Doctors expressing worries about high number of people missing health screenings

NEWBURGH, Ind. (WFIE) – From simply getting your blood pressure and cholesterol checked, to receiving a colonoscopy, Deaconess says people need to go see the doctor.

Doctors at Deaconess Gateway Hospital in Newburgh are growing concerned, however, with the lack of people showing up to receive screenings or routine health visits.

Deaconess Clinic Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brad Scheu says that if COVID is your worry, there’s no need to be scared.

“We can take very safe care of you. COVID is still in the community, but it is much lower, and we know how to handle that,” says Dr. Scheu.

For some, it may be COVID steering them away from an office, or a myriad of other reasons.

Dr. Scheu says what people have to understand though is just how vital it is that they know the state of their health. They have begun to see an increase in patients being diagnosed with later-stage cancer, which could have potentially been detected at a check-up or screening.

Possibly an even bigger issue is heart health, according to Dr. Scheu.

“Cancers are an easy thing to think about progressing if you’re not getting a screening done sooner,” says Dr. Scheu, “but heart health – heart disease is one of the biggest killers in America.”

They have even heard of people having minor heart attacks at home, not coming in, and dying just days later.

“You could have high cholesterol that’s just building up in your arteries and creating heart disease, and so getting that check-up, getting those labs done, can help identify some of that,” says Dr. Scheu.

Now, not everybody at home who hasn’t been to the doctor is at that great of a risk, but Dr. Scheu says it’s important to at least check back in with that doctor if you haven’t seen them in a while.

It could pay off in the long run.

“If you haven’t been screened, just go get your screening done,” says Dr. Scheu, “so we can know what your risks are.”

Dr. Scheu says that people are more than welcome to reach out to Deaconess, but as long as they are getting screened and getting checked out somewhere, that’s all he really cares about.

Copyright 2022 WFIE. All rights reserved.