A letter from William Kose, MD, JD, Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System
Regular medical checkups and screenings can reveal minor problems before they become more serious. But we know that, nationwide, many people have not scheduled these tests. There may be any number of reasons. In the early stages of COVID-19, people were reluctant to go to a doctor’s office in person, except in an emergency. And, of course, in many cases, it was harder to get those appointments during that period, as healthcare workers were stretched thin.
Since then, some people have fallen out of the habit of regular screenings or checkups. Maybe they meant to call and make an appointment but never got around to it. Maybe they have no symptoms of an illness, so they assume they don’t need to be screened.
However, regular checkups ensure that members of our community are being screened for conditions like high blood pressure, which generally has no symptoms but can lead to serious health problems if not addressed. And those with chronic illnesses, like diabetes, will have a much better quality of life if they’re working with a physician to manage their illness effectively.
