Well Woman Exam Specialist

What’s a Well-Woman Exam?

A well-woman exam is a physical exam conducted on women. It’s known as a well-woman visit since the woman is not sick. A well-woman exam is used as a preventative measure to determine any future issues that may arise and treating them early. It’s an ideal time for Dr. Renee Patel to educate the patient on preventing problems in the future.

How Often Should a Woman Get a Well-Woman Visit?

A woman should get a well-woman exam once per year as a regular checkup with her primary care physician.

What Does a Well-Woman Exam Check?

An annual exam evaluates the woman’s health by evaluating her body to detect any noticeable problems. This is the general physical exam portion of the visit. During this time, the doctor will conduct a breast exam to feel for any lumps that could potentially be an indication of breast cancer. A pelvic exam will be conducted including a Pap smear, which determines if there are any cells that may indicate cervical cancer. This is the time when the woman is able to update her family history and update the physician on any new medications or changes to old medications that have occurred with other doctors over the past year. It’s important for the physician to know about any herbs and supplements the patient is taking. The doctor also evaluates the patient’s need for further health screenings.

Are Problems Treated at the Visit?

It’s possible that the physician will begin a course of action to correct or prevent any issues from occurring. However, it’s not always possible to address the issue in one visit; therefore, it might require Dr. Renee Patel to schedule a follow-up visit that focuses on the issue and no other problems. The patient may discuss current chronic conditions, but this may require a follow-up appointment as well.