Preventive Care Visits
Reservoir Medical Associates schedules appointments on an open access basis. This means that we have openings available for same day visits with each clinician and we schedule needed follow-up appointments when you are in the office. For preventive care visits and annual wellness visits, we send postcard reminders to our patients two months in advance of the month they are due for an appointment. When you receive your postcard, please be sure to call us to set up the specific appointment. Should you not receive a postcard two months before you feel you should be scheduled, feel free to call us since mistakes do happen from time to time.
Scheduling your Preventive Visits
We encourage our patients to schedule preventive visits. These appointments ensure that you are getting the appropriate health screenings, immunizations and counseling for your particular health needs and concerns. Preventive visits are covered by insurance.
Annual Wellness Visits for Medicare
An annual wellness visit is an opportunity to update your medical and family history, list your current health care providers, review your medications, and provide a plan of care for screening vaccination and health promotion. We will review your health risk assessments at the end of your visit and make recommendations. This is not the same as an annual physical exam.
Mammogram
We strongly suggest women age 40 through at least 74 have an annual mammogram as it is the first step in early detection of breast cancer. You may get your mammogram done in our building or by a facility and location of your choosing. Please be sure if they are done outside of the Mt. Auburn network that we receive notification of the results. This is easily done by informing the facility of your clinician’s name and location at the time of your mammogram.
Colonoscopy
We strongly suggest all patients age 50 through at least age 75 be screened for colorectal cancer, or earlier if you have a family history. There are options on how you are screened but by far the most thorough is a colonoscopy. This procedure is done at the hospital and most often under conscious sedation. If there are no abnormal findings and no family history, this is repeated every ten years. If you have concerns about the screening colonoscopy, please speak with your clinician to determine how we can best get you screened for colorectal cancer.
Vaccinations
There are many different vaccinations that we are able to give to our patients to help prevent the onset of illnesses. We offer influenza vaccines annually to all of our patients, usually starting in September. We offer the Zostervax vaccine to patients age 60 and above to help prevent shingles. Pneumovax is offered to all patients age 65 and above. Patients with specific diseases should get the pneumovax earlier than 65. These include diabetes, liver disease, heart disease, lung disease (COPD and asthma) kidney failure, immune or blood disorders, sickle cell disease, and removal of spleen.
Pap Smears
We strongly recommend a Pap smear to all women between the ages of 21 and 65. This is a minimally invasive test that helps in the early detection of cervical cancer.
Prostate Cancer
You should discuss with your physician prostate cancer screening and whether or not the PSA test is right for you.
Others
Other things your clinician may check during your preventive visit include blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose. We will review your family and social history, medications, and allergies.