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Health screenings for employees
Fifty-seven percent of large U.S. employers, (over 500 employees), offer employee wellness programs that include things such as health care screenings, according to a 2008 survey by Metlife Insurance.
According to the results of some of one survey conducted, Health screenings are among the best attended wellness programs. 28% of those surveyed said that the health screenings attracted the most employee participation at their workplace. Some of the most common screenings offered include:
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- Breast cancer detection/mammograms.
- Cholesterol testing/lipid screenings.
- Blood pressure screenings.
- Bone density/osteoporosis testing.
- Diabetes testing.
- Cardiac health screenings.
- Glucose screenings.
The ability to have one-stop shopping, while not having to take off from work to see a physician, especially when many Americans are facing layoffs and cuts in their benefits is seen as a benefit in itself. In addition, the screenings typically have medical professionals who can answer questions, suggest a course of action and help employees understand how they got to this in the first place.
Health screening tests are done to determine the possible presence of a disease or other health problem. Health screenings often are conducted routinely as a preventive measure, or may be done when there is reason to suspect a particular health problem exists.
For men and women, health care providers have established a set of recommended screening tests depending on the age of the patient. Although many of these cannot be done simply at an office-place health fair, it is important to remember that healthy employees help alleviate costs associated with lost productivity, time off, and insurances costs. Employers can help their employees by providing some of the following information:
- For women between the ages of 20 and 39, the following screenings are recommended:
- Pelvic exam: every year.
- Pap test: every year
- Breast: at least every three years.
- Skin: at least every three years.
For women between the ages of 40 and 49:
- Blood pressure: at least every two years
- Cholesterol test: every five years
- Skin exam: every year
- Breast exam: every year
- Pelvic exam: every year
- Pap test: every year
- Mammography: every one to two years
- Fasting plasma glucose test: to check for the possibility of diabetes
After age 50, women should have the following screenings:
- Blood pressure: at least every two years
- Cholesterol: every five years
- Skin exam: every year
- Breast exam: every year
- Mammogram: every year
- Fecal occult blood test: every year
- Pelvic exam: every year
- Pap test: yearly
- Bone mineral density test: once as a baseline
- Fasting plasma glucose test: for diabetes, every three years
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone test:
- Colorectal cancer test: every five to ten years
For men between the ages of 20 an 39:
- Blood pressure: at least every two years
- Cholesterol: every five years
- Skin exam: every three years
Men between the ages of 40 and 49:
- Blood pressure: at least every two years
- Cholesterol: every five years
- Skin exam: every year
- Fasting plasma glucose test: to check for the possibility of diabetes
Men who are 50 years or older:
- Blood pressure: at least every two years
- Cholesterol: every five years
- Skin exam: every year
- Digital rectal exam: (to check for the possibility of prostate cancer) every year
- Prostate specific antigen (PSA) test: every year
- Fasting plasma glucose test: (for diabetes) every three years
- Colorectal cancer test: every five to ten years
Health screenings are important for early detection of diseases or other possible health problems. Any suspected problems should be reported to a health care provider immediately. Health screening exams have played a principal role in preventive health care for a wide range of common diseases and some that are not so common.
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