6 Questions To Ask Your Doctor During Your Annual Checkup

Regular health care check-ups with your primary care provider are essential to keeping your care current. Even if you aren't having symptoms, a yearly physical helps you and your doctor identify new health concerns and keep you on the path towards life-long wellness.

If you struggle with nerves before or during a visit, forget to ask about certain things in the moment, or just want to be better organized, we recommend coming prepared. You will feel more confident and get the most out of your check-up. Preparing a list of questions and notes about what you want to talk about can help advocate for the best possible experience. Here are six questions we recommend asking your provider:

What's your treatment philosophy?

It's crucial that you feel comfortable with your primary care provider. If you're seeing a provider for the first time, or even someone you've seen a few times, ask about their treatment philosophy, experience, and style. Your chosen doctor should make you feel comfortable and align with how you want your care to be delivered.

What are my numbers?

We take lots of health measures during your visit - blood pressure, weight, temperature, a1C, cholesterol, and more. Understanding what those numbers mean for your health is vital in your health journey. These types of measurements indicate your risks for developing heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions. Follow-up with your doctor: are these results in the normal range? Is there anything I should watch?

Are my medications still relevant?

Many of us continue to take prescription medications out of habit. Bring a list of your prescriptions with you and plan to review them with your doctor. Your PCP will check dosage, interactions with other medications and may make changes.

What can I do to stay healthy?

Your family history, habits, age and other changes may indicate the need for additional screenings and tests. Ask your doctor what they recommend and when. You can also ask about building healthy habits, like sleep, exercise, diet, and more.

Is this normal?

If you have a new symptom or something you’re worried about - bring it up! No matter how big, small, or even embarrassing it seems, we want to help if it is bothering you. Remember that we've seen and heard everything. It could be something normal, but you never know unless you ask.

When should I come back?

One of the most important questions is to understand when you need to come back. It depends on what you and your provider discuss during your visit, like your numbers, medications, and current health status. You may need a follow-up visit for tests, or it may be appropriate to schedule yearly!

Schedule An Appointment with MUSC Health Primary Care

MUSC Health Primary Care is open and accepting new patients of all ages! We are following strict safety and cleaning protocols to keep patients and families safe in our offices. Schedule the next available appointment online or call 843-792-7000 to schedule your yearly check-up.