Interactive Tool Helps Physicians Make “Real Time” Preventive Services Recommendations
An interactive tool from the Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) can help primary care clinicians recommend preventive services for their patients.
The Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) is designed for use on a PDA or computer, giving clinicians immediate access to the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services 2007 from the AHRQ-sponsored US Preventive Services Task Force. The guide also comes in a pocket-sized, printed version.
The ePSS is designed to aid in clinical decision-making at the point of care and contains recommendations for specific populations covering separate preventive services topics.
The “real time” search function allows a clinician to input a patient's age, gender, and selected behavioral risk factors, while the software cross-references the patient's data with the applicable Task Force recommendations and generates a report specifically tailored for that patient.
The guide contains 53 new or revised recommendations on:
- Screenings for obesity, breast cancer, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and HIV
- Hormone therapy for the prevention of chronic conditions in postmenopausal women
- Diet and behavioral counseling
The recommendations are grouped by the following topics:
AHRQ also has released the Adult Preventive Services Timeline, a consumer-friendly wall poster based on the Task Force's preventive care recommendations.
Single print copies of the pocket guide are available free from the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse by calling (800) 358-9295 or going online. Ask for the Guide to Clinical Preventive Services, 2007 (AHRQ Publication No. 07-05100).
Last Updated: 8/14/2008