We can help you maintain your health and vitality through an Annual Wellness Visit (AWV).
Patients 65 years of age or older are entitled to a free Annual Wellness Visit. This face-to-face visit with a member of your health-care team is a chance for you to talk about your health, set goals, and learn what you can do to improve and maintain your health.
The AWV is not a typical office visit. It is intended to be a proactive approach to maintaining your health and reducing the future risk of illness. If you have a current health concern, please schedule an office visit or a traditional physical exam with your primary care provider.
What is an Annual Wellness Visit?
The AWV is used to help identify any potential problems, like memory loss, depression, hearing impairment or risk of falls. We can then establish a list of any necessary screenings as well as preventative plans to help you stay healthy. By reviewing your personal and family health history, and your current lifestyle, we can give you the information and tools you need to make healthy choices and to reduce your risk of illness.
What Will Happen During My Annual Wellness Visit?
During the visit, a nurse, nurse practitioner, or certified physician assistant, will work with you to:
- Measure your height, weight and blood pressure
- Review your health history, medications, ability to perform daily life activities
All health-care providers you see will talk about risk factors that could impact your health and suggest steps you can take to lower your risk through:
- Weight loss
- Quit smoking programs
- Falls prevention
- Nutrition
- Recommended health screenings
- Creating a wellness plan with goals, including referrals to health education or preventive counseling programs if needed
What Should I Bring to my Annual Wellness Visit?
You might be asked to complete or update a Health Risk Assessment form before your visit or when you arrive at the office.
You should also bring:
- A list of all health-care providers and specialists you visited in the last year. If you have a free MyLGHealth.org account, we can help you access your list of LG Health providers and specialists, as well as the prescribed medicines you take.
- All medicines, including medicines you buy at the drug store without a doctor’s order. If you don’t want to bring the medicines to your visit, write down the names of all of the medicines you take and how much you take (the dosage)
- Your advance directive (living will), if you have one, and your Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) if completed
- Questions about wellness goals and preventing illness
- Consider bringing a friend or family member to help ask questions and to be sure you understand and remember everything you learn.
Scheduling an Appointment
You must be 65 or older to schedule an Annual Wellness Visit, and the visit should be scheduled once a year or approximately 12 months following your most recent AWV.