An Apple a Day

By Lori Wright, CEO, Family Healthcare

Prevention means to stop something from arising. In health care, there are three levels of prevention. Primary prevention is intervening before health effects occur. Secondary prevention is screening to identify and treat earlystage disease before it progresses. Tertiary prevention is managing a disease after diagnosis. Preventative care lowers the risks for diseases, disabilities, and death. So why do Utahns deny themselves the health and cost saving benefits of preventative care?

Whether they hear it from a doctor, see it advertised, or learn about a friend who waited too long to seek care, there are a variety of reasons that many people delay or don’t get the preventive care they need. Barriers include cost, not having a primary care provider, living too far from providers, being fearful, or lacking awareness. The bottom line is that preventative care helps patients stay healthy and lowers their overall long-term health care costs.

Preventive disease screening helps identify issues—like high blood pressure, diabetes, or certain cancers—early, when most treatable. Tackling health issues early helps you get or stay on a healthy track and reduces the risk of developing other health conditions. Here are some examples of preventative care:

• Annual checkups should include general health screenings for high blood pressure, cholesterol, and other health conditions.

• Cancer screening is recommended at certain times and intervals throughout your life. The earlier cancer is identified, the greater a patient’s chance for a full recovery.

• Immunizations prevent potentially lifethreatening diseases from occurring. For children, these include hepatitis A and B, chickenpox, and measles, mumps, and rubella. For adults, these include Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) boosters as well as immunizations against pneumococcal conjugate and shingles.

• Flu shots target prevalent flu viruses each year. Having a flu shot reduces your risk of getting the flu by up to 60 percent and can significantly reduce the chances of serious flu symptoms that could lead to hospitalization.

For those with insurance, there are no outof-pocket costs or co-pays if you visit an in-network provider for preventative care. At community health centers like Family Healthcare, the sliding scale fee structure ensures that everyone, including insured, low-income, and uninsured patients, pay only what they can afford. If you live in southern Utah, whether you have insurance or not, there is an affordable way for you to access preventative care. Are you due for your annual preventive care checkup? Do you have a question about whether the appointment you want to make is preventive or not? Contact your insurance company or your provider, and ask for help.

About the Author

Lori Wright

Lori Wright is the CEO of Family Healthcare. With more than twenty-five years of experience in community health, she is passionate about developing equity, where everyone is able to access high quality integrated primary health care. Family Healthcare’s mission is Making Lives Better, and as CEO, Lori’s efforts are focused on improving the overall health of patients and the communities that Family Healthcare serves.

Lori serves on a variety of committees across the state and throughout Washington and Iron Counties, including the St. George Area Chamber Board of Governors, Dixie Tech Pharmacy Tech Advisory Committee, and Association of Community Health Center’s Board. She also serves as co-chair of the AUCH Health Center Control Network. She is a Certified Medical Practice Executive by the American College of Medical Practice Executives and has received a BS in Community/Public Health and a Master of Public Administration from the Marriott School of Management.