Preventive Care

Stay Healthy with Preventive Care

Partner with a primary care provider to reach your best overall health throughout your lifetime.

We offer wellness visits, preventive screenings and vaccinations to catch and prevent medical issues before they become serious.


Annual Wellness Visits

You should have a wellness visit every year. These visits are often covered by insurance at no additional cost to you.

During a wellness visit, your provider can offer:

  • A review of your medical and family history
  • Comprehensive health checks
  • Behavioral health screenings
  • Preventive screenings
  • Vaccinations
  • Health education
  • Referrals to specialty providers if needed

Schedule a wellness visit online at My Sanford Chart. Select Visits in the navigation and click the Schedule an appointment button.

Learn more about wellness visits.

Children also need wellness visits. These visits are recommended annually for children ages 3 and older. Your child will need more frequent wellness visits if they’re under 3 years old.

Learn more about children’s preventive care.


What Preventive Screenings Do You Need?

Preventive screenings are key to catching diseases early when they’re most treatable – and before they become serious.

Your primary care provider will recommend screenings based on your medical history and personal health needs. These screenings are often a part of your wellness visits.

Common screenings include:

Below is a guide to health screenings based on age and gender. You may follow a different screening schedule or get additional screenings based on your needs. Your primary care provider will create a personalized screening schedule for you.

Preventive Screening Schedule

Men ages 18-39

  • Annual wellness visits
  • Cholesterol screening once between the ages of 21 to 29 and every five years between the ages of 30 to 44
  • Vaccinations

Women ages 18-39

  • Annual wellness visits
  • Cholesterol screening once between the ages of 21 to 29 and every five years between the ages of 30 to 44
  • Vaccinations

Cervical cancer screenings:

  • Pap smear every three years starting at age 21
  • Pap smear and HPV cotest every five years starting at age 30

Men ages 40-64

  • Annual wellness visits
  • Annual blood pressure screenings
  • Annual heart and vascular screenings
  • Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
  • Prostate cancer screenings starting at age 50
  • Vaccinations
  • Cholesterol screenings every five years between the ages of 30 to 44 and annually starting at age 45
  • Colorectal cancer screenings starting at age 45 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years

Women ages 40-64

  • Annual wellness visits
  • Annual blood pressure screenings
  • Annual heart and vascular screenings
  • Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
  • Annual mammograms
  • Vaccinations
  • Cholesterol screenings every five years between the ages of 30 to 44 and annually starting at age 45
  • Colorectal cancer screenings at age 45 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years

Cervical cancer screenings:

  • Pap smear and HPV cotest or an HPV test every five years

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Men 65 and older

  • Annual wellness visits
  • Annual blood pressure screenings
  • Annual cholesterol screenings
  • Annual heart and vascular screenings
  • Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
  • Prostate cancer screenings
  • Vaccinations
  • Colorectal cancer screenings through age 75 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years

Women 65 and older

  • Annual wellness visits
  • Annual blood pressure screenings
  • Annual cholesterol screenings
  • Annual heart and vascular screenings
  • Annual lung cancer screenings for high-risk patients between the ages of 50 and 77
  • Annual mammograms
  • Vaccinations
  • Colorectal cancer screenings through age 75 and stool tests every 1-3 years or colonoscopy every 10 years

Vaccinations

Vaccines protect you from contracting certain diseases. Stay up to date on recommended vaccinations to stay safe and healthy.

Vaccination recommendations vary by age. Your provider will make sure you’re getting the correct vaccinations during your wellness visits.

Learn more about vaccination recommendations.


Find a Primary Care Clinic

Schedule your wellness visit at a clinic close to home. Sanford Health offers convenient locations across the region so you don’t have to travel for preventive care.

Find a Location


Find a Primary Care Provider

Internal medicine, family medicine and pediatrics providers offer primary care services. Your primary care provider will be your go-to health resource.

Find a Provider


Learn how to find the right primary care provider for your needs.

Sanford Health News

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