Preventative health is best described as “warding off disease”. It is a process of making small regular decisions and taking positive action on health, diet, relationships, exercise and lifestyle. These actions give your body the best chance of remaining free from disease.
Prevention is better than a cure.
One of the method we use for preventative health is Health Assessments. A health assessment is consultation in which the doctor will ask you targeted quesitons and perform a physical examination to detect disease early and manage any complications.
There are many different types of health assessments done at different stages of life as well as assessments for specific groups of patients.
Aboriginal Health Assessments:
This health assessment is available to all people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent and should be used for health assessments for the following age categories:
A health assessment means the assessment of a patient’s health and physical, psychological and social function and consideration of whether preventive health care and education should be offered to the patient, to improve that patient’s health and physical, psychological and social function.
Refugee Check:
The purpose of this health assessment is to introduce new refugees and other humanitarian entrants to the Australian primary health care system, as soon as possible after their arrival in Australia (within twelve months of arrival).
The health assessment applies to humanitarian entrants who are resident in Australia with access to Medicare services.
Healthy Kids Check:
The aim of the Healthy Kids Check is to improve the health and well-being of Australian children. The Healthy Kids Check promotes early detection of lifestyle risk factors, delayed development and illness, and provides the opportunity to introduce guidance for healthy lifestyles and early intervention strategies.
The Healthy Kids Check is to be delivered in conjunction with the four year old immunisation. In some states and territories, the four year old immunisation may be provided at an earlier or later age. Children receiving this earlier or later immunisation will be eligible for the Healthy Kids Check if they are over the age of three years and under the age of five years.
40-49 year old Assessment:
The aim of the type 2 diabetes risk evaluation is to support medical practitioners to address the health needs of patients 40 to 49 years of age who are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The type 2 diabetes risk evaluation is a review of the risk factors underlying the patient’s ‘high risk’ score as identified by the Australian Type 2 Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool. It includes initiating interventions, such as referral to lifestyle modification programs, to assist with the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
45-49 year old Assessment:
The aim of this health check is to assist with the prevention of chronic disease and to enable early intervention strategies to be put in place where appropriate.
The decision about whether an individual is at risk of developing a chronic disease rests with the clinical judgement of the GP, but a specific risk factor must be identified. Factors that the GP may consider include, but are not limited to:
• lifestyle risk factors, such as smoking, physical inactivity, poor nutrition or alcohol misuse;
•biomedical risk factors, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, impaired glucose metabolism or excess weight; and
• family history of a chronic disease.
A chronic disease or condition is one that has been or is likely to be present for at least six months (or a terminal condition), including but not limited to asthma, cancer, cardiovascular illness, diabetes mellitus, mental health conditions, arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions.
70 year old Osteoporosis Check
Routine screening for osteoporosis offered to all turning 70 to detect for signs of osteoporosis.
75+ year old Assessment:
A health assessment of an older person is an in-depth assessment of a patient aged 75 years and over. It provides a structured way of identifying health issues and conditions that are potentially preventable or amenable to interventions in order to improve health and/or quality of life.
The purpose of this health assessment is to help identify any risk factors exhibited by an elderly patient that may require further health management. In addition to assessing a person’s health status, a health assessment is used to identify a broad range of factors that influence a person’s physical, psychological and social functioning.
Our philosophy is that health care is as much about helping people stay well, as about treating illness.
This is why we consider “well women and men checks” as vitally important. It’s time to have a general checkup, pick up on any conditions at an early and (hopefully) treatable stage, and most of all, learn about preventing illness.
Men, how often do you take your car in for a service? Now, think about the time you had a complete body check?
What’s more important to you – your car or your health??
Our philosophy is that health care is as much about helping people stay well, as about treating illness.
This is why we consider “well women and men checks” as vitally important. It’s time to have a general checkup, pick up on any conditions at an early and (hopefully) treatable stage, and most of all, learn about preventing illness.
Under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) the following people are eligible to receive free influenza vaccine:
Pneumovax 23 vaccination is used to prevent life threatening bacterial infections. It has been available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme since 1983 for anyone who is at high risk of pneumococcal infections. High risk groups are defined in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Free vaccine has been available through the National Immunisation Program since 2005 for some at risk children and for:
The Australian Immunisation Handbook currently recommends revaccination 5 years after the first dose, with some groups being recommended to have a second revaccination after a further 5 years.