CCFP 105 Topics: Periodic Health Assessment

Author: Braedon Paul (FM R2, Victoria)

Peer Review: Alysha Thomson (FM R2, Victoria)

Audio Production: Braedon Paul

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR PERIODIC EXAM

Let's read off those objectives, right up front, so you know what you're getting yourself into:

1. Do a periodic health assessment in a proactive or opportunistic manner (i.e., address health maintenance even when patients present with unrelated concerns).

2. In any given patient, selectively adapt the periodic health examination to that patient's specific circumstances (i.e., adhere to inclusion and exclusion criteria of each manoeuvre/intervention, such as the criteria for mammography and prostate-specific antigen [PSA] testing).

3. In a patient requesting a test (e.g., PSA testing, mammography) that may or may not be recommended:

1. Inform the patient about limitations of the screening test (i.e., sensitivity and specificity).

2. Counsel the patient about the implications of proceeding with the test.

4. Keep up to date with new recommendations for the periodic health examination, and critically evaluate their usefulness and application to your practice.