Evidence-based periodic health examination of adults. Memory aid for primary care physicians.

PROBLEM ADDRESSED There is currently no peer-reviewed evidence-based memory aid that incorporates recommended prevention guidelines to direct family physicians during periodic health examination of adults.

OBJECTIVE OF PROGRAM To devise a memory aid to guide primary care physicians during periodic health examination of adults that incorporates the most current evidence-based recommendations of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and of the United States Preventive Services Task Force.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION This memory aid is a two-page easy-to-use form that lists evidence-based maneuvers for adults aged 21 to 64 that should be carried out during periodic health examinations. This article describes the form and discusses the evidence currently available for the maneuvers mentioned on the form. To validate the memory aid, results of qualitative assessment in one academic and 15 community settings are presented.

CONCLUSION This user-friendly memory aid was developed to provide primary care physicians with rigorously evaluated guidelines in an accessible format for use during periodic health examination of adults.