Simple, sensible preventive measures for managed care settings.
The best preventive care consists of a combination of office-based services: patient education, life style counseling, clinical vigilance through routine check ups, and the administration of timely screening. In a healthcare environment of tightened resources, tighter schedules, and increased patient demand for your time, it is nevertheless possible to offer substantive preventive care for older patients in an efficient and cost effective manner. Interventions for cardiovascular disease include weight loss, a low-fat diet, vitamin E, and folic acid. Screening is recommended for breast, cervical, and colon cancer, but prostate cancer screening is controversial. The value of mammograms in women over age 50 is well-established. Preventive measures for osteoporosis include calcium and vitamin D, estrogen replacement, and weight-bearing exercise.