Preventative Health Care
Preventative health care includes cancer screenings and screenings for diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure. We also help develop customized treatment plans to prevent developing chronic illness. Screening Physical Exams including PAP smears, immunizations and in office EKG are performed.
Commonly Asked Questions
What cancers do you screen for?
Cancer is taken very seriously at our clinic – and rightfully so, given that it has a significant morbidity and mortality even when it is detected. We take an individualized approach to cancer, in line with the American Cancer Society (ACS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines which were recently updated.
The risk for cancer varies from patient to patient. For example, the risk of breast cancer in a 48 year old woman is invariably higher than in a 28 year old man. Likewise, the risk of colon cancer in a 56 year old man with a positive family history of it, is manifold higher than a 45 year old man without one. We take a tailored approach to our patients and offer screening packages that are suitable to their risk. Our screening covers many common cancers for which screening has been validated:
- Breast Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Colon Cancer
- Lung Cancer
Do you screen for other types of cancer?
Screening for ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, testicular and thyroid cancers have not been validated to reduce the mortality from those cancers. Having said that, if the clinical suspicion for any cancer is raised after a history and physical exam, we will arrange for the appropriate investigations to be performed. This, however, does not constitute screening, and is more appropriately termed an “investigation” to obtain a diagnosis. Screening is for patients with no symptoms.
What other diseases can you prevent?
We offer a whole host of immunizations that work to prevent infections caused by pathogens such as Influenza, Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Hepatitis A, Tetanus and Diphtheria amongst others. Often times, comprehensive immunizations are offered to patients who are looking to travel to endemic regions, patients with a depressed immune system, or those who are at risk of decompensation should an infection occur (e.g. pneumonia in a COPD patient).
