Mobile Health Screening: 5 Things You Should Know

The state of your health can be a deceptive affair.most conveniently fits their time and location. Many
Many of the most serious health problems for whichparticipants appreciate that the screening events are
you may be at highest risk - such as stroke, heartlocated in facilities they are familiar with, instead of a
disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterydoctor's office or clinic.
disease and osteoporosis - often show no symptoms3. Screenings cover multiple types of diseases
until it is too late. Facing a painful, costly health incidentA number of serious and potentially life-threatening
due to any one of these conditions can potentiallydiseases can be screened for. Examples include
mean becoming a burden to your family in terms ofstroke, heart disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm,
money and time.peripheral artery disease and osteoporosis. In order to
Many serious health conditions are preventable ifdetect stroke risk, for example, the recipient's carotid
detected early. A failure to get screened can lead toarteries are screened for blockages. Meanwhile,
life-long health-related and financial problems, includingscreening for heart-related conditions might involve an
the possibility of being bed-ridden or functioning at farexamination of arterial stiffness or a recipient's
less than 100% in terms of mental and physicalperipheral arteries using special detection equipment.
capacity. Serious incidents, such as stroke, can also4. Mobile health screenings are non-invasive and
lead to a lifetime burden on family members whopainless
would have to take care of the victim, if they doThe procedures are completely non-invasive and
survive the stroke.painless. No needles are used, and recipients are not
Mobile health screening is a health service introducedrequired to spend time in tight or confined spaces. One
only in recent years. It involves an expert team ofof the tools used is ultrasound. This procedure employs
health technicians and board-certified medical doctorssimilar techniques to those used by doctors to check
working together to run a series of screening tests tothe pre-natal condition of babies in the womb. The
check for the presence of such asymptomatic andbenefit to using ultrasound for screening, over x-ray or
serious diseases. As an emerging field, however, manyCT scan, is that ultrasound does not emit radiation. It is
people are still unaware of how mobile healthwell documented that one CT scan can be equivalent
screening works or what it is.to 300-500 regular x-rays.
Here are 5 things you should know about mobile health5. Screening results can be evaluated by doctors
screening:Screening events take about an hour. Once
1. "Mobile" means that screening locations are alwayscompleted, the recipient simply returns to work, goes
changinghome, or otherwise continues about their day.
Mobile health screenings are "mobile" for two reasons.Meanwhile, the results are analyzed by board-certified
First, the actual team of technicians travels to the sitemedical doctors. The doctors provide relevant
of a screening event in a specially-equipped vehiclecomments that can be clearly understood by a
that contains all of the necessary screening equipment.layperson. When picking a mobile screening company,
Second, the locations of the events themselves areit is important to pick a company that provides all your
always changing. That said, screening teamsimages and detailed results back to you promptly so
consistently operate out of the same local geographicthat you can provide them to your own physician upon
community from day to day and week to week.your next visit.
Therefore, community members can attend repeatedMobile health screening is a breakthrough innovation
screenings over time without having to travel far.that combines the convenience of locally-accessible
2. Screenings are held in convenient locations in theevents with top-notch, doctor-reviewed screenings
communitythat are also inexpensive and painless. Most
Mobile health screening events are held in a variety ofimportantly, the events allow people to find out and
locations. Churches, community centers, public buildings,potentially drastically reduce their risk of a facing
gyms and even libraries can serve as a forum for aserious and expensive medical incident for as little as
particular event. Events are planned weeks or months$200.
in advance to allow individuals to select an event that