CEO: Primary Care Doctors are Essential to Preventive Care
Daniel J. Loepp
| 2 min read
Daniel J. Loepp is President and Chief Executive Officer of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
In my role at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, I enjoy the opportunity to speak with a variety of audiences about a wide range of important health and health care issues. In recent years, one of the issues I’ve found myself discussing more and more often – especially this time of year – is the importance of establishing (and maintaining) an active relationship with your primary care doctor.
Simply put, this proactive step is one of the best ways to ensure better health and happiness – and it’s worth placing at the top of any New Year’s resolutions list.
This month, we are sharing insight about the importance of preventive health, which encompasses regular checkups and screenings that help prevent or detect life-threatening chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. When it comes to preventive health, primary care doctors are your best resource. Their personal, holistic approach to understand your overall health needs includes knowing your health history, tracking your medications and factoring in your family history.
Getting in the routine of having an annual physical with your primary care doctor can help detect health issues that you might not know existed. The earlier that conditions and diseases are identified, the greater the opportunity there is for treatment and cures. Primary care doctors can also help coordinate your care and connect you with specialists when needed.
While the benefits of regular check-ins with your primary care doctor are compelling, statistics indicate that many more people could take advantage of this opportunity. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network members can get started by using our online search engine, which provides an easy way to find a doctor.
I wish you and your loved ones all the best of health and happiness in 2023 and the years to come.
Daniel J. Loepp is president and CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.
Photo credit: Getty Images
