How is it done?

At Family Medicine of Port Angeles we are “thinking prevention” for every patient at every opportunity, even when you are not present in our office. However, we recommend that each of our adult patients have an annual Preventive Care examination. This important visit is the successor to the annual “complete physical” examination.

During your annual Preventive Care examination your health care practitioner will be focusing on your health from a unique perspective based upon your age, gender, family history, and medical risk profile. Based upon these factors and recommended Preventive Care schedules a specific set of interventions and screening tests will be offered in addition to a focused physical examination.

It is important to have your blood work and other screening done prior to coming in for your examination. In this way results will be available for you and your doctor or nurse practitioner to review in person at the time of your examination and further tests or focused examination can be done without delay. Please call 452-7891 for a lab appointment prior to seeing your practitioner for an examination.  Our staff will set up your appointment for pre-screening labs and other tests as appropriate to your health condition.

During the preventive care exam, many patients will bring a list of concerns and problems. Your practitioner will review these issues from the Preventive Care perspective, that is, to see if they “add up” to a significant new health issue (See Disease Prevention list below). If not, each of these problems can be individually reviewed and worked up in detail at later visits.