Prevention and wellness services can help maintain proper health and detect potential issues as soon as possible. Your Secure Health Medical Group Physician can discuss which prevention services are right for your individual health needs.

 

What are prevention services?

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force provides guidelines for doctors to help advise them about which services older adults may need. There are many different types of preventive services. A few of these include:

• Vaccinations, such as the shingles vaccine or seasonal flu shot

• Cancer screenings

• Annual physical exams

• Bone density tests for osteoporosis

• Blood tests for diabetes and blood sugar

• Mental and cognitive health checks

• Vision and hearing checks

• Fall prevention discussions

• Dietary counseling

• Preventative medications, such as aspirin or statins

 

For older adults covered by Medicare, many preventive services are free. This includes a free annual visit with your doctor to discuss potential health risks.

 

Why are prevention services important?

Prevention services can help detect health concerns before they happen, or before they become even bigger problems.

 

Getting vaccinations can help prevent certain diseases, or reduce the risk of complications from those diseases, such as influenza, pneumonia and shingles. Many of these diseases carry significant risks for older adults.

 

Early detection of many types of cancer can help improve the length and quality of a patient’s life. For example, regular colorectal screening allows a doctor to detect and remove polyps that might otherwise develop into cancer. Mammograms and regular self-exams can help a patient or their doctor find a mass that could be removed before it develops into breast cancer.

 

Physical exams and wellness checkups are also considered preventative care. During these visits, you can ask questions and discuss health concerns with your doctor, and work together to develop a plan to help improve your overall health and wellbeing.

 

At Secure Health Medical Group, our patients always come first. We will work with you to provide the care you need, when you need it.