Wellness Guidelines
These guidelines indicate the tests and procedures that should be performed on a regular basis for healthy people. These recommendations apply to healthy people without disease or physical symptoms. If you have illnesses, symptoms or family diseases (e.g., colon cancer, high cholesterol, breast cancer, etc.), these tests may need to be done more often than indicated.
If you are behind on these procedures and wish to be updated, you may make an appointment to see one of our healthcare providers. Your first step in bringing your health care up to date is to call the office to schedule a complete physical examination.
| COMPLETE PHYSICAL EXAMINATION & HEALTH COUNSELING | Every 3 years | ||||||||
| Every 1 year | |||||||||
| CANCER CHECK-UP* | Every 3 years | ||||||||
| Every 1 year | |||||||||
| BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK | Every 2 years | ||||||||
| BLOOD TESTS & URINALYSIS | Every 3 years | ||||||||
| Every 1-2 years | |||||||||
| Every 1 year |
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| PSA**-PROSTATE CANCER BLOOD TEST | Every 1-2 years | ||||||||
| EKG -(Stress test recommended if over 45 years old and more than 1 risk factor for heart disease) | Baseline | ||||||||
| Every 3-4 years | |||||||||
| RECTAL EXAMINATION | Every 1 year | ||||||||
| HEMOCCULT** (STOOL FOR HIDDEN BLOOD) | Every 1 year | ||||||||
| SIGMOIDOSCOPY** (COLON EXAM) | Every 4 years | ||||||||
| PELVIC EXAM & PAP SMEAR (May be less frequent after 3 normal pap smears or after hysterectomy) | Every 1 year | ||||||||
| BREAST EXAM | Every 1 year | ||||||||
| MAMMOGRAM | Baseline | ||||||||
| Every 1 year |
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| TETANUS BOOSTER | Every 10 years | ||||||||
| CHEST X-RAY (smokers) | Every 1 year | ||||||||
| AUDIOGRAM | Every 2 years | ||||||||
| BREAST SELF EXAM | Monthly | ||||||||
| TESTICULAR SELF EXAM | Monthly | ||||||||
| SKIN SELF EXAM | Monthly | ||||||||
| GLAUCOMA CHECK | Every 2 years | ||||||||
| FLU (INFLUENZA) VACCINE (If High Risk***) | Every October | ||||||||
| PNEUMONIA VACCINE (If High Risk***) | Every 6 years | ||||||||
| HEPATITIS B VACCINE |
MISCELLANEOUS:
Women of child bearing age who have not had chicken pox & are not pregnant should receive the chicken pox vaccination. Based on individual risk, a patient may be advised to have an endometrial biopsy (womb lining biopsy) or screening for tuberculosis (TB) and sexually transmitted diseases.
*to include examination for cancer of the thyroid, testicles, ovaries, lymph nodes, oral region and skin.
**begin at age 40 if family history of prostate or colon cancer. African-American men need to begin testing PSA at age 40.
***high risk = 65 or older (50 or older for pneumonia vaccine), anyone with chronic disease (asthma, heart disease, lung disease, anemia, diabetes, etc.), or household members of high risk patients.