How to Prepare for A Primary Care Appointment
7 Minutes
Team Curative
Oct 9, 2024
Establishing care with a primary care provider is the first step in your healthcare journey. When you find a primary care provider, you gain access to an expert ally in your pursuit of good health. This provider will become familiar with your physical and mental health, symptoms, and concerns. As a result, you can pursue your highest quality of life with the support of a healthcare team. And the good news is that affordable health insurance plans support primary care.
Your first visit to your primary care provider is an opportunity to share your health concerns and status with your provider and sets the stage for your preventive healthcare journey. Read on to learn more about how to get the most out of your initial visit.
How do I prepare for a visit with my new provider?
The more information you share with your provider, the more they can target your specific concerns. At your annual preventive care visit, you can share your concerns about health conditions and ask questions to understand better how to care for yourself.
Preparing in advance will empower you to make the most of your visit.
Write down your concerns and questions. Start with what is most important and end with the least important. Work with your provider to reorder your list, if necessary.
Bring as much information as possible to your appointment to help your new provider learn your health history.
Write down your health history. This might include past and present health problems, blood pressure numbers, recent symptoms, eating habits, and a sleep diary.
Make a list of your medicines, including dosages and when and how often you take them. Also include vitamins and supplements.
Invite a family member to accompany you to listen, take notes, and ask questions.
If you need an interpreter for your appointment, call the provider’s office to make arrangements beforehand.
What should I expect on my first visit?
On your first visit, you can expect:
A wellness exam. This is a routine annual visit in which your provider evaluates your overall wellness and performs a physical exam. The provider will check your heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, reflexes, and skin during the exam.
Blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol tests.
Immunizations. These may include vaccines for the flu, COVID-19, tetanus, and shingles.
Your provider will also refer you to other providers for cancer screenings, including mammograms, colonoscopies, and pap smears.
What questions should I ask?
Your first visit with a primary care provider will be focused on sharing information. This allows your provider to create a preventive healthcare plan to address your symptoms and quality of life. Doctors appreciate when patients take a proactive approach to their healthcare. A primary care physician, Dr. Lisa Ravindra says, “I would like to hear more patients ask about preventive care. That means not only discussing current guidelines on age-appropriate tests and vaccines but also talking about ways in which lifestyle factors, like activity level and diet, can help prevent many conditions."
To better understand your health and set goals, you should ask about both medical issues and lifestyle factors. Helpful questions include:
Am I at risk for any health issues? Age, lifestyle, and gender affect which health issues you should be watching out for.
Is my family history putting me at risk? Genetic factors may increase your risk of certain conditions. Your provider may perform additional tests or screenings.
Should I undergo additional screenings? In addition to your physical exam, your provider may advise additional screenings based on age, sex, chronic illness, and recently completed labs.
How soon should I schedule my next appointment? You should visit your provider yearly, at a minimum. However, your provider may advise more frequent appointments depending on your health history, lab results, and lifestyle factors.
Which vaccines do I need? Age may affect which immunizations you’ll receive.
What is the best diet plan for me? Your provider can help you determine a diet that will allow you to retain a healthy weight and stable blood pressure.
Do I need to continue taking all my current medications? You should work with your doctor to ensure all medications are necessary and prevent adverse medication interactions.
Were the results of my physical exam normal?
How does stress affect my health? Your preventive care visit is the perfect opportunity to discuss symptoms of depression, stress, or anxiety with your provider. Explain any new symptoms and remain open to discussion.
Are there specific ways I can stay healthy in the future? Enlist your provider’s help in setting health goals and discuss positive changes you can make. These might include dietary changes, vitamin supplements, exercise plans, and sustainable ways to manage chronic diseases.
Curative: affordable health insurance that supports primary care
Curative is a new kind of health insurance company that provides accessible, affordable health insurance plans that prioritize preventive care. Curative’s innovative approach to health insurance empowers members to establish primary care that improves health outcomes and connects members with an ally in their journey toward better health.
The Baseline Visit
The Curative Baseline Visit is the first step in your journey toward health. Curative members can meet with a Curative Clinician and their Care Navigator during an initial orientation and preventive healthcare consultation. The Baseline Visit is used to educate members about their benefits, create an individualized preventive care plan, and identify potential problems early on. Curative members who complete the Baseline Visit in their first 120 days of coverage can continue $0 out-of-pocket care for in-network services.
Curative makes care accessible across the U.S. through its proprietary network and a strong, supplemental national provider network. Finding a preferred care provider is an essential element of your healthcare journey. Curative members can enlist the help of their Care Navigator to discover which local providers are in-network.
No out-of-pocket costs
Curative members pay $0 out-of-pocket for in-network care. That’s $0 copays and $0 deductibles. This applies to to in-network provider visits, prescriptions, labs and telehealth services, among other benefits. Your monthly premium provides access to high-quality preventive and medical care.
Care Navigator
The Curative Care Navigator provides a concierge healthcare experience for Curative members. The Care Navigator is your healthcare partner and advocate. They ensure you make the most of your Curative health plan benefits and help you get the care you need. After your first meeting with your Care Navigator, you’ll know where the nearest urgent care, emergency room, and available primary care providers are, along with all the Curative benefits available to you.
Care Navigators:
Connect you with the right doctor when you need it.
Help you optimize your benefits by signing up for preventive care programs
Guide you through paperwork, like prior authorizations.
Provide trustworthy, continuous support.
Learn to love using your health benefits.
Curative wants members to love using their health insurance benefits. Their affordable health insurance plans focus on delivering better health through affordability, engagement, and simplicity.
With Curative, you eliminate copays and deductibles and gain access to accessible, high-quality healthcare. Curative provides the resources members need to successfully navigate the healthcare system and pursue their highest quality of life.
Learn more today about Curative’s affordable health insurance plans and begin the journey toward a healthier you!
References
Comizio, Christine and Lisa Esposito. (12 Feb 2024). Health Questions to Ask Your Doctor. https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/slideshows/health-questions-to-ask-your-doctor?slide=2
Getting the Most Out of Your Doctor Appointment. (March 2023). https://familydoctor.org/tips-for-talking-to-your-doctor/
Ten Questions You Should Ask Your Doctor During an Annual Physical Exam. (31 March 2022). https://www.houstonfamilypractice.com/ten-questions-you-should-ask-your-doctor-during-an-annual-physical-exam