Cherokee’s Loren Bass Discusses Why Visits Are Important
ROME, Ga. – January is a great time to prioritize your health and well-being. Here are some practical tips to restart your health in 2025.
1. Schedule Your Annual Physical
“You should consider your primary care provider your partner in health,” said Loren Bass, a nurse practitioner with Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center Rural Health Clinic in Centre, Ala. “Your doctor can’t help you if don’t make regular visits,” she said.
An annual physical is more than a check-up; it’s a chance to discuss your health concerns, set health goals, identify potential risks and create a personalized plan so that you may be successful in the year ahead.
Bass said that visit should include discussion of screenings, vaccinations and any lingering concerns you may have about your health.
2. Set Realistic Health Goals
Instead of making sweeping resolutions, focus on smaller, actionable steps.
“Doing simple things like drinking more water, eating more veggies and walking can make a big difference in your overall wellness,” Bass said.
Those minor changes can make a significant difference in how you feel.
3. Prioritize Mental Health
Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical health. Atrium Health Floyd primary care providers can connect you with resources such as counseling or stress management programs. Mental health affects how we think, feel and act. It also influences how we manage stress and make decisions.
“Anxiety, depression and other serious conditions can impact our daily life and overall happiness,” Bass said. “It’s a mistake to think those issues don’t affect your physical well-being.”
4. Catch Up on Preventive Screenings
Early detection saves lives. Depending on your age, gender and family history, your primary care provider can guide you on which screenings — like mammograms, colonoscopies or cholesterol checks—you may need.
5. Create a Sustainable Routine
A new year doesn’t mean a total overhaul. Instead, build on habits that align with your lifestyle. Whether it’s incorporating more movement, improving sleep hygiene or quitting smoking, your primary care provider can offer tools and strategies tailored to your needs.
“Too many people start off with unrealistic goals,” Bass said. “Your doctor can help you focus on changes that can benefit you personally.”
Reach out to Bass to schedule your annual check-up and discover other way she can support your journey to better health.
Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center Rural Health Clinic in Cherokee, AL, is Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST. To make an appointment, call 1-256-927-4900.
About Atrium Health Floyd
The Atrium Health Floyd family of health care services is a leading medical provider and economic force in northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd is part of Charlotte, North Carolina-based Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, created from the combination of Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health. Atrium Health Floyd strategically combined with Harbin Clinic in 2024 and employs more than 5,200 teammates who provide care in over 40 medical specialties at four facilities: Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center – a 361-bed full-service, acute care hospital and regional referral center in Rome, Georgia; Atrium Health Floyd Polk Medical Center in Cedartown, Georgia; and Atrium Health Floyd Cherokee Medical Center in Centre, Alabama; and Atrium Health Floyd Medical Center Behavioral Health, also in Rome. Together, Atrium Health Floyd and Harbin Clinic provide primary care, specialty care and urgent care throughout northwest Georgia and northeast Alabama. Atrium Health Floyd also operates a stand-alone emergency department in Chattooga County, the first such facility to be built from the ground-up in Georgia.
About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is a nationally recognized leader in shaping health outcomes through innovative research, education and compassionate patient care. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, Atrium Health is part of Advocate Health, the third-largest nonprofit health system in the United States, which was created from the combination with Advocate Aurora Health. A recognized leader in experiential medical education and groundbreaking research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine is its academic core. Atrium Health is renowned for its top-ranked pediatric, cancer and heart care, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Atrium Health is also a leading-edge innovator in virtual care and mobile medicine, providing care close to home and in the home. Ranked nationally among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals in eight pediatric specialties and for rehabilitation, Atrium Health has also received the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize and its 2021 Carolyn Boone Lewis Equity of Care Award, as well as the 2020 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Health Equity Award for its efforts to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in care. With a commitment to every community it serves, Atrium Health seeks to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all, providing $2.8 billion last year in free and uncompensated care and other community benefits.
About Advocate Health
Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit integrated health system in the United States – created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois, Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides nearly $6 billion in annual community benefits.
