Annual Medical Check-Up Day is celebrated each year on August 11 and reinforces the importance of seeing a primary care provider once a year for a physical exam.
Annual physical exams, sometimes known as wellness visits, allow employees and their providers to touch base on overall health while building strong, ongoing relationships.
Typically, providers will use this time to:
- Review a patient’s family history
- Record any major life updates to get a feel for a patient’s mental health status
- Establish vital signs like blood pressure and pulse
- Ask questions about each organ system
- Perform a head-to-toe exam that may include listening to the heart and lungs, feeling lymph nodes, examining skin, performing a breast exam, and more
- Order routine lab work
Why is an annual exam so important?
First, it allows patients and providers to continue to build an ongoing relationship of trust. For many, the annual physical is one of the only times they’ll meet with their primary care provider, so checking in each year helps to keep that longitudinal relationship moving forward. This is also a great time for patients to check in with their primary care providers about any lingering health questions or concerns they may have.
Why should HR teams encourage their employees to schedule a physical exam?
Consistent primary care can lead to longer, healthier lives for patients. Primary care providers are often a patient’s first point of contact with the healthcare system and can help to spot potentially serious health risks early on.
Why should this matter to employers? Simple: The key to staying healthy is getting ahead. When employees have trusted, ongoing relationships with their providers, they can proactively manage health issues, helping to save employees time, money, and sick days down the line.
5 WAYS HR TEAMS CAN ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO SCHEDULE A CHECK-UP:
- Use internal communication channels. Promote Annual Medical Check-Up Day internally by sending a company-wide message of encouragement for employees to make time for their health.
- Add a block to internal calendars. Set aside a meeting-free hour for all employees and encourage them to use this time to book an appointment with their provider. Have them use the extra time after booking their appointment to build a healthy activity into their day, like going for a walk or taking the rest of the hour to meditate or eat a healthy lunch.
- Provide incentives. Use the honor system! Have employees toss a quick “thumbs up” reaction to a Slack message to indicate that they’ve booked an appointment. Enter all “confirmed” employees into a giveaway, whether that’s a digital gift card or credit to your company swag store.
- Protect PTO. If possible, be flexible when it comes to paid time off. Let employees know they won’t need to take PTO in order to accommodate their yearly physical.
- Deliver better care to your employees. Access to primary care providers shouldn’t be limited to one visit a year. Providing next-generation hybrid healthcare solutions to your employees can help them be more proactive about their health. See how Eden can help form trusted relationships between your employees and our providers.
This blog is intended to be informational in nature. The information and other content provided in this blog, or in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment.
If you have any questions or concerns, please talk to your Care Team or other healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this blog or in any linked materials.
