Annual Wellness Visit vs. Annual Physical Exam

Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is becoming increasingly significant in preventive healthcare services and there are many questions surrounding AWV and its actual benefits. Here is our answer to some of the trending questions:

Is Annual Wellness Visit the same as an Annual Physical Exam?

The immediate answer is a No, AWV is not the same as an annual physical exam. Medicare will cover an Annual Wellness visit but not an annual physical exam.  Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare covers AWV completely, with no co-payment and no patient deductible. This is only valid  if the services provided during the visit meet specific criteria for information-gathering, assessment, and counseling.

What’s the difference between AWV and Annual Physical Exam in terms of patient assessment?

The premise of an Annual Physical Exam is to study the body and determine if there is any physical problem with the patient. On the other hand, the Annual Wellness Visit is to identify risks and then mitigate those risks by referring the patient to an appropriate resource.

Medicare Wellness is a holistic assessment routine

Annual Physical Exam is a measurement routine

The Doctor will measure height, weight, blood pressure and other routine measurements The Doctor will assess your risk factors and treatment options Review Health Risk Assessment questionnaire Updating list of providers and prescriptions Looking for signs of cognitive impairment The Doctor will set up a screening schedule for appropriate preventive services The Doctor will review your medical and family history

The Doctor will measure height and weight; blood pressure; BMI The Doctor will assess your risk factors for preventable diseases The Doctor will perform head and neck; lung; abdominal and neurological exams The Doctor will check vital signs and test your reflexes The Doctor may conduct any blood work or lab tests The Doctor will review your medical and family history

The purpose of Annual Wellness Visit under Medicare is to record the current state of health and to create a starting point for the future. Medicare also covers a number of other preventive services such as preventive cancer screenings, bone density measurement, and flu shots free of cost.

The most important question would be – How is the delivery of an AWV— a preventive care service related to HealthCare Technology?

As a service, AWV is good for both patients and for HealthCare System’s Strategic Objectives. The manual processes involved in delivering AWV can be guided by an automated workflow tool. This tool can enable providers to create an assessment, create personalized care plans, set automated reminders, streamline documentation and educate the eligible population.

AWV intervention points for a tool/software platform like HealthViewX –

Patient eligibility verification	Assessment/Scheduling of patient visit	Patient visit/ Conducting the routine	AWV reports	Billing of Medicare	CCM Suggestion
Done by HealthViewX	Done by HealthViewX	Done by Provider	Done by HealthViewX, reviewed by Provider, shared with patients	Done by Provider	Suggest providers to enroll eligible patients for CCM

Empower your practice with HealthViewX’s smart and streamlined AWV and make the most out of Medicare’s profitable wellness program both for your practice and your patients.