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Family Practice

Annual Wellness Examination :: Pre-operative Medical Consultation :: Travel Medicine Consultation

Annual Wellness Examination

An annual wellness examination is an evaluation of the body and its functions using various maneuvers such as inspection (to check out the body for signs of disease), palpation (feel with the hands), percussion (tapping with the fingers), and auscultation (listening to the sounds).

The aspects of annual wellness exams include:

  • Medical history
  • Complete physical examination (CPE)
  • Investigations such as radiological/laboratory tests
  • Treatment plan

A combination of detailed medical history and physical examination helps to detect, determine, and diagnose the problem and to plan the treatment. During the process, any relevant findings concerning the disease will be shared between the doctor and the patient.

Every individual should undergo physical examination at timely intervals. The importance of these check-ups includes:

  • Screening for disease
  • Vaccinations can be kept current
  • Avoid future medical complications
  • Maintain a healthy lifestyle

An annual wellness exam includes the following elements:

  • Vital signs: You will be checked for vital signs by your doctor:
  • Blood pressure: The normal blood pressure value of an individual is 120/80 mm Hg. A reading of 140/90 is considered as hypertension by the doctor.
  • Heart rate: Normal adult heart beat per minute ranges between 60 and 100.
  • Respiration rate: The normal respiratory rate for an adult is between 16 to 20 breaths per minute.
  • Temperature: The normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit or 37 degree Celsius. A rise in body temperature is a sign of fever or infection.

Evaluation of basic systems of the body such as:

  • Heart: A stethoscope is used by your doctor to listen to the heart sounds made with every single heartbeat.
  • Lung: Techniques of auscultation and percussion are employed to detect breath sounds.
  • Head and neck: This includes examination of various organs such as eyes, ears, nose, throat, tonsils, teeth, gums, lymph nodes, and carotid arteries.
  • Abdomen: Your doctor will perform physical examination maneuvers to look for pain or masses in abdomen and/or enlarged liver and spleen.
  • Neurological examination consists of several parts: nerve and its functions, muscle strength and tone, reflexes, gait/balance, and mental status of an individual.
  • Dermatological: Symptoms such as a change in skin color or texture can indicate skin disease.
  • Hands and legs: Any physical abnormalities or joint defects are detected during examination of upper and lower extremities.

Eating a nutrition-rich diet, walking, regular exercises, keeping a healthy weight, and not smoking are some of the key factors to keep your body fit and strong. Pay proper attention and adopt preventive measures to take care of your health.

 

Pre-operative Medical Consultation

Pre-operative medical consultation is the physical and psychological preparation conducted to manage patients before undergoing surgery. The consultation prepares the patient by providing prior information about the procedure and helps in reducing the patients’ fear of surgery. Apart from this, awareness about what can be expected after the surgery helps the patient to cope better and leads to better outcomes. Thus, pre-operative medical consultation is a necessity before any invasive procedure is performed.

Physical consultation

Your doctor will physically prepare you before undergoing the surgery.

  • A complete medical, anesthetic and surgical history will be obtained. Family history will also be considered for the presence of malignant hyperthermia, a condition contraindicated for general anesthesia.
  • Urine and blood tests may be ordered before the surgery.
  • If you have a history of heart diseases or are over 50 years old, an electrocardiogram will be performed to evaluate the rate and rhythm of the heart.
  • An X-ray may be ordered if you have a history of respiratory diseases.
  • You will be assessed for risk factors, such as nutritional deficiencies, alcohol or drug abuse, diabetes, use of steroids and chemotherapy, which may interfere with post-op healing.
  • You will have to inform the doctor regarding vitamins, food supplements and medications that you have been consuming, to avert adverse reactions with anesthetics and prolonged bleeding.
  • You should inform your doctor in case you are allergic to latex, since latex is present in most of the surgical supplies. If you are allergic, preparations will be made accordingly for your surgery with latex free supplies.
  • Some surgical procedures of the lower gastrointestinal tract may require bowel clearance. You may have to begin with the clearance early in the evening a day before the surgery.
  • Skin preparation such as scrubbing with a special soap or hair removal at the surgical site may be required.

Psychological consultation

It is common to feel anxious or fearful about your surgery, especially if you are critically ill or are to undergo a high-risk procedure. Your doctor can help you in this regard by validating and clarifying your concerns and doubts. Your surgeon may also postpone the procedure till you feel more secure. You may be allowed to include a family member during the psychological pre-operative consultation. In case your child is undergoing a surgery, the doctor may allow a supportive parent during the consultation. Psychological preparation will help you cope better with the post-operative course, lead to better outcome and manage pain more effectively.

Pre-operative teaching

Pre-operative teachings include information about the pre-operative period, post-operative period and the surgical procedure.

  • Your doctor will instruct you regarding the proceedings of the surgery, the time you need to arrive, prior preparations and time taken for the procedure. You will also be informed about how long you have to stay without food and drink, the medicines you have to take before the surgery and medicines to be brought along with you to the hospital.
  • You will also be informed about the equipment used post-operatively such as drainage tubes, dressings, intravenous lines, monitoring devices and use of compression stockings to prevent blood clots.
  • If your child has to undergo a surgery, you will be informed about the procedure, and when you will be informed about your child’s progress.
  • Information regarding pain management will be communicated to you. You will be taught to rate pain on a scale of 1 through 10 and how to use the patient-controlled analgesic pump to self-administer pain medications. Alternative pain management methods may also be presented, such as meditation and music therapy.
  • You will be informed that early movements and leg exercises post-surgery helps reduce the risks of blood clots, and respiratory interventions lowers the risk of pneumonia.
  • After the procedure, you will be informed when you can begin solid foods, when you will be discharged, and when you can resume work and regular activities.

Information about what can be expected during and after surgery helps increase compliance and prevent complications.

Informed consent

It is important to get the patient or guardian’s written consent for conducting the surgical procedure. Your surgeon will explain the benefits and risks of the procedure, and other available therapeutic options. Following this, you will be asked to sign a consent form agreeing to the procedure. If a child is undergoing a surgery and is under 18 years of age, his/her parent will be asked to sign the form.

Conclusion

Effective pre-operative medical consultation is necessary to avoid complications such as procedure performed on the wrong part of the body or being given the wrong medications. The main goal of having a pre-operative medical consultation is to promote recovery, help the patient to successfully cope post-operatively and reduce complications.

 

Travel Medicine Consultation

Travelling can be safe and enjoyable if you take time to plan ahead. You should make an appointment and discuss your travel plans with Our Providers. At your appointment, we will provide you information about appropriate vaccinations, preventive medications, and counseling to reduce your risk of illness. We will also provide general information for your travel, which includes preventive medications and resources in case of emergency. Travel medicine consultation also assists in workplace wellness, preventive, and executive healthcare programs to reduce healthcare costs.

You may schedule an appointment with one of our staff in advance, before your travel. The travel medicine consult can be delivered over the telephone, if you have already discussed your travel plan with your health care provider. Insurance coverage varies widely and we recommend that you clarify this with your insurance provider.

We provide a comprehensive travel medicine consultation to educate patients regarding the health risks and precautionary care to be taken at their travel destination. Make us a part of your pre-trip planning to ensure a safe and pleasurable travel experience.