5 Ways to Prioritize Prevention
Millions of people have delayed preventive health activities during the pandemic, leading health care providers to fear increasing rates of preventable diseases. VHAN has gathered solutions to make it easier for your patients to know about and catch up on these important screenings and immunizations and get their health back in gear.
1. Register for the May 4 Well Moment webinar focused on preventive screenings. VHAN’s free community webinar series will also discuss the value of having a primary care provider, and how physical and mental health are intertwined. Anyone can register for the Wed., May 4, event at this link. Speakers will be Sapna Kripalani, MD, Medical Director of Executive Health Physicals and VUMC Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine, and Paul Dodd, Exercise Specialist at Vanderbilt Psychiatric Hospital and Adjunct Professor of Sport Science at Belmont University.
2. Share VHAN’s wellness checklists for men, women and children. These handy checklists, which you can download from VHAN Hub’s patient education section, detail when cancer screenings are appropriate.
3. Encourage patients to get their screenings. With the pandemic slowing down annual wellness visits for many people, the potential to detect cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages has been compromised. Find creative ways to connect your patients to screening appointments by downloading VHAN’s Cancer Screenings Quick Reference Guide at this link.
4. Share the following My Southern Health articles that highlight facts about some of the most common cancers. These articles help employees understand the important of maintaining routine healthcare screenings.
- How to assess your risk of breast cancer
- Which signs of colon cancer to look out for, and the surprising benefits of a colonoscopy
- What you should know about cervical cancer screening and the benefits of the HPV vaccine for children
- What to ask your doctor about prostate cancer screening
- How to lower your risk of pancreatic cancer
- What you should know about ovarian cancer
- The screenings women should ask for at every age
- The screenings men should ask for at every age
5. Promote the importance of childhood vaccinations. Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt is urging parents not to delay getting their children’s immunizations for preventable diseases such as measles, hepatitis and chickenpox. Download and share the childhood vaccination schedule on this site.