If you’ve put off seeing your doctor for fear of catching or spreading the COVID-19 virus, Dr. Edward Reese wants you to know it’s safe and important to come in.
“Depending on your situation you may feel that your health is wonderful or unfairly difficult. Regardless of your current situations, meeting with a health care provider regularly will help reduce uncertainty and health risks,“ said Reese of Regional Physician Services Primary Care. “I encourage you to commit to your health through regular health visits.”
Here are five reasons to make an appointment for a well-visit or check-up without delay, according to a press release from Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center.
• To check general health. The clinic has a record of a patient’s health metrics over time, including cholesterol, blood sugar, weight and others. If any numbers are trending in the wrong direction, a doctor can help make a plan to get back on track with lifestyle changes, diet or medical treatment.
• Manage chronic conditions. Ongoing medical concerns, whether diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or others require regular monitoring by a provider to keep them from progressing to life-threatening levels. Regular checkups can help avoid a medical crisis.
• Identify issues early with routine screenings. The practice keeps records of a patient’s screening exams to help them remember when it’s time to get a colonoscopy, mammogram, bone density test, prostate exam and other screenings. Early identification of many illnesses can give the most options for treatment and better outcomes.
• Stay current on vaccinations for the patient’s protection. While the public hears plenty of news about the COVID-19 vaccine, there are a number of other vaccinations to prevent disease as an individual’s immune system weakens over time. Flu shots annually. Tetanus shots every 10 years. Vaccines for shingles and pneumonia and more. The practice will remind the patient when it’s time to get immunizations.
• Keep prescriptions updated. Bring a full list of medications, including any over-the-counter, so a physician has a complete picture of what the patient is taking. An annual review can identify possible side effects or medication conflicts.
Regional Physician Services has more than a dozen primary care providers, including in Poplar Bluff, Dexter, Malden and Puxico.