Health Assessment
The way we live our lives has a direct effect on our health. We can't escape the reality that life is full of ups and downs, but it's important to do what you can to ensure your lifestyle doesn't get in the way of having good health. Chronic diseases are often linked to poor lifestyles-so if you want better health, it's time for some changes.
Health checks are an essential tool for the prevention and early detection of chronic diseases. They enable doctors to catch any problems before they become severe, so it’s worth doing them at least once a year! Health professionals at Ridge Medical Care can quantify what impact these checkups have by using validated patient-reported outcome measures.
The Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) defines a health check as an “assessment of a
consideration of whether the patient’s health and physical, psychological, and social functions
Preventive health care and education should be offered to patients to improve that patient’s
health and physical, psychological, and social functions. “
Provision of a health check involves taking a patient’s history and examinations as required to make an overall assessment, and it includes recommending appropriate intervention and providing information and advice.
FAQ's About Health Assesment
What Risk Factors determines Chronic disease?
The term chronic refers to any illness or condition that has been present for at least six months, including (but not limited to) asthma, cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mental illness, arthritis, or musculoskeletal conditions.
GPs decide whether a patient is at risk of developing a chronic disease based on their clinical judgement. Nevertheless, at least one risk factor must be identified. There are several risk factors the GP may consider, including, but not limited to:
- Risk factors associated with lifestyles, such as smoking, inactivity, poor nutrition, or alcohol consumption;
- Factors contributing to biomedical risks, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, impaired glucose metabolism, or obesity;
- There is a history of chronic disease in the family.
How does Health Assessment work?
Health assessments provide a structured approach when trying to determine what care is needed for the patient. This information is crucial in preventing illness, diagnosing disease and guiding treatment pathways. Health assessments also allow doctors to monitor patients’ progression from recovery back into their lives without further complications resulting from an untreated health issue that was not detected by this assessment process due to lack of data or incomplete testing while under observation at home before entering hospital systems.
There are six main components to a health assessment:
Components of the health assessment
The health assessment must include:
- Collecting patient information, including patient history, and examining and investigating the patient as clinically necessary;
- Performing a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s health, including the patient’s readiness to make lifestyle changes;
- Initiating interventions and referrals when clinically indicated;
- Offering advice and information, including methods for modifying lifestyle and behaviour;
- Documenting the health assessment and providing the patient with a written report that includes recommendations about matters covered by the health assessment; and
- Providing the patient’s carer (if any, and if the medical practitioner deems it appropriate) a copy of the report or extracts from the report relevant to the carer.
Chronic Disease Health Assessment at The Ridge Medical Centre
Do you know the feeling of being a little bit too tired to go out and do something fun? That’s not just because you’re old; it could be that your body is telling you there are some changes it needs.
At Ridge Medical Centre, we provide all the necessary support and expertise to get your Chronic Disease Health Assessment done.
At Ridge Medical Centre, you are assessed by an experienced GP with clinical judgement based on a specific risk factor that identifies if one is at risk of developing chronic disease in their later years or already suffering from it. Visiting our centre during this stage of life can help patients make the required lifestyle changes needed for prevention or delay the onset.
You can take the first step towards better health by coming in for an assessment at The Ridge Medical Centre.
