Preventive care focuses on removing or mitigating risk factors for disease (such as 
immunizations or behavioral counseling) or by identifying illness before it becomes symptomatic (such as cancer screening).
AAPA encourages and supports the incorporation of health promotion and disease prevention into physician assistant practice, through advocacy of healthy lifestyles and preventive medicine practices to reduce the risk of illness, injury, and premature death. Preventive measures include the identification of risk factors, e.g. family history, substance abuse, and domestic violence; immunization against communicable diseases; and promotion of safety practices.
Physician assistants should routinely implement recommended clinical preventive services appropriate to the patient’s age, gender, race, family history and individual risk profile. Preventive services offered to patients should be evidence-based and demonstrate clinical efficacy. PAs should be familiar with the most current authoritative clinical preventive service guidelines and recommendations.
AAPA recognizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations as unique and innovative in the field of preventive medicine and supports their utilization as one resource in the practice of preventive medicine.
American Academy of Family Physicians - Clinical Preventive Services
American College of Physicians - Clinical Practice Guidelines
Electronic Preventive Services Selector
Medicare Preventive Services
National Guidelines Clearinghouse
Pocket Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2008
Recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
The Guide to Community Preventive Services
Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2008
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
immunizations or behavioral counseling) or by identifying illness before it becomes symptomatic (such as cancer screening).
AAPA Policy
AAPA encourages and supports the incorporation of health promotion and disease prevention into physician assistant practice, through advocacy of healthy lifestyles and preventive medicine practices to reduce the risk of illness, injury, and premature death. Preventive measures include the identification of risk factors, e.g. family history, substance abuse, and domestic violence; immunization against communicable diseases; and promotion of safety practices.
Physician assistants should routinely implement recommended clinical preventive services appropriate to the patient’s age, gender, race, family history and individual risk profile. Preventive services offered to patients should be evidence-based and demonstrate clinical efficacy. PAs should be familiar with the most current authoritative clinical preventive service guidelines and recommendations.
AAPA recognizes the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations as unique and innovative in the field of preventive medicine and supports their utilization as one resource in the practice of preventive medicine.
Resources
American Academy of Family Physicians - Clinical Preventive Services
American College of Physicians - Clinical Practice Guidelines
Electronic Preventive Services Selector
Medicare Preventive Services
National Guidelines Clearinghouse
Pocket Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2008
Recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
The Guide to Community Preventive Services
Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, 2008
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
