Preventive care is among the most powerful, and most underutilized, tools available for maintaining long-term health. Regular annual physicals and appropriate health screenings can identify risk factors and early-stage conditions before they become serious, enabling intervention at a time when it is most effective. At Encino Commons Urgent Care and Encino Town Medical Group, we make preventive care convenient, comprehensive, and genuinely worthwhile for patients throughout the Encino community and surrounding San Fernando Valley.

What Is an Annual Physical?

An annual physical exam, sometimes called a wellness visit or preventive care visit, is a comprehensive health assessment performed by a physician even when you have no immediate symptoms or active health concerns. Its purpose is to serve as a health baseline, to identify risk factors before they become disease, to update preventive care like vaccinations, and to give patients an opportunity to discuss any concerns with their physician in a proactive rather than reactive setting.

Many people delay annual physicals because they feel healthy and do not see the value in a visit with no specific complaint. But this reasoning misses the point of preventive care: conditions like high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, pre-diabetes, and early cancers are often entirely asymptomatic until they have progressed significantly. The annual physical is designed to find these conditions before symptoms appear.

What to Expect During a Comprehensive Physical

• Medical history review and medication reconciliation
• Blood pressure, heart rate, height, weight, and BMI measurement
• Head-to-toe physical examination including heart, lungs, abdomen, and skin
• Blood work: lipid panel, blood glucose, complete blood count, metabolic panel, and thyroid function as indicated
• Age-appropriate cancer screenings
• Discussion of lifestyle factors: diet, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, sleep
• Immunization review and updates
• Mental health screening for depression and anxiety

Preventive Screenings Offered at Our Encino Practice

Cardiovascular Risk Assessment

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Blood pressure measurement, blood lipid testing, and blood glucose evaluation identify the most common modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. When abnormalities are detected early, lifestyle intervention and medication management can significantly reduce long-term risk.

Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes Screening

Blood glucose and HbA1c testing can identify pre-diabetes and early-stage type 2 diabetes, when lifestyle interventions, nutrition counseling, weight management, increased physical activity, have the greatest potential to prevent progression. Over 96 million American adults have pre-diabetes, and the majority are unaware of it.

Cancer Screenings and Referrals

We coordinate appropriate cancer screening referrals based on age, sex, and individual risk factors. This includes mammography for breast cancer, colonoscopy or stool-based testing for colorectal cancer, Pap smear and HPV testing for cervical cancer, and low-dose CT for lung cancer in high-risk individuals.

Skin Cancer Screening

A brief skin examination during the annual physical can identify suspicious lesions that warrant dermatology referral. Given Southern California’s high UV exposure, skin cancer screening is a particularly relevant component of preventive care for Encino-area patients.

Occupational and Pre-Employment Physicals

Encino Commons Urgent Care provides Department of Transportation (DOT) physicals for commercial drivers, pre-employment physicals required by employers, and drug and alcohol screenings. These services are available on a walk-in basis and can typically be completed the same day.

Sports and School Physicals

Annual sports physicals for student athletes, and school physicals required for enrollment, are provided quickly and efficiently at our Encino facility. We understand that families often face tight deadlines for these requirements, and we work to accommodate same-day and walk-in appointments.

Weight Management Services

Under the leadership of Dr. Farah, Encino Town Medical Group also offers a dedicated weight management program for patients interested in addressing obesity and improving metabolic health. Given the significant impact of excess weight on cardiovascular risk, diabetes, joint health, and overall well-being, weight management is a natural component of comprehensive preventive care.

Insurance Coverage for Preventive Care

Most health insurance plans, including Medicare, cover annual preventive visits at 100% with no cost to the patient when billed appropriately as preventive care. This makes the annual physical one of the most cost-effective investments in your health available. Patients without insurance can ask about our self-pay rates, which are transparent and affordable.

Encino Commons Urgent Care provides annual physicals and preventive screenings to patients in Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills, Sherman Oaks, and the surrounding San Fernando Valley. Most insurance plans cover annual preventive visits at no cost. Book your physical online or walk in today.