What guidelines do providers use to determine which screenings to offer

Preparing the Assignment
Follow these guidelines when completing each component of the assignment. Contact your course faculty if you have questions.  Include the following sections:
Application of Course Knowledge: Answer all questions/criteria with explanations and detail. Preventive care and screenings are essential components to primary practice. Identify your clinical practicum setting (primary care office, urgent care, etc.) and a population that you typically see (i.e., adolescents, women, older adults). Use the US Preventative Services Task Force Links to an external site. or HealthyPeople 2030 Links to an external site. to describe two preventative care screenings recommended for the identified population.
Discuss the preventative care provided at your clinical practicum site by addressing the following:
What guidelines do providers use to determine which screenings to offer?
How would you describe the quality of the preventative care you have observed? Have you observed disparities or bias in the care provided to different members of the population?
How are screening recommendations presented to patients? How do providers address health literacy and the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) in Health and Health Care Links to an external site. when providing patient education about screenings? Screening opportunities are often missed in vulnerable populations and those with limited access to care. Describe changes you recommend in your practice setting and community to increase the frequency of preventative screenings within vulnerable populations.
Integration of Evidence: Integrate relevant scholarly sources as defined by program expectations:
Cite a scholarly source in the initial post. Cite a scholarly source in one faculty response post. Cite a scholarly source in one peer post. Accurately analyze, synthesize, and/or apply principles from evidence with no more than one short quote (15 words or less) for the week. Include a minimum of two different scholarly sources per week. Cite all references and provide references for all citations.
ANSWER
Application of Course Knowledge
Clinical Practicum Setting and Target Population
My clinical practicum setting is a primary care office located in a suburban community. The majority of patients seen at this practice are adults aged 45 to 65 years old. This population is at risk for a variety of chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes.
Two Preventative Care Screenings Recommended for the Target Population
Blood pressure screening: According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), all adults aged 18 years and older should have their blood pressure checked at least once every two years. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Cholesterol screening: The USPSTF recommends that adults aged 45 to 65 years old with no family history of early heart disease should have their cholesterol levels checked every four to six years. High cholesterol levels are a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Preventative Care Practices at Clinical Practicum Site
Guidelines for Determining Screening Recommendations
Providers at my clinical practicum site use a variety of guidelines to determine which screenings to offer patients. These guidelines include the USPSTF recommendations, the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines, and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) guidelines.
Quality of Preventative Care and Observed Disparities
In my observations, the quality of preventative care provided at my clinical practicum site is high. Providers are knowledgeable about the latest screening guidelines and are able to effectively communicate the benefits and risks of screening to patients. However, I have observed some disparities in the care provided to different members of the population. For example, patients with lower socioeconomic status are less likely to receive recommended screenings.
Presentation of Screening Recommendations and Patient Education
Screening recommendations are presented to patients in a clear and concise manner. Providers take into account the patient’s age, risk factors, and personal preferences when making recommendations. Providers also address health literacy and cultural considerations when providing patient education about screenings.
Increasing Preventative Screenings in Vulnerable Populations
There are several changes that can be made to increase the frequency of preventative screenings in vulnerable populations. These changes include:
Providing outreach and education to vulnerable populations.
Offering convenient screening times and locations.
Making screening services affordable or free of charge.
Training providers on how to address cultural and linguistic barriers to care.
Integration of Evidence
Scholarly Source for Initial Post
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). (2023). Recommendations for preventive services.
Scholarly Source for Faculty Response Post
Lee, J., & Hebert, J. R. (2019). Disparities in cancer screening among adults in the United States: A review of the literature. Preventive Medicine Reports, 15, 100983.
Scholarly Source for Peer Post
Smith, H. C., & Davis, M. L. (2022). Addressing health literacy and cultural considerations in cancer screening: A review of the literature. Journal of the National Medical Association, 114(2), 125-135.
Conclusion
Preventative care and screenings are essential components of primary practice. By offering recommended screenings and providing effective patient education, providers can help to prevent chronic diseases and improve the overall health of their patients.