Preventative Health Care

Medicare now offers annual physicals as a covered benefit.

At Burke Primary Care our goal is to help you stay healthy. Your annual physical is an important way to stay in touch with your doctor and to be proactive with your health.

We encourage our patients to have screenings that are appropriate based on clinical history, family history and factors unique to their health. We rely on the recommendations and guidelines provided by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the National Cancer Institute, and other nationally recognized health organizations.

• Beginning at age 18, we suggest high blood pressure screening for everyone. Men, without factors that increase the risk for heart disease, should begin screenings of lipids and cholesterol levels at age 35. For women it is slightly older.
• Cancer screening is also an important aspect of preventive care. At age 50, we recommend our patients begin screening for colon cancer. This can be done with fecal occult blood testing, sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.
• Men should start prostate screening around age 40 with a blood test known as a PSA and a digital rectal exam.
• For women, we encourage Pap smears beginning at age 21 and mammograms beginning at age 40. The patient’s individual health history will determine how often the tests should be repeated.

When you have a preventive health examination (often called a wellness check, physical or annual checkup) your Burke Primary Care healthcare provider will help you determine what is best for you depending on your age, past history, family history and other factors that are specific to you as an individual.

Additional screenings and tests are available and may be suggested including blood panels, blood glucose measurement to screen for diabetes, x-rays, bone density measurement and screening for osteoporosis.

Your provider at Burke Primary Care uses recommendations or guidelines that have been established by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, the National Cancer Institute, and other nationally recognized health organizations.

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