What is Health Screening?
Medical Health Screening is a simple way for you to check your health status.
It involves using tests usually through blood, urine and stool samples to detect early or underlying diseases that may be present in people are otherwise feeling well.
It provides you and your doctor with a snapshot of your overall health status, giving a better understanding of your overall well-being and whether steps can or need to be taken to improve your lifestyle and thus quality of life.
Why go for health screening?
Health screening helps to find out if you have a particular disease or condition. Sometimes, you may not show any signs of symptoms or disease. Early detection, followed by treatment lowers the risk of serious complications.
Certain chronic diseases such as diabetes take time to develop and if detected early can be better managed with less complications and improved long term outcomes.
Also, cancer may start small and by the time a patient feels pain, bloated or has an obvious lump, the cancer may be at an advanced or terminal stage.
A person who exercises regularly and watches his or her diet is more likely to prevent cancer and other chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. However, a disease such as cancer can sometimes be totally unexpected. For example, 10% to 15% of lung cancer occurs in non-smokers, especially in Asian women.
That is why it is important to get screened even when you feel perfectly healthy.
How frequently should health screening be performed?
We recommend:
Once every two years for young adults under 30 years old who do not have any significant family history of cancer or early heart disease.
A yearly health screening is suggested for adults over 30 years old.
Additionally, an annual PAP smear test and monthly breast self-examinations are
recommended for women.
If a patient has no symptoms, would discovery of a disease increase his stress level?
A patient may feel apprehensive knowing he has, for example, diabetes or cancer. It is my experience that most patients are actually very thankful that a potentially serious medical problem has been picked up early during a health screening. In fact, most patients will go back and strongly encourage their relatives and friends to go for health screening as well.
There are many health screening packages. How do I select the right health screening package for me?
This will depend on family history (if there is a history of cancer, diabetes or heart disease in the family history), age (older patients tend to develop more problems such as glaucoma), lifestyle (smokers and those who lead a sedentary lifestyle) and any present health complaints.
Please find attached a copy of the various packages we have. We can also customise health screening packages for you or your company.
What is expected during the health screening process?
You will need to fast for 10 hours before doing the health screening tests. This means no food or drinks from the night before.
During consultation, Dr Hong will discuss a suitable health screening package with the patient.
Blood, urine and stool tests will then be collected followed by X-rays, ultrasound, scans and eye screening at the relevant centres.
Medical Health Screening is a simple way for you to check your health status.
It involves using tests usually through blood, urine and stool samples to detect early or underlying diseases that may be present in people are otherwise feeling well.
It provides you and your doctor with a snapshot of your overall health status, giving a better understanding of your overall well-being and whether steps can or need to be taken to improve your lifestyle and thus quality of life.
Why go for health screening?
Health screening helps to find out if you have a particular disease or condition. Sometimes, you may not show any signs of symptoms or disease. Early detection, followed by treatment lowers the risk of serious complications.
Certain chronic diseases such as diabetes take time to develop and if detected early can be better managed with less complications and improved long term outcomes.
Also, cancer may start small and by the time a patient feels pain, bloated or has an obvious lump, the cancer may be at an advanced or terminal stage.
A person who exercises regularly and watches his or her diet is more likely to prevent cancer and other chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. However, a disease such as cancer can sometimes be totally unexpected. For example, 10% to 15% of lung cancer occurs in non-smokers, especially in Asian women.
That is why it is important to get screened even when you feel perfectly healthy.
How frequently should health screening be performed?
We recommend:
Once every two years for young adults under 30 years old who do not have any significant family history of cancer or early heart disease.
A yearly health screening is suggested for adults over 30 years old.
Additionally, an annual PAP smear test and monthly breast self-examinations are
recommended for women.
If a patient has no symptoms, would discovery of a disease increase his stress level?
A patient may feel apprehensive knowing he has, for example, diabetes or cancer. It is my experience that most patients are actually very thankful that a potentially serious medical problem has been picked up early during a health screening. In fact, most patients will go back and strongly encourage their relatives and friends to go for health screening as well.
There are many health screening packages. How do I select the right health screening package for me?
This will depend on family history (if there is a history of cancer, diabetes or heart disease in the family history), age (older patients tend to develop more problems such as glaucoma), lifestyle (smokers and those who lead a sedentary lifestyle) and any present health complaints.
Please find attached a copy of the various packages we have. We can also customise health screening packages for you or your company.
What is expected during the health screening process?
You will need to fast for 10 hours before doing the health screening tests. This means no food or drinks from the night before.
During consultation, Dr Hong will discuss a suitable health screening package with the patient.
Blood, urine and stool tests will then be collected followed by X-rays, ultrasound, scans and eye screening at the relevant centres.