Preventive Care
Healthy living starts with taking the necessary steps to screen for and prevent illnesses. Preventive care refers to annual checkups, diagnostic tests, vaccinations or health screenings that are designed to help you monitor your health through each stage of life. Many preventative tests and screenings can be performed at your primary care provider's office, and for those that cannot be completed in your doctor’s office, your primary care provider can help you set them up or provide you with a referral or order for the preventative health screening.
Regular care can help you avoid serious illnesses, reduce healthcare costs, and enjoy a better quality of life. At East Alabama Health, our goal is to be your partner in illness prevention. That's why our providers work directly with you to create a personalized health plan unique to your needs and goals.
Women's Health Checklist
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You should always check with your primary care provider to see which preventative health screenings are right for you. Some preventative health screenings will need to be done at an earlier age or more often depending on your risk factors and family history.
A stethoscope and/or blood pressure cuff or monitor is used to check the blood flow through your arteries.
Testing your cholesterol requires a simple blood draw. Your physician may instruct you to fast (not eat or drink) for 8 to 12 hours before your cholesterol test.
- Fecal occult blood test
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- DNA stool test
Are all methods used to detect colorectal cancer.
A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) looks at a sample of your stool to check for blood.
Virtual colonoscopy is a minimally invasive exam to screen for cancer of the large intestine (colon cancer). Virtual colonoscopy is also known as screening CT colonography.
An imaging test done to monitor the colon and rectum for the presence of ulcers, polyps or other abnormalities by inserting a tube with a camera into the rectum.
A colonoscopy is an exam used to detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine and rectum.
A barium enema is an x-ray exam that can detect changes or abnormalities in the large intestine.
A stool DNA test that in addition to blood, also detects some DNA mutations that may indicate cancerous or precancerous cells.
There are several blood tests to be completed for a full diagnostic diabetes screening.
Lung cancer screenings are performed using a low-dose computerized tomography (LDCT) scan of your lungs to look for lung cancer.
A blood test called a prostate specific antigen (PSA) test measures the level of PSA in the blood. There is also a digital rectal examination (DRE).
A routine office visit is an annual visit with your physician to discuss any changes in your health, have your vitals assessed, have lab work done as needed based on your age, family history, and risk factors, and discuss any other health concerns or questions you have. If you are in need of a primary care physician, please click here.
A TB screening will either be a TB skin test or a TB blood test. TB skin tests are used more often, but blood tests for TB are becoming more common. Your health care provider will recommend which type of TB test is best for you.
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. For many women, mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, when it is easier to treat.
A pap smear looks for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated appropriately.
The HPV test looks for the virus (human papillomavirus) that can cause these cell changes.
The Osteoporosis screening is a bone density test that measures the density of minerals, especially calcium in the bone using X-rays or CT scan.
Calcium scoring measures the amount of calcification (or plaque buildup) in the arteries around the heart.