The Power of Preventive Care

Better health starts with preventive medical care—a term most used to describe the recommended screenings, check-ups, counseling, and inoculations that prevent or reduce the likelihood of illnesses and diseases like cancer, diabetes, hepatitis, depression, and other conditions that affect physical and mental wellbeing. Taking advantage of preventive care is the first step toward living your life in better health.

Worth the Effort

Health care is complex, but the idea behind preventative care is simple: preventing—and outlasting—disease depends heavily on whether or not we look for signs of disease frequently, before symptoms start. Choosing a primary care physician (PCP) makes it far more likely that you will fill prescriptions and complete preventive screenings. In fact, research shows that patients with access to primary care experience better health outcomes across all populations.

By taking advantage of preventative health care services, communities reduce the risk of diseases, traumatic health emergencies, and death. In the event that a life-threatening condition does manifest, regular screenings will increase the chance of catching it early on rather than in later stages.

• According to the CDC, cervical cancer used to be a leading cause of death for women in the U.S. Within the past few decades, as the number of preventative screenings increased, the number of cervical cancer cases has decreased by about 55%.
• The CDC also states that, in 2020, 19.9% of adults between the ages of 50 and 75 had never been screened for colorectal cancer, despite it being the fourth most common cancer in both men and women. Over time, routine colorectal screenings have been the primary driver for the 45% decline in colorectal cancer incidence and the even sharper decline in death rates over the last few decades.

Annual or bi-annual check-ups are recommended to allow your doctor to monitor your readings, determine your risk of chronic illnesses, and prescribe treatment if needed.

Where do I start?

Healthcare Highways members can search our website for providers in their network, or contact our Customer Experience Advocates team to get person-to-person help finding a PCP and specialists in your area.