AHS is committed to using the latest information available as it strives to provide quality health care for those persons it supports.

In a 2007 review published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine (July-August edition) there were guidelines suggested for what routine health screenings should be provided to persons with Intellectual Disabilities. These guidelines were based on reviews of the literature that dealt with what conditions might be more frequently seen in people with Intellectual Disabilities – as well as the guidelines that exist for the adult population as a whole.

Many of these screening recommendations are already performed at AHS and over the next few months we will be adding additional evaluations so that we are providing services that are “best practice” in their approach. Some if these include: 

Completing Physical Examinations: Physical examinations are performed annually on all persons living in an AHS program. The staff at the programs assists with a person’s transportation to these exams and often it is an AHS nurse who helps with arranging and recommended follow up.

Performing annual measurements of an individual’s Body mass Index (BMI): This screening tool allows us to assess whether a person’s height and weight fall within the recommended range. AHS already performs this exam within the ICF programs and will be adding it for those persons supported in the HCS programs. Individuals falling outside of the recommended range will be referred to their Primary Care Provider (PCP) for assistance. 

Annual monitoring blood pressures to screen for high blood pressure: While this is already performed in all the AHS ICF programs, we are adding this to the HCS system as well. Again, abnormal findings will be referred to the person’s PCP for follow up.

Monitoring Cholesterol and Lipids in all men over 35 and all women over 45 years old: Since people with Intellectual Disabilities may have a higher risk for heart disease (due to histories of excess weight and inactivity), AHS is striving to achieve full participation in this part of cardiac risk prevention activity for all those it supports.

Screening for Breast Cancer is an important intervention for all women over 39 years old: AHS is partnering with the PCP’s caring for those it serves to get a mammogram completed every 1 to 2 years.

Screening women for Cervical Cancer: This is another “wellness” activity that AHS works to provide to those women that it supports. While a PAP test is done annually for people who reside in an ICF-MR, we are also working with those women living in the HCS programs to seek this from their primary care provider. 

Monitoring for diabetes: This process is especially important for people on certain medications and/or for people with high blood pressure, elevated weight or elevated blood lipids. The AHS nursing staff works with each person’s PCP in an attempt to ensure that blood sugars are monitored in keeping with nationally recognized standards. 

Mental health screening: The AHS nursing staff receives ongoing training on how to recognize mental illness and also have been provided updates on how to differentiate medical and mental health issues. We have an excellent network of mental health professionals that can be involved when indicated.

Future areas of screening and intervention include working to address smoking and tobacco use, monitoring for osteoporosis in older women, improved nutritional screening and enhancing our awareness of hearing and vision difficulties.

As always your feedback is appreciated and valued !!