Which department should I go to for routine physical examination?

For routine physical examinations, it is preferable to choose the physical examination center of a regular medical institution. If the primary hospital you go to does not have a separate physical examination department, it is absolutely fine to be admitted to the general medicine department or general internal medicine department. If you have underlying diseases and want to have a specialist review on the way, it is also OK to directly apply for the corresponding specialist. There is no absolute standard answer, it all depends on your actual needs.

I just went through a trap with my colleague last week. He originally wanted to have an annual physical examination and check for Helicobacter pylori. He thought that the gastroenterology department could open it at the same time. As a result, the number of gastroenterology departments that day was over 200. He had to wait for two and a half hours for his turn. After hearing his needs, the doctor who treated him directly said that if he only did routine blood tests, liver and kidney function tests, For basic items such as blood test, chest X-ray, and abdominal B-ultrasound, there was no need to sign up for a specialist number. He could go directly to the hospital’s physical examination center to buy a basic package. All items were on the first floor, so he didn’t have to go back and forth to the department to make an appointment.

Nowadays, whether it is a public tertiary institution or a formal chain physical examination institution, routine physical examination packages are prepared in advance according to the needs of different groups of people. The basic model covers all the routine items that must be checked. There is also a guide to guide you where to go for the examination. After the examination, a doctor can help interpret the report. It is much more efficient than going to the doctor one by one to write the bill yourself.

Of course, it does not mean that you have to choose a physical examination center. For example, if you have type 2 diabetes and have been followed up by the endocrinology department, and you want to get medication during the routine physical examination this time, you can just call the endocrinology department and tell the doctor clearly that you need to add routine physical examination items. They can also adjust the focus of the examination based on your condition, such as adding glycosylated hemoglobin and urine microalbumin screening, which is more suitable for your situation than the general physical examination package. There are also young girls who want to undergo routine physical examinations and undergo gynecological ultrasound and HPV screening. It is no problem to directly call the gynecological number for billing, which saves them from having to go to a gynecological review separately after the physical examination.

If you go to a grassroots medical institution such as a community health service center, most of them do not have a dedicated physical examination department. You can just go to a general practitioner to order the routine examination. General practitioners can prescribe routine examinations, and you can also pay for them with your medical insurance personal account. The price is also much cheaper than that of large hospitals, so it is suitable for basic annual screening.

In fact, there is really no need to worry about which department to enroll in. If you are really not sure when you arrive at the hospital, just go to the consultation desk and ask. The staff receive such consultations every day and can point you to the right place in two minutes. You don't have to worry about it for days in advance.