The motivations behind holding a biometric screening can range from cutting insurance costs to creating a healthy corporate culture. Regardless of the reasoning for hosting your on-site screenings, one thing is for certain – health screenings can (and do!) save lives. Here, we detail five of the most important tests your employees can take to determine their health risks, identify areas of opportunity and become healthier, happier individuals.
1.) Blood Pressure Screening
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a very common condition that contributes to significant adverse health outcomes, including stroke, heart attack and possibly death. Screenings for this disease are inexpensive, and hypertension’s prevalence makes it one of the most crucial tests for any biometric screening program. High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because it often has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. The good news? You can take steps to prevent high blood pressure or to control it if your blood pressure is already high.
2.) Cholesterol Screening
Cholesterol buildup as plaque can prevent enough blood from flowing to the heart muscle. It is the most common cause of coronary heart disease, and happens so slowly that you can feel healthy and not realize you have high cholesterol. With enough buildup, this plaque can rupture, forming a blood clot that leads to a heart attack or stroke. Cholesterol screenings are important because of how common it is an the fact that it’s treatable, so avoid expensive insurance costs by hosting a screening and catching it early.
3.) Diabetes Screening
The American Diabetes Association estimates 79 million Americans have “pre-diabetes” and another 7 million are unaware they have the disease. All employees should be made aware of diabetes risk factors and take a fasting glucose test. This easy, inexpensive blood test should be encouraged for anyone aged 45 years or older, especially if they are overweight. If an individual is younger than 45, but is overweight and has one or more additional risk factors, they should also consider getting tested.
4.) Colorectal Cancer Screening
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. While the colonoscopy is the most common way to screen for this common cancer, the invasive procedure often has patients feeling anxious. For our colorectal cancer screening, we provide “throw-in-the-bowl” take-home kits that detect tiny amounts of blood in the stool. This test is done at home and requires no lab processing. All adults age 50 and over are urged to be screened for this disease.
5.) Skin Screening & Sun Damage
Melanoma, the most risky form of skin cancer, has one difference among all of the cancers that can be screened for – it’s the only one for which both the number of new cases and the death rate are increasing. In January, a research study found that even just one melanoma screening at age 50 would be a cost-effective way to pick up the disease in the early stages. Our skin screening and sun damage test utilizes the DermaView™ Facial Analyzer. Using special lighting, The DermaView™ shows problem areas around the lips and on the chin, as well as spots on the forehead, nose, and cheeks. This test reveals potential sun damage that could indicate cancer or pre-cancer; an important factor when you recognize that survival rates are much better with early diagnosis.
To request a quote for these tests or ask questions about hosting your own biometric screening program, click the link below! 
