Category: Patient Resources
Our History
Articles
Why Choose Blackwood Family Medicine?
Blackwood Family Medicine (formerly Family Medicine Center) strives to be your family’s primary medical caregiver treating adult, pediatric, and women’s health issues along with the most common medical illnesses, injuries, and ailments at one convenient location.
Our purpose is to be your go-to center for primary care as it pertains to the health and well-being of you and your family.
Why Choose a Family Medicine Practice?
Choosing Blackwood Family Medicine is choosing the best family doctors and best family medical practice for your family.
Medicine in today’s world can be very fragmented and complicated.
Family Medicine Doctors
Some are a part of much larger medical groups where patients are often treated like their illness or a number. These family practices are pressured to see as many patients in a day as possible – profits come first.
A family medicine clinic may be part of a teaching hospital where new residents come and go every 3 to 4 years. Just when you get a good relationship established, in comes a new resident and you have to start again.
Family Care Physicians Who Know You
Both these examples are missing a personal relationship and depth of knowledge for a unique individual’s medical history. No one, especially in the vulnerable moments when you are not feeling well, wants to feel rushed or try to remember all of his or her existing and previous conditions to tell a strange doctor so he may accurately treat you.
Dedicated Family Practitioner
Blackwood Family Medicine has the best reason for becoming a patient in our practice. We include the human factor when treating our patients. We listen to you. We advise you. We know you. We care about you.
Physical Examinations
At Blackwood Family Medicine, we offer physical exams that cater to your entire family’s needs and interests.
General Adult Physical Exams
Family Medicine Center’s medical staff perform hundreds of physical examinations annually. Whether it is an annual well-visit exam or detailed exam for sports or employment, we are able to complete your exam and accompanying paperwork in one visit.
Annual adult physical examinations include checking the following:
Body Systems
- Ear, nose, throat
- Eye exam
- Head and neck
- Chest
- Cardiovascular, EKG
- Abdominal
- Genital exam
- Skin exam
- Neurologic (reflexes, cranial nerves 2-12, tone, motor, and sensory) exam
Body Measurements
- Height
- Weight and Body Mass Index
- Oxygen Level
Vital Signs
- Temperature
- Blood Pressure
- Respiration
- Pulse
Gender Appropriate Screenings
Women (more information on the Women’s Health Care page):
- Pelvic Exam and Pap Smear Test
- Mammogram
Men:
- PSA (Prostate and Testosterone after 40)
Age Appropriate Screenings
- Rectal exam (after 40)
- Stool testing for occult blood (after 40)
- Colonoscopy (after 50)
Immunizations
- Annual flu shots for all ages
- Pneumonia shots
- Tetanus and Dyptheria boosters (every 10 years)
- Shingles vaccine (after 60)
If you are in need of vaccines for traveling abroad, Family Medicine Center offers:
- Hepatitis A and B
- Malaria Prophylaxis
If you require any other travel-related inoculations, we can make recommendations.
Laboratory and Blood Tests
- CBC (Complete Blood Count)
- CMP (Complete Metabolic Panel includes blood sugar, electrolytes, liver function, kidney function)
- Thyroid Function testing
- Complete Lipid (Cholesterol testing)
- Vitamin D level
- Urinalysis
Pediatric Physical Exams
Similar to the in-depth adult annual physical exam, our pediatric exams are meant to give your child a thorough checkup from head to foot. No matter if your child is a newborn (<1 yr.), toddler (1-5 yrs.), elementary school age (5-10 yrs.), pre-teen, or teen, our family practice physicians and practitioners are experienced in caring for children of all ages, right on into adulthood.
Newborn Physical Exam – Establishing a Medical Record
Information from the parents on prenatal care and a review of the birth event help to build the medical record for a newborn. Issues concerning the health of the mother or any complications during pregnancy; weeks of gestation at birth; length of labor and type of delivery; Apgar scores; birth length and weight; any complication to the infant after birth (breathing problems, birth injuries, etc.); concerns with feeding; should all be recorded in the initial workup for the newborn.
Well Baby Exam – Reaching Milestones and Immunizations
Recording milestones and developmental review are key during the well baby exam. Not all children develop at the same pace so tracking your baby’s abilities will help our doctors determine they are meeting appropriate milestones according to established pediatric guidelines.
Immunizations and vaccine boosters are an important part of your child’s healthcare plan. Blackwood Family Medicine has the schedule of childhood vaccines in our office and will set up appointments as your child is due.
Our comprehensive exam includes (but are not limited to) the following:
Body Systems
- Ears (including hearing test)
- Nose
- Mouth and throat
- Eyes
- Head and neck
- Chest and lungs
- Heart
- Abdomen
- Genitals
- Skin
- Skeletal Structure and Development (back, joints, muscles, hips, upper and lower extremities)
- Neurologic exam (reflexes, cranial nerves, tone, motor, sensory)
Vital Signs
- Temperature
- Blood Pressure
- Respiration and Pulse
Growth Measurements
- Height or Length
- Weight
- Head size and shape; Fontanelle(s); scalp and hair
Laboratory and Blood Tests
- Hemoglobin
- Lead screening
- Urinalysis
Virginia Beach Public Schools – Football Physical Exam
Parents, in order for your child to play football in the Virginia Beach area, they must have a physical for football with their family doctor and bring in the proper forms which are provided by the Virginia Beach City Public Schools.
For your convenience, we have provided the links below for both middle and high school programs.
Virginia Beach Middle School League
Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/Physical Examination Form
Virginia High School League, Inc.
Athletic Participation/Parental Consent/Physical Examination Form
Our physicians will gladly perform the needed exam and tests to ensure your student athlete is in top physical condition to participate in school football programs.
If your player is a part of a non-school football program, we are able to provide the same full exam. It is the parent’s or athlete’s responsibility to bring in the appropriate forms for completion.
When calling to schedule an appointment, please be sure to let the scheduler know you need a physical for football so they allow enough time for your exam. These appointments may take an extended amount of time.
Athletic and Sports Physicals
Parents of Youth Athletes
Competitive sports are often a part of our daily lives. It often starts in our youth and continues into our adult lives. For the parents of a youth athlete, you can be reassured that as a patient of Blackwood Family Medicine, we will give your son or daughter a complete athletic physical prior to participating in their sport of choice. Athletes within the Virginia Beach City Public Schools district should book an appointment and bring in the forms provided by district.
Allow Extra Time for an Athletic Physical
Physical exams for sports often take extra time. When scheduling your appointment, please indicate you are requesting a sports physical so the scheduler allows the maximum amount of time required.
Physicals for Sports or Organized Activities
For athletes participating in other organizational activities, physicals for sports may be set up in the same manner, however it is the responsibility of the parents or athlete to provide the appropriate forms for completion.
Our doctors will gladly perform the needed physical for sports or any other tests needed to ensure your athlete is in top physical condition to participate in the programs they enjoy.
Preventative Care – Fun Facts
Germs are easily spread to the masses, and children are notorious as carriers. There are many preventive measures that parents can teach their children to keep them on the good side of health.
Forming good habits in hygiene as a youngster will transition into adulthood, helping your family and community stay ahead of many diseases.
Teach good hand-washing skills and when to use them.
A good length of time is at least 20 seconds… approximately the same amount of time it takes to sing the happy birthday song. It is important to use soap, continually rub your soapy hands under the running water, and for the best results, dry them with a cloth or paper towel. Wash hands:
- If you sneeze or cough into your hands.
- After using the restroom.
- Before handling food or eating.
- After playing with pets or animals.
- After touching handrails or other highly used public features.
The best way to cover a sneeze or cough
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue. Then promptly throw it in the trash. However, when a tissue is not handy, the second option is to bury your face in the bend of your arm; also known as the Dracula move. Both methods are intended to minimize the spread of germs. If you happen to sneeze or cough into your hands, wash them quickly and don’t touch anything until you do. Always use a tissue to wipe or blow your nose.
Child Safety Tips from Your Kids Doctors
To minimize the need for pediatric urgent care, instill basic health and safety behaviors in your children when they are young.
- Seat belt safety is life-saving. Children don’t understand that wearing a seat belt or being strapped into a car seat is required by law. They are capable of understanding that it is for their safety. Teach them to stay buckled up.
- Bike and safety helmets save brains. Traumatic brain injury can lead to a life of major challenges for a child. Protect their brains. No helmet equals no skating, no skateboarding, no biking, no fun. A good rule of thumb–if the pros wear it (for safety), so should you.
- Sleep is not just for beauty. A child’s body and brain need lots of rest to refresh, heal, and regenerate. Specify the importance of a good night’s sleep as essential to growing up strong and healthy.
Patient Forms
Forms can be completed online through the patient portal or you can print them from our website and bring them with you to your appointment.
Insurance & Fees
Become a Patient
If you are a patient and have not been seen in over 2 years or would like to schedule a physical,
please call 757-523-0022 as these types of appointments are not available for online scheduling.
