Dr. Carla Branch: Five Reasons to Make That Well Visit Appointment

If you’ve put off seeing your doctor for fear of catching or spreading the COVID-19 virus, Dr. Carla Branch, of East Georgia Medical & Surgical Associates, Statesboro Family Practice, wants you to know it’s safe and important to come in.

Precautions for your safety include the option of eliminating the waiting room by waiting in the car or utilizing telehealth from the comfort of your home, scheduling well-visits in the morning, masking of all patients and providers, checking temperature of all clinic visitors, screening clinic staff multiple times during the shift, asking that only the patient comes in unless a support person is needed, and enhanced cleaning of commonly touched surfaces and socially-distanced chairs in waiting areas.

“It’s very important for our patients and community members to know we understand their concerns and want them to feel comfortable getting the care they need,” said Dr. Carla Branch. “Although we’ve had a year of unique challenges, we want to help patients stay on track with their health, and keep their health and wellness a priority.”

Here are five reasons to make an appointment for your next well-visit or check-up without delay.

1. Check on your general health. The clinic has a record of your health metrics over time, including cholesterol, blood sugar, weight and others. If any numbers are trending in the wrong direction, your doctor can help you make a plan to get back on track with lifestyle changes, diet or medical treatment.

2. 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 you avoid a medical crisis.

3. Identify issues early with routine screenings. The practice keeps records of your screening exams to help you remember when it’s time to get your colonoscopy, mammogram, bone density test, prostate exam and other screenings. Early identification of many illnesses can give you the most options for treatment and better outcomes.

4. Stay current on vaccinations for your protection. While you’re hearing plenty of news about the COVID-19 vaccine, there are a number of other vaccinations to prevent disease as your immune system weakens over time. Flu shots annually. Tetanus shots every ten years. Vaccines for shingles and pneumonia and more. The practice will remind you when it’s time to get your immunizations.

5. Keep prescriptions updated. Bring a full list of your medications, including any over-the-counter, so your physician has a complete picture of what you’re taking. An annual review can identify possible side effects or medication conflicts.

Of course, the best reason of all is peace of mind about your health. East Georgia Medical & Surgical Associates have more than 23 providers in convenient locations across Statesboro to make it easy for you to access care.

If you need help finding a primary care physician, visit EastGeorgiaMedSurgAssociates.com to be connected with one of East Georgia Medical & Surgical Associates’ qualified family medicine or internal medicine physicians.

SOURCE: East Georgia Regional Medical Center