visit when faced with these minor injuries.

4. Persisting Pain

Pain is a bodily response that tells you not to use a certain extremity or signifies a complication or stressor. Pain that persists for hours or days is not natural or normal, and it should be addressed promptly by a primary care doctor near you.

5. Topical Ailments

Rashes, burns, and hives can occur due to a wide variety of factors. An allergic reaction, for example, requires different treatment than an abrasion. Before resorting to a topical ointment or cream, consult your family doctor regarding identification of the issue and next steps.

6. The Start of a New Sport Season

Many sports require physical exams for athletes to register. Even in sports devoid of this requirement, it is a prudent family practice to stay up-to-date on your child’s physicals when they are engaged in athletic activity. Your family doctor will be able to offer recommendations that could help your child remain healthy and strong throughout the season.

7. When You’re Not Sure

When in doubt, schedule a clinic visit. The longer you wait to address issues, the more damage they could potentially incur on your child’s health. If you have lingering uncertainties about an illness or injury, book an appointment to be sure.

8. At Least Once Per Year

Having healthy children is satisfying and reassuring. If your children have not required medical attention in the past year, schedule a clinic visit to ensure their health is on a positive trajectory. Physicals are recommended for patients of all ages on a yearly basis to help prevent issues from developing and identify any causes for concern in the early stages.

Promote Your Child’s Health with Richfield Medical Group

Working with a doctor who knows your family and can deliver customized, intentional health solutions will help keep your children safe and healthy for whatever life throws at them.

If you’re searching for a primary care provider in the Twin Cities, consider the doctors at Richfield Medical Group. We are a patient-first clinic, dedicated to meeting your family’s health care needs with effective and convenient treatments. Whether you need an annual checkup, a same-day appointment, or chronic symptom management, our team of providers are here for you. Schedule an appointment and meet our care team. At Richfield Medical Group, we deliver primary care for the whole family – in Minneapolis and beyond.

OUR LOCATION

RICHFIELD MEDICAL GROUP
6440 NICOLLET AVENUE
RICHFIELD, MN 55423

612-861-1622

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