Health System to Offer Free Men’s Health Event
September 7, 2012New Health System to Offer Free Men’s Health Event
Free Screenings to be offered featuring cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure and PSA
Muskogee Community Hospital- a Campus of EASTAR Health System will be hosting a free Men’s Health event on Thursday, September 20 from 7:00 am- Noon. The campus is located at 2900 N. Main St in Muskogee. Participants should enter through the facility’s main entrance. Pre-registration is required as there are a limited number of appointments available. Registrations will be taken over the phone Monday through Friday from 8:00 am- 5:00 pm by calling 918-684-2191. Registrations will be taken until all slots are filled. This is an annual event for EASTAR Health, which plans to offer cholesterol, blood glucose, and blood pressure screenings. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to know their BMI (Body Mass Index) if they know their height and weight. Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) will also be offered this year. In order to get the most accurate reading on the cholesterol and glucose tests, it is recommended that men not eat or drink anything after midnight the day before the screenings after checking with their doctor.
The American Cancer Society recommends that men make an informed decision with their own doctor about whether or not to receive the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA). The Society cautions that research has not yet proven that the potential benefits of testing outweigh the potential harms of testing and treatment. According to the Society, men should not be tested without properly educating themselves about the risks and benefits of prostate cancer testing and treatment. According to all leading experts, this discussion should not start until age 50. Those who are African American or have had a father or brother who had prostate cancer before age 65 should have a discussion with their doctor starting at age 45.
The controversy surrounding the PSA is not new nor is the discussion only happening with the American Cancer Society. The U.S. Preventive Task Force has issued similar warnings. In their Clinical Summary of U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation released in 2008, they state that “for men younger than age 75 years, evidence is inadequate to determine whether screening improves health outcomes”. For men older than 75 years or older and for those whose life expectancy is 10 years or fewer, “…harms outweigh the benefits.” The Preventive Service Task Force recommends that whether or not to receive the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) should be a discussion between men under 75 and their own doctor, and that men should use their own judgment before receiving any test.
EASTAR Health System recommends that all men talk with their own doctor before participating in any screenings. The screenings and tests being offered are for informational use only and are not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or illness.
About the Facilities:
EASTAR Health System and Muskogee Community Hospital are part of the Capella Healthcare family of hospitals, and function as a unified, comprehensive health system for the people of Muskogee and surrounding areas. The organization is accredited by The Joint Commission. EASTAR Health Services is a 275-bed full-service hospital serving a multi-county region. As one of the first hospitals established in Oklahoma, EASTAR Health has grown to become one of the state’s largest and most comprehensive facilities. In addition to its nationally accredited cancer program, the hospital is also certified as a Level III Trauma Center and Primary Stroke Center, which means the medical center has specifically trained staff, comprehensive technology, and 24-hour specialty coverage required to treat trauma and stroke patients. MCH, licensed for 45 beds, opened in 2009 as the first hospital in the nation to earn LEED-Gold for New Construction. This recognition of energy efficiency and design allowed MCH an opportunity to improve environmental quality through green planning, design, and construction as well as operations and maintenance practices. MCH is working in accordance with the American Hospital Association’s voluntary agreement with the EPA to reduce waste volume and toxicity through green practices.
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