# Annual health checkup: what to keep and what to redo

> Doctano turns the lab reports you already have into one private, source-linked health timeline, with an AI that answers from your own results.

The checkup is a snapshot. The report is the part that keeps its value.

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Keep the full report from each checkup: every panel, the reference ranges, the collection date, and the lab. Year to year, compare the same markers in the same units, note what changed in your life, and repeat the tests your doctor ordered rather than the whole package.

A checkup package is a bundle of tests chosen by a provider or a lab, not a standard set. What is inside varies by package, by age, and by what the clinician wants to check.

## What a checkup usually contains

Common panels include a complete blood count, a lipid profile, fasting glucose or HbA1c, liver function, kidney function, thyroid tests, vitamins and minerals, and a urine routine. Some packages add an ECG, imaging, or a physical examination; those are not lab results and belong in a separate file.

## What to keep

- The full report, including panels you do not understand.
- The collection date, not only the report date.
- The lab's name, and the reference ranges printed on the report.
- Remarks about the sample or fasting.
- The doctor's notes and any advice given at the visit.
- A current list of medicines, allergies, and conditions.

Keep the original file as well as any summary you make. A summary is easier to read; the original is what you check it against.

## What does not need repeating

Some results do not change and do not need a yearly repeat: blood group and genotype are normally stable for life. Other tests are repeated only when there is a reason, such as a symptom, a new medicine, or a condition being monitored.

## What is worth repeating

Repeat what your doctor ordered and what tracks a condition you are managing. Lipids, glucose or HbA1c, liver enzymes, kidney function, and a blood count are commonly followed over time, but the interval is a clinical decision. More tests are not automatically better.

| Item | Keep it? | Repeat it? |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full lab report | Yes, every page | Only as ordered |
| Blood group and genotype | Yes, once | Normally not needed again |
| Lipid profile | Yes | Commonly followed, interval set by your doctor |
| HbA1c or fasting glucose | Yes | Commonly followed, interval set by your doctor |
| Vitamin D or B12 | Yes | As ordered, not routinely every year |
| Urine routine | Yes | As ordered |
| Imaging or ECG | Yes, separately | Per the indication |
| Doctor notes | Yes | Bring to the next visit |

## How to compare year over year

1. Match the same test, not a similarly named one.
2. Use one unit for both years.
3. Read each report's own range.
4. Note the lab and whether fasting was the same.
5. Look at the gap: a year-over-year change is different from a change in three weeks.
6. Bring three years, not two, when you can.

## What to bring to the next checkup

Bring last year report, your medicine list, any symptoms you want to discuss, and the questions the comparison raised. If you changed labs, say so, because the ranges may differ.

## What a checkup cannot tell you

A checkup is a snapshot of the day the sample was taken. It cannot show a trend on its own, it does not rule out a condition, and a normal result does not mean every value is optimal for you. It is a starting point for a conversation, not a verdict.

## Annual checkups, answered

**What should I keep from my annual health checkup?**

The full report, the collection date, the lab's name, and the reference ranges. Keep the original file and a short summary of your medicines, allergies, and any advice from the visit.

**Do I need the same tests every year?**

No. What to repeat depends on your age, history, symptoms, and what your doctor is monitoring. Some tests are stable for life; others are repeated at an interval the clinician sets.

**How do I compare this year with last year?**

Match the same test, convert to one unit, use each report's own range, and note the lab and fasting status. Three years of results show a direction better than two.

**How long should I keep old reports?**

There is no single rule for personal files. Keeping reports for as long as you would want a doctor to see them is reasonable, and your insurance or doctor may ask for older ones.

**Is a full body checkup necessary every year?**

That is a decision for you and your doctor. Packages vary, and more testing is not automatically better. Ask what each test is for and what would change based on the result.

## Limits

**A checkup report is not a diagnosis.** It records values from one day. Ask a qualified professional what the pattern means for you, and keep the original for the next comparison.

## Links

- [Homepage](https://doctano.com/)
- [Lab report tracker](https://doctano.com/lab-report-tracker)
- [Full body checkup report](https://doctano.com/guides/full-body-checkup-report)
- [Track results over time](https://doctano.com/guides/track-lab-results-over-time)
- [Questions for your doctor](https://doctano.com/guides/prepare-for-doctor-visit)
- [Organize your reports](https://doctano.com/guides/organize-lab-reports)
- [All guides](https://doctano.com/guides/)