Keep your Patients uo to Date with their Preventive Exams and Screenings

The global pandemic has caused many patients to miss their preventive exams and screenings since March 2020. This problem has persisted into 2021 and could have long-term effects on your patients, but there is still time to catch your patients up.

To aid in this effort, Public-Health compiled a lifetime health care schedule organized by age and covering both vaccines and preventive exams and screenings as recommended by the National Institute of Health (NIH). You can find Highmark’s recommended care schedule on the Preventive Health Guidelines page under Education/Manuals on the Provider Resource Center.

Why Keeping Your Patients Up To Date With Their Preventive Health Is Important

Early detection of health issues helps you to prevent diseases, gets your patients the care they need before conditions become life-threatening, and increases your patients’ life expectancy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), seven out of 10 U.S. deaths are caused by chronic disease, with roughly half of the country's population diagnosed with a chronic illness including: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, AIDS, or other conditions classified by the medical community as preventable. According to Healthy People 2020 , a federal program administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services:

  • Routine cardiovascular exams alone save tens of thousands lives each year
  • Vaccines save the lives of roughly 42,000 children each year
  • Preventive health screenings and primary care consultations have also been found to significantly increase life expectancy, particularly among 30-to-49 year olds.



Disclaimer: You should determine the appropriate treatment and follow-up with your patient based on their current situation and health records. This informational article is based upon a search of literature, as such there may be other recommendations or suggested practices that you may find more suitable for your patients.

Footnotes:
Resources Used for This Article:
www.healthypeople.gov/2020/leading-health-indicators/2020-lhi-topics/Clinical-Preventive-Services
www.healthypeople.gov/2020/About-Healthy-People
www.publichealth.org/public-awareness/preventive-care-schedule

 

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