Is an Annual Checkup Truly Essential?

Year after year, many people participate in the seemingly unending cycle of scheduling their annual checkup around their birthday. This tradition is followed by approximately one in five Americans, rooted in the belief that it underpins their wellbeing. But, is this customary visit to the doctor every year truly required?

Brad Sevy, DO, a Primary Care Physician at Adena, sheds some light on this frequently asked question. He says, "As a general rule, I tell most patients if you’re 40 and up, you should have the annual physical. If nothing else, it allows us to touch base and make sure there’s nothing new that’s popped up."

The Comprehensive Benefits of Regular Medical Checkups

The comprehensive benefits of regular medical checkups are well recognized. These visits offer an opportunity to stay up-to-date with screenings, vaccinations, and long-term health planning. Specifically, they allow you to:

• Set a standard for monitoring your health parameters like weight, vital signs, and blood pressure.
• Promote healthier lifestyle choices.
• Enable early detection of potential health issues.

For women, these routine examinations may include a pelvic exam or Pap test to detect any gynecological problems, cervical cancer, or HPV. Meanwhile, men could be screened for potential signs of prostate cancer, testicular cancer, or hernia.

Avoiding Over-testing: The Balance

The general consensus is that tests or screenings should be primarily reserved for those presenting symptoms or having known risk factors. Over-testing can lead to false-positive results, triggering undue anxiety, needless additional tests, and treatments. This gives rise to the apprehension that something might be discovered only if one is actively looking for it.

Dr. Sevy elucidates, “Some folks are concerned that the more you look, the more you find. But most family medicine doctors follow the United States Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), who put out guidelines on frequency of screening and how much testing to do so you’re never putting patients through more testing than is necessary.”

Healthcare: Evolving Perspectives

Healthcare professionals are currently pondering whether there might be more effective strategies to promote health than the traditional yearly examination. They question the genuine health benefits of the routine procedures such as a cursory physical examination, drawing a few tubes of blood, and some general advice on diet and exercise.

The real question is whether these annual visits contribute to maintaining your health, or whether you are essentially healthy already.

A recent study by the New England Journal of Medicine proposes three approaches to transition from annual health evaluations to fostering lifelong health and wellness:

1. Relationship building - Fostering the doctor-patient relationship is a crucial aspect of comprehensive care. Visits could shift focus from tests and lab work towards discussions about your medical and social history. Instead of a conventional physical, the time could be better utilized for wellness consultations.
2. Proactive preventive care - Medical professionals and patients need to proactively participate in preventive care. If doctors can engage patients through online risk assessments and discussions on preventive care outside of the office, it may render annual checkups unnecessary by keeping a regular check on health.

Finding What Works for You

For those in their 20s and 30s, annual doctor visits may not be necessary. However, if it’s been some time since your last blood test, it's always a good idea to check in and ensure everything is functioning well. Always pay attention to what your body is telling you. If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked out.

Dr. Sevy explains, “These visits are really to gauge risk, so we can provide a more tailored approach to your care. Our goal is to keep you healthy and catch up on any health conditions that may have slipped in the last year or so and correct that as soon as possible.”

Finding What Works for You

For those in their 20s and 30s, annual doctor visits may not be necessary. However, if it’s been some time since your last blood test, it's always a good idea to check in and ensure everything is functioning well. Always pay attention to what your body is telling you. If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked out.

Dr. Sevy explains, “These visits are really to gauge risk, so we can provide a more tailored approach to your care. Our goal is to keep you healthy and catch up on any health conditions that may have slipped in the last year or so and correct that as soon as possible."