Introduction:
The purpose of health assessment is to know the person's health status, which aids in the accurate and timely diagnosis of a medical condition and in developing an effective treatment plan. A health check-up acts as a guide on how to approach and treat the individual. The health care approaches range from preventive and comprehensive to treatment, specific and supportive, to palliative care concerning the individual's health status. A health assessment is a plan of care regarding health that identifies an individual's specific needs and strategies to address those health issues by the healthcare system. It helps detect diseases or medical conditions in an unwell individual or persons who otherwise seem healthy. Components of health assessment include reviewing medical health history, performing a physical examination and diagnostic tests, deriving a diagnosis, and treatment planning. The complete episode of health assessment must be documented in an individual health file.
What Is the Purpose of a Health Assessment?
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Health assessment detects diseases early in an individual who otherwise may appear and feel well.
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Health assessment helps evaluate an individual's health status and general well-being along the health continuum.
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It helps analyze an individual's health status across his mental, physical, psychological, and sexual well-being.
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It helps enable an individual and their healthcare provider to take a proactive stance toward their health.
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The prime benefit of health assessment is screening for certain diseases and medical conditions.
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It helps an individual and their family to make informed decisions about the health and well-being.
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It has been reported that 40 % of deaths occur due to negligence regarding health. Thus, health assessments certainly create awareness about a person's health status and enable him to obtain necessary medical supervision.
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Not only do preventable diseases claim the lives of millions of people every year, but they are responsible for medical expenses, lost time, and resources incurred in treating them.
What Is the Advantage of Health Assessment?
Based on the results of the health assessment, the healthcare provider will guide by a management strategy that may include:
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Lifestyle intervention efforts such as a healthy diet and regular exercise are aimed at preventing the onset of chronic disease.
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Preventive and specific medications to manage, stabilize, or resolve the medical condition or a chronic disease.
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Prophylactic treatment.
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Supportive treatment such as nutrition supplementation.
When Is a Health Assessment Made?
Health assessment is made for:
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Personal Interest: A health assessment can be availed by an individual for self-awareness.
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In Cases of Susceptible Medical Conditions: A healthcare provider can order a health assessment if the physician identifies or suspects any potential risk factor for medical conditions so that he can implement any necessary interventions that need to be made.
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For Workplace: In terms of workplace assessments, an employer can request a health assessment to evaluate a person's fitness to do a job.
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For Insurance Purposes: Health assessment is a mandate for insurance purposes.
What Happens at a Health Assessment?
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Screening: Specific screening tests depend on an individual's age group.
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Medical History Update: The healthcare provider will review the medical history and enquire about any new health-related issues.
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Measurements of Vital Signs: Checking vital signs such as body temperature, pulse rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure to analyze the present medical condition.
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Monitoring of Other Relevant Health Parameters: In addition to measurements of the vital signs, the health care provider will check height and weight, blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and oxygen saturation levels to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a medication condition. These parameters will be measured at each visit and compared with the previous visits to know the changes and evaluate the significance of changes in the parameters in assessing the health status in the health continuum. These measurements of the health parameters will be updated and documented in the health file.
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Laboratory Testing: The health care provider will order laboratory tests such as blood work, urine analysis, or imaging tests to determine the values that would affect the health condition.
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Medications: In the health assessment, the healthcare provider will check on the prescribed medications and the dosage an individual takes.
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Treatment Planning: The healthcare provider will interpret the results of the diagnostic tests, analyze the medical history, identify the potential risk factors, detect any emerging medical condition, diagnose the illness or the medical condition, and deliver treatment.
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Patient Education: The health assessment session will also include health education and counseling, where guidance and counseling will be offered regarding diet, weight, physical activity, and lifestyle to improve metabolic parameters.
Who Is Eligible for Health Assessment?
Health assessment is a primary mode of monitoring and managing an individual's health issue. Anyone can avail of health assessments at any age.
Health Assessments in Childhood: Each newborn baby is carefully checked at birth for signs of health problems or complications. Health assessment of the newborn includes physical examination and examination of all body systems. The newborn evaluation includes:
- Apgar Scoring: The Apgar score helps detect breathing problems and other health issues. The newborn baby is checked one minute and five minutes after birth for heart and respiratory rates, breathing efforts, muscle tone, reflexes or irritability, and color.
- Birth weight: It is an essential marker of health. Low birth weight babies are given special care.
- Measurements: Health assessments of the newborn include measurements of abdominal circumference, head circumference, length, temperature, pulse, and breathing rate.
Health Assessment in Adulthood: It includes chronic disease assessments such as heart disease, diabetes, age-appropriate cancer screening, and hypertension.
Health Assessment Over the Age of 75: Individuals over 75 must receive annual health assessments to screen for chronic diseases and age-related medical conditions.
Conclusion:
Health assessment is the evaluation and determination of the health status by performing an array of health check-ups to determine the diagnosis through physical examinations such as inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation; diagnostic tests such as laboratory tests, imaging tests; reviewing of medical history, evaluation of the signs and symptoms, detection of emerging medical conditions and accurate treatment planning. Health assessment is based on assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. In a nutshell, health assessment helps to identify health risks and encourage lifestyle changes.
