Have you received your Medicare annual wellness visit for 2020? If not, you may be looking to schedule your appointment and may be wondering about what to expect. Here at Innovative Care Medicine – Riverside, we take pride in making sure our patients feel comfortable in our office, so we have provided some information to help prepare you for your upcoming examination so that you are fully aware of what to expect at your appointment.
What is the Annual Wellness Visit (AWV)?
Your annual wellness visit is used to help your primary care provider (PCP) determine a prevention plan for you based on your current health and risk factors. This examination is not a head-to-toe physical but is rather a general health overview to identify those risk factors that make you more vulnerable to illness. Upon arrival, you may be given a health questionnaire that you can complete prior to seeing the doctor that will help us in completing your health risk assessment. During your initial visit you may have some of these assessments completed by your PCP:
- Have routine measurements taken such as your blood pressure, weight, and height
- Take a list of any medications you are currently taking
- Take a list of any other providers you may be seeing or have seen recently
- Review your functional ability and any risk factors for your safety and health. This can include tests to assess your hearing, risk of falling, and your ability to do everyday tasks.
- Discuss family and medical history
- Take screenings for cognitive impairment and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Take a screening for depression
- Create a written 5-10 year schedule for when to receive future screenings and tests based on your current health and safety status
- Provide health and safety advice and educate you on the many services aimed to reduce your risk factors and promote wellness
While this list may seem extensive, it is important to note that not all of these will need to be completed on a yearly basis after your initial exam. At subsequent visits your doctor will mostly be updating your records, assessing any changes in your health or safety risk factors, and providing advice to promote your health and safety in the coming year.
Maintaining annual wellness visits is not only important to keep your medical record up-to-date but is also important to keeping your health and safety in check and making sure you are taking the appropriate preventative and/or treatment measures. Here at Innovative Care Medicine – Riverside, we put patient care first and we know how important your safety and comfort are when it comes to your healthcare. If you have any questions about Medicare Annual Wellness Visits, or if you would like to schedule your appointment, contact Innovative Care Medicine – Riverside today.