Did you cancel or postpone a doctor’s visit last year because of the pandemic? Now is the time to get back into the routine of keeping up with your doctors’ appointments.

Last year was an unchartered territory for all of us, and early on in the pandemic we encouraged everyone to stay home until we knew more. However, it is safe and extremely important for patients to get back to getting their screenings and preventive care.

As a physician, it is concerning seeing people putting off preventive care – simply because we know it plays an important role in saving lives.

Annual exams are when we can check your vitals, cholesterol levels and remind eligible patients to get their mammograms, colonoscopies, and other screenings done. It’s a time we can check in and review a patient’s overall health to see how they are doing and if any health conditions need to be addressed.

Unfortunately, health care professionals like myself are seeing an adverse impact of the pandemic due to people postponing their preventive care. Perhaps they delayed it in the start of the pandemic and simply forgot to get it rescheduled, however it’s important to remember the reason why we encourage patients to have annual exams and how diseases and health conditions don’t slow down simply because of a pandemic.

If you’ve personally put off an appointment, whether it be getting your vision checked, teeth cleaned or seeing your primary care provider, I challenge you to call and make appointments. Doctors’ offices are taking the necessary health precautions to protect you.

We are wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks, shields, etc. We’re washing hands often and sanitizing and sterilizing surfaces. Not only are we taking the necessary health precautions to protect you, our patients seem to be enjoying some additional changes we’ve made. We now have virtual waiting rooms for a lot of our clinics, which allow patients to conveniently check in from their cars and wait until we have a room ready.

If you have concerns about coming in, I want you to know nothing is more important to us than your health and safety. And while it might seem early, now is also the best time to get back-to-school and sports physicals scheduled.

Check these preventative care appointments off your list and keep you and/or your family healthy.

Adam Swisher, DO UnityPoint Clinic Family Medicine – Second Avenue North

Clinical Interests:

Pediatrics, sports medicine, geriatrics, diabetes, osteopathic manipulation, and hospice care

Why did I become a doctor?

My parents had medical backgrounds as they both were trained as X-ray technicians and my dad was a volunteer EMT. In addition, a close family friend was our family physician growing up. Living in a small town I was able to see how physicians often care for entire families not just one patient. Seeing how physicians can impact the lives of so many with each and every appointment was amazing. The ability to care for and impact the lives of so many was something that I always wanted to do and has aspired me from a young age.

Qualities that describe my care:

Being an honest and genuine person who always wants the best for every patient is at my core. I am a good listener who values communication and understanding as a part of excellence in healthcare. I focus on evidence-based medicine to guide the most current best practice care. Patients will always get my best effort at every visit.

I am inspired everyday by my patients and my healthcare team. I’m always wanting to give the best and most effective treatments that will promote the health of my patients. I’m motivated to find answers to ailments that are affecting the lives of my patients.

My Medical Philosophy:

Healthcare is more than just prescribing medications. It’s about being part of the patient’s life and developing a mutual understanding that allows for information sharing aimed at improving health and wellness.

I take a holistic approach to treating my patients by knowing that health is more than just a physical quality but also encompasses mental and emotional influences as well.