When you’re scheduling time with a primary care clinic, it helps to know whether you’re planning a prevention-focused visit or a problem-focused visit. This plain-English guide explains the general difference—without medical instructions—so you can choose the option that fits your goals today. If you’re still unsure after reading, our front desk is happy to help you pick the right starting point.
What an Annual Wellness Visit Is (General)
An Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) takes a broad view of your health and future plans. The visit is designed to review your overall picture—history, medications and supplements, lifestyle, and age-appropriate prevention—then align on priorities for the year ahead. In other words, it’s prevention-focused, not centered on a single problem. That makes it ideal for staying on top of long-term health, discussing risk factors in general terms, and planning routine follow-ups across the year.
At River Family Health, you’ll find an overview of what an AWV is and why it matters on our Annual Wellness Visits page. You can also skim our recent blog post on how to feel organized for this type of visit: How to Prepare for Your Annual Wellness Visit.
What a “Sick Visit” (Problem Visit) Is (General)
A problem visit—sometimes called a “sick visit”—is about today’s concern. Maybe you have a sore throat, a new rash, a sprained ankle, or a flare-up that’s getting in the way of work or family life. This appointment aims to evaluate a specific issue and discuss general next steps appropriate to your situation. It’s narrower than an AWV: the focus is what brought you in right now, rather than a wide preventive review.
Why Both Matter Over the Course of a Year
Prevention and problem-solving work together. A yearly AWV keeps long-term plans on track—so small concerns don’t get lost—and problem visits make room for the unexpected. Over time, this rhythm helps you maintain continuity with a team that knows your story and can coordinate care when needed.
Which One Should I Choose (Today)?
- Choose an Annual Wellness Visit if you want a prevention-focused check-in to look at the big picture, review history and goals, and keep routine care organized.
- Choose a problem/sick visit if you have a specific concern you’d like evaluated now (new symptom, minor injury, flare-up, or other focused issue).
If you currently have a specific concern and you’re due for an AWV, you can always schedule the problem visit first and keep the AWV on the calendar for preventive planning. If you’re not sure what to book, call us—we’ll help you match the visit type to your priority.
Simple Ways to Feel Prepared (Non-Medical)
- Bring a short list of medications/supplements you take and any allergies you know about.
- Jot down your top 1–3 priorities so we start with what matters most to you.
- Note key history items you want your provider to know (for example, a past surgery or a family health pattern—kept high-level).
What to Expect from River Family Health
Our team emphasizes accessible, prevention-minded care for families in the Treasure Valley. We offer Annual Wellness Visits alongside same-day acute care for many common, non-emergency issues. If coordination is helpful—say, connecting preventive planning with chronic-care follow-up—we’ll make sure your appointments work together.
General Reading You May Find Helpful
For consumer-friendly background on preventive care and how to make the most of appointments, these national resources are a good place to start:
- CDC: Preventive Care (what prevention generally includes)
- AHRQ: Patient Involvement (questions & tools)
Ready to Schedule?
If you’re leaning prevention, start here: Annual Wellness Visits. If you have a specific concern today, our team can help you find the right problem visit. Either way, we’ll keep the conversation simple, clear, and focused on your goals.
