Why You Need Preventive Care at Every Age
For all the things that matter most, take time for preventive care. At every age, you need regular wellness visits, screenings and vaccinations to help you maintain your health, catch problems early or avoid them altogether.
Partner With a Primary Care Provider
Primary care providers are trusted health experts who can help you reach your best overall health throughout your life. It’s important to see a primary care provider once a year for a health checkup, known as a wellness or preventive visit. Infants and young children should
follow the well child visit schedule to stay on track with checkups at key milestones.
Don’t have a primary care provider? Find a doctor near you.
What To Expect During a Wellness Visit
During a wellness visit, your provider will:
Assess your overall health and well-being
Your provider will review your medical and family health history and any associated risks. They’ll screen for mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. And check health indictors for early signs of conditions like heart disease.
Create a plan to lower health risks
Your provider will next create a personalized plan to help you lower your risk of developing serious health issues later. They can recommend screenings and tests based on your age, health history and screening guidelines. For example, women should start Pap smear tests at age 21 to prevent cervical cancer. At age 40, men and women should receive a comprehensive heart screening to learn about their heart health, and at 45, screen for colorectal cancer.
Keep you up to date on essential immunizations
Everyone from infants to older adults should stay up to date on their vaccinations to maintain good health. Your annual wellness is a great time to do this. Your provider will know which vaccinations you need for protection from common illnesses, harmful diseases and even different types of cancer. As your health and wellness partner, your provider can also answer any questions you have.
View an immunization schedule by age.
Offer expert health guidance and education
Our primary care providers are dedicated to helping you stay healthy throughout your life.
They can provide expert health guidance and education for managing a medical condition, improving physical and mental health, and preventing health issues in the future. Refer you to specialty care
If you need to see a specialist, your provider can coordinate your care and follow up after your treatment. At Sanford Health, you’re connected to a wide range of specialists committed to the highest quality patient care.
Need to Schedule a Wellness Visit?
Call your local clinic or use My Sanford Chart. There are several types of providers who can serve as your primary care doctor, based on your age and health needs. Learn about the role of a pediatrician, family medicine provider, internist and women’s health provider.
Find a provider
Wellness visits are covered by most insurance plans. Please note, when new health concerns are addressed at a wellness visit, there will likely be an additional cost. With commercial health plans, cost can vary by insurance provider.
Preparing for Your Wellness Visit
- Write down questions you have so you remember to discuss them at your wellness visit.
- Bring a list of all prescribed and over-the-counter medications, herbs and supplements you take and how much you take of each.
- If this is your first visit at Sanford Health, bring copies of your medical records, including information about your family’s medical history.
Benefits of Regular Preventive Care
Regular preventive care can make all the difference helping you live a long, healthy life. By
finding health issues early, you can receive treatment when it’s most effective.
Having an established, ongoing relationship with a primary care provider is also linked to improved health and fewer hospital stays.
Preventive Care and Screenings You May Need
Your primary care provider will recommend screenings based on your medical history and personal health needs. These screenings and services are often a part of your wellness visit.
• Immunizations
• Cholesterol screening
• Cervical cancer screening
• Breast cancer screening
• Colorectal cancer screening
• Prostate cancer screening
• Lung cancer screening
• Heart screening
• Vascular screening
Preventive Screening Schedule by Age
Men ages 18-39
- Annual wellness visits
- Cholesterol screening once between the ages of 21 to 29 and every five years between the ages of 30 to 44
- Vaccinations
Women ages 18-39
- Annual wellness visits
- Cholesterol screening once between the ages of 21 to 29 and every five years between the ages of 30 to 44
- Vaccinations
Cervical cancer screenings:
- Pap smear every three years starting at age 21
- Pap smear and HPV cotest every five years starting at age 30
Men ages 40-64
- Annual wellness visits
- Annual blood pressure screenings
- Annual heart and vascular screenings
- Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
- Prostate cancer screenings starting at age 50
- Vaccinations
- Cholesterol screenings every five years between the ages of 30 to 44 and annually starting at age 45
- Colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 45 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years
Women ages 40-64
- Annual wellness visits
- Annual blood pressure screenings
- Annual heart and vascular screenings
- Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
- Annual mammograms
- Vaccinations
- Cholesterol screenings every five years between the ages of 30 to 44 and annually starting at age 45
- Colorectal cancer screenings at age 45 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years
Cervical cancer screenings:
- Pap smear and HPV cotest or an HPV test every five years
Men 65 and older
- Annual wellness visits
- Annual blood pressure screenings
- Annual cholesterol screenings
- Annual heart and vascular screenings
- Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
- Prostate cancer screenings
- Vaccinations
- Colorectal cancer screenings through age 75 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years
Women 65 and older
- Annual wellness visits
- Annual blood pressure screenings
- Annual cholesterol screenings
- Annual heart and vascular screenings
- Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
- Annual mammograms
- Vaccinations
- Colorectal cancer screenings through age 75 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years
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