An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but you should make it a point to see your primary care physician (PCP) at least once a year to help manage your overall health.
"You may not need a complete head-to-toe physical, but you should touch base with your physician and make a plan to keep you healthy," says Dr. Anne Dempsey, an internal medicine physician with Kauaʻi Medical Clinic.
"These visits are a valuable tool to establish a relationship with a physician and to develop trust and an open line of communication should issues arise in the future," Dempsey explains. "Should medical problems occur or new symptoms develop, patients are more likely to see a physician whom they know rather than make the effort to establish care with new physician. This is also the time to review and update preventive care issues that are due for that individual patient."
