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Screenings & Checkups

Regular visits with your doctor keep you in tune with your health. Come see us for yearly checkups and screenings at every age.

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Maintaining your best health begins with staying up-to-date on all your yearly screenings. When diseases like diabetes and high cholesterol are diagnosed early, it's easier to find a treatment that works while getting conditions under control — so they don't rule your life. Avera is here to help. Live better with yearly checkups at an Avera location near you.

Own Your Health at Every Age

Even if you feel fine, you should still see your doctor for regular checkups. The only way you'll know if you have high blood pressure, prediabetes or other concerns is with periodic screenings and tests. Below are recommended screening guidelines for women and men of every age.

Health Screening Guidelines for Men & Women

Detecting health issues before they become serious concerns is one of the most important things you can do for your well-being. If you have been putting off screenings like a mammogram or colonoscopy, now is the time to schedule your appointment.

Please note: Screening guidelines provide recommendations for average-risk patients. Check with your doctor on your what works best for your unique health journey.

All Adults

Blood Pressure Check

  • Ages 18-64: Every two years
  • Ages 65+: Every year

Cholesterol Screening

  • Ages 18-64: Every 5 years (especially men over 34 and women over 44)
  • Ages 65+: Every 3-5 years

Physical Exam

  • Ages 40-64: Every 1-5 years
  • Ages 65+: Every year

Immunizations

  • All ages: Tetanus-diphtheria every 10 years
  • All ages: Flu shot every year
  • Age 50+: Shingles two-part series vaccine
  • Age 65+: Pneumococcal vaccine if not done before if received one more than five years before age 65

Low Dose CT Screening

  • Screens for lung cancer
  • Ages 50-77: Begin screening if you have had at least a 20-pack-year smoking history, currently smoke or have quit within the last 15 years.

Colonoscopy

  • Screens for colorectal (colon) cancer
  • Ages 45-75: Colonoscopy every 10 years
  • Age 75+: See doctor to discuss risks and benefits of continued testing.
  • Fecal stool testing is an option every 1-3 years (depending on type of test done).

Women

Pelvic Exam and Pap Smear

  • Screens for cervical cancer
  • Ages 21-29: Pap smear every 3 years
  • Ages 30-65: Pap smear plus HPV test every 5 years
  • Ages 65+: Stop if you had 10 years of normal Pap smears1

Osteoporosis Screening

  • Dual-energy X-ray (DXA) scan to assess bone density and strength
  • All 65+: DXA scan every 2 years to check for osteoporosis

Mammogram

  • Screens for breast cancer
  • Ages 40-85: Mammogram every year (unless your doctor determines otherwise)
  • Mobile 3D mammography services available at outreach sites

Men

Testicular Exam

  • Screens for testicular cancer
  • All ages: Monthly testicular self-exam
  • All ages: Yearly doctor exam

Prostate Exam

  • Screens for prostate cancer
  • Ages 50-70: See a primary care doctor to determine a screening schedule best for you.
  • If you have a family history of prostate cancer, begin screenings at age 45.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening

  • Ages 65-75: Those who have smoked should get an ultrasound done once to screen for abdominal aneurysms.

Children's Health

Keep your kid healthy with regular checkups from infancy to teenage years. See Guidelines

Keep Health in Check Regularly

Making healthy choices can go a long way. Sometimes a simple lifestyle change is enough to get your health back on track. More serious health conditions require special attention and regular monitoring by your doctor. By being proactive, you give yourself the best possible chance to live healthy and happy.

Blood Screenings

Regular tests for blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar make a difference. Ask your doctor about your risks for prediabetes and hypertension. They can recommend simple lifestyle changes to diet, activity and weight loss to prevent or reduce the effects of both diseases.

  • Prediabetes (high blood sugar), if left untreated, may become type 2 diabetes. Diagnosis occurs when your body has a higher-than-normal blood sugar level determined by a fasting blood sugar check.
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure) can go unnoticed for years. The best way to monitor it is by getting the pressure in your blood vessels checked via an inflatable cuff with a gauge.

Child Checkups & Sports Physicals

Regular visits with your doctor is the best way to ensure your child is healthy. There are two different types of appointments recommended for kids, these include:

  • Yearly checkups cover the entire spectrum of a child — mind, body and spirit — and are good for one full year. A checkup can also count as sports physical.
  • Sports physicals make sure student athletes are in top physical condition to compete. A physical is not a substitute for a yearly checkup.

Avera recommends a checkup at least three months before beginning any sport, so schedule one as soon as possible.

Chronic Conditions

If you live with a chronic condition, communicate openly with your provider to better understand and manage your health. The more you know, the more you'll feel satisfied with your visit to the doctor. Asking these questions is a great place to start taking charge of your well-being.

Questions to ask your doctor:

  • What might be the cause or contributing to my chronic condition?
  • Are you prescribing medications? What are they and are there alternatives?
  • If you were me, would you get a second opinion?
  • How and when should I follow up with you?
  • What are other ways I can improve my health?
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Woman smiling while having her weight measured.

Healthy Weight Services

Maintaining an ideal weight for your body contributes to your overall health. You might have more energy, move without pain and better manage chronic health conditions. Doing so can even prevent disease like prediabetes and hypertension from developing.

Whatever your goal, whatever your why — Avera supports your healthy weight journey. An Avera primary care provider, registered dietitian and other experts tailor services to your needs.

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Give Immunizations a Shot

Immunizations protect us from serious illnesses like measles, mumps, tetanus and several types of cancer. Learn more about vaccines and the critical role they play in saving millions of lives every year by preventing the spread of diseases.

Insurance Coverage for Yearly Checkups

Checkups with your primary care provider or family doctor are vital to long-term wellness. Yearly checkups are covered by insurance for most plans — that's zero cost to you. Contact your health insurer with any questions about coverage for preventive services.

Get a Checkup Each Year

If it's been over a year since your last visit or you need to arrange a screening, reach out to your doctor to schedule your yearly checkup. Choose Avera physicians for expert health care where and when you need it.

Access your health information, interact with your care team and more with AveraChart. Register for a new account or log in if you already have one.

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1Certain medical conditions may require you to be screened on a different screening schedule. Consult with your provider to discuss.

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