The first Doctors’ Day observance took place on March 30, 1933, conducted by the Barrow County Alliance in Winder, Georgia. The idea of setting aside a day to honor physicians was conceived by Eudora Brown Almond, wife of Dr. Charles B. Almond, and the recognition occurred on the anniversary of the first administration of anesthesia by Dr. Crawford W. Long in Jefferson, Georgia, in 1842. It continues today to celebrate medical advances like these and thank all doctors everywhere who’ve spent so much time and energy mastering their field of expertise.

Routine health checkups are a key part of staying healthy. Older adults may feel like they’re always visiting one doctor or another. But what is an acceptable frequency for doctor appointments?

The answer isn’t always so cut and dried, and many health professionals have mixed feelings even among themselves over the magic number. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults older than 65 visit the doctor more than twice as often as 18- to 44-year-olds.

According to Paul Takahashi, a physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., adults should see their primary care physicians at least once a year to make sure diseases are being properly managed and to stay current on preventative screenings.

Visiting the doctor more frequently does not necessarily add up to better health, and it actually can do the opposite. Dr. Peter Abadir, an associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says frequent visits to health facilties where sick people congregate puts one at a higher risk of illness or infection. Visiting the doctor only when necessary is one way to avoid risky exposure.

Doctor visit frequency is not a one-size-fits-all answer. A yearly physical or checkup is a given, even for people who are healthy. People with a family history of certain conditions, such as sleep disorders, cancer, high blood pressure and others, may need to see a doctor more frequently than those with no such histories.

In addition, patients may need referrals to certain specialists who work together to provide an overall health plan. That can increase the number of appointments and shorten the intervals between them.

Johnson Memorial Health offers some statistics.

— People visit the doctor four times a year on average;

— Studies show that poor or uninsured people prolong the time between doctor’s visits;

— Individuals with high blood pressure may need to see the doctor four times a year to ensure medications are working properly;

— Patients on dialysis see the doctor several times a week.

Dr. Jennifer Caudle, a family physician and assistant professor at Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, N.J., says too often people visit the doctor only when they are really sick. That works to their disadvantage because the appointment will focus only on treating the illness instead of addressing other preventative care and screenings. Balance is necessary in regard to health care.

Patients can work together with their doctors to develop screening schedules that are customized to their particular profiles. These schedules can be modified as health history information changes or as patients age. Doctors can dial back or increase health visits as needed.

For better care, be a prepared patient

Adults play a significant role in their own health care. Adults focused on getting fit may visit various fitness facilities before signing up for a membership, and individuals who want to improve their diets may spend countless hours poring over healthy recipes and the latest trends in nutrition. Such research pays dividends, and the same commitment can be applied to choosing the right health care services.

Adults who are enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance plans may feel as though their options are limited in regard to their health care services. However, there are many ways for patients to get more out of their health care plans —

— Shop around for a primary care physician. It’s easy to be overwhelmed when perusing lists of in-network primary care physicians provided by insurance companies. Such lists can seem endless and it can be hard to distinguish one physician from another. Adults in need of new primary care physicians can ask neighbors or family and friends who live nearby for recommendations. It’s important to put the time in when choosing a primary care physician, as people who are comfortable with their physicians are more likely to schedule annual wellness visits or book appointments when they aren’t feeling well. Such visits can be life-saving.

— Schedule annual wellness visits. Annual wellness visits are very important, even for health-conscious individuals who are not experiencing any signs of illness or injury. Regular checkups and screenings can uncover health problems even when no symptoms are present, potentially saving patients’ lives. Many insurance providers cover annual physicals at no cost to the patient, and screenings can catch diseases early when they’re at their most treatable and treatment is less expensive and less time-consuming.

— Be a prepared patient. Prepare a list of questions before a scheduled doctor’s appointment. Jot questions down as they come to you in the weeks leading up to the appointment and don’t hesitate to ask questions during the visit.

— Be open and honest with your physician. Concealing behaviors from your physician will negate some of the benefits of visiting the doctor. Being open and honest with a physician enables the doctor to give the best medical advice.