Are you as healthy as you think you are?
Your no-cost in-home health assessment can bring peace of mind.
5 reasons a Matrix in-home health assessment is valuable (even if you’re healthy)
Adding another layer to your health care routine can help uncover hidden health risks and boost your quality of life.
Many people think they only need to see their doctor once a year for an annual exam. While it’s great to make that a regular habit, that one visit can go by quickly. The average primary care appointment is just under 20 minutes, according to one study. Sometimes, that isn’t enough time for a thorough health exam.
That’s where a Matrix in-home health assessment comes in. If you have a qualifying health care plan — such as a Medicare Advantage plan — you may be eligible for a no-cost visit from a Matrix clinician. That person, usually a nurse practitioner, will come directly to your home. During the assessment, they will take your health history, check your vitals, perform a series of screenings, and more.
“It helps us identify gaps in your care, like where you might need more help,” says Pamela Smith, NP, a nurse practitioner with Matrix Medical Network in South Carolina. “We can also address questions patients don’t have time to ask the doctor about.”
Curious to discover more ways a Matrix in-home health assessment can help keep you healthier? Here are five reasons to book an appointment.
Reason #1: The clinician will check your vitals.
Basic numbers like your height, weight, and blood pressure can change in between annual visits. Knowing the current ones can help detect unwelcome health changes before they get worse.
Beyond those vitals, the clinician can also use a special device to check your blood flow for signs of peripheral artery disease. Sometimes, these tests can reveal an immediate health risk.
Mary Nunziata, a nurse practitioner with Matrix Medical Network in Georgia, once tested someone who wasn’t showing symptoms of heart disease. But the device showed reduced blood flow in one leg. An ultrasound ordered by the doctor later found that the person had an aneurysm and needed surgery.
A Matrix in-home health visit is a good time to discuss healthy habits with a licensed clinician — plus, it’s part of your plan! Call 877-302-3672 877-302-3672 to schedule or book online.
Reason #2: You’ll receive essential health screenings
A Matrix in-home health assessment offers a wide range of tests that help detect diseases. The screenings you receive are tailored to your individual needs and health. Many of these test results are available right away too, says Smith. That’s not always possible at the doctor’s office because the results are sent to a lab to be evaluated.
Some of these screenings include:
- Rapid A1C: This test checks for diabetes. It measures your average blood sugar levels over three months, and the results are provided right away.
- Blood pressure check: High blood pressure (hypertension) can lead to serious health problems, or even a heart attack or stroke. The only way to know if your blood pressure is within a healthy range is to get it checked at least once a year by a health care provider. Your clinician will take a reading with a blood pressure cuff.
- Fall risk assessment: Your clinician will ask you to do a walking exercise to help assess your stability and balance.
- Depression screening: You’ll answer a questionnaire that screens you for symptoms of this common mood disorder.
Your Matrix clinician may also provide you with a colon cancer screening kit. Unlike the above tests, for this one you will collect a stool sample after your assessment and send it in a secure, postage-paid envelope to a lab. It will be analyzed for possible signs of colon cancer.
Reason #3: Your medications will be reviewed.
Most older adults take multiple prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs, and it can be hard to keep track of it all. Your Matrix clinician will review all the medicines you take to make sure you’re not mixing ones that shouldn’t be taken together. They’ll also check whether you may be taking too much of any of them.
Nunziata says these things happen a lot. “At least weekly I will see a person who might be on a medication and not taking it correctly,” she says.
Smith agrees. “I’ll have someone taking the same blood pressure medicine, but from two different bottles,” she says. “One pill might be pink, and the other one might be white, but it’s a different brand. So, they’re taking two of the same medication.”
If you are taking any of your medications incorrectly, your Matrix clinician can follow up with your doctor to verify the correct dose.
Reason #4: You’ll get advice on how to make your home safer.
One of the many advantages of a home visit is that your Matrix clinician can check for safety issues in your house or apartment. They can look for tripping hazards, such as dimly lit rooms and loose area rugs or wires.
Seeing how you live also helps your clinician get a better idea of your overall health. Smith says she gets a window into what a patient’s diet may look like and can offer ideas about how to eat healthier.
Reason #5: You’ll learn about free resources to boost your quality of life.
Worldwide, more than 1 in 4 older adults show signs of depression. This condition is often undertreated in older people. That’s partly because patients and doctors alike may assume that a low mood is a natural reaction to an illness or the loss of a loved one.
If your screening reveals signs of depression, a Matrix clinician can help you find local resources to help. That could include expanding your social network.
“Someone might be otherwise healthy but socially isolated,” says Nunziata. She has introduced her clients to nearby senior centers that host activities, field trips, and dinners. Some of these centers also have free transportation.
For one of Nunziata’s clients, this made all the difference. “Her depression screening when I first saw her was pretty significant,” she says. “But this year, there was no evidence of depression.”
Your Matrix clinician can also connect you with other live-better resources. Meals on Wheels provides free meals to seniors. There may also be fitness centers in your community where you can access free exercise programs, says Smith.
See our sources:
Primary care visit length: Medical Care
Depression in older adults: Psychiatry Research and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
