The fear surrounding the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has caused many patients to delay their preventive health screenings and appointments. In fact, 32 percent of U.S. adults canceled their annual wellness checkups and screenings in 20201. However, maintaining your health is just as important as protecting yourself from COVID-19. Delaying routine health appointments can be detrimental to your health if your condition worsens without seeking professional medical help. These important appointments can help prevent, manage or treat many conditions if caught early.
As the new year begins, it is the perfect opportunity to get your health back on track with these following appointments:
Annual Physicals
Annual physicals allow your primary care provider to look over your health history and catch any irregularities during the physical exam. With more people being sedentary and gaining weight because of the pandemic, a physical can be beneficial as your provider can evaluate your nutrition and exercise habits to help you get your health back on track. Providers can also schedule routine blood work and provide referrals as necessary.
Women’s Well-Visits
Women should continue to attend a yearly well-visit to undergo a gynecological and breast exam. These simple screenings can catch cancer and many other conditions in their early stages. Patients who are pregnant or are actively trying to get pregnant should also keep their obstetrics appointments as scheduled. Pre-natal, intrapartum and postpartum care is the key to a healthy mom and baby.
Cancer Screenings
Being proactive about your health also includes attending scheduled cancer screenings. Breast, prostate, colon, lung and cervical cancer screenings are important for early detection. A study found that there has been a 46 percent decrease in cancer diagnoses since March due to skipped and canceled cancer screenings2.
Reschedule your:
- Mammogram
- Prostate screening
- Colonoscopy
- Lung cancer screening
- Pap smear
Dermatology Visits
Whether you have a skin, hair or nail condition, dermatology appointments are important in treating your condition before it worsens. These appointments can also include skin exams which allow our dermatologists to examine any moles or skin irregularities that could lead to cancer.
Cancer Treatment or Dialysis
If you are undergoing treatment for cancer, make sure to reschedule your appointments as soon as possible to ensure your treatment plan stays on track. Kidney patients are strongly encouraged to continue their dialysis schedule in order to avoid any complications.
Make 2021 your fresh start by scheduling appointments online that you may have missed over the past few months.
1Czeisler, M. E., Marynak, MPP, K., Clarke, MD, K. E., Salah, MPH, Z., Shakya, MPH, I., Thierry, PhD, J. M., … Howard, MBBS, PhD, M. E. (2020, September 11). Delay or Avoidance of Medical Care Because of COVID-19 – Related Concerns — United States. In Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6936a4.htm
2Kaufman, MD, H. W., Chen, MS, Z., & Niles, MA, J. (2029, August 4). Changes in the Number of US Patients With Newly Identified Cancer Before and During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. In JAMA Network. Retrieved from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2768946
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