Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) App From AHRQ – Help Patients Get Needed Preventive Care

All the links in this post are helpful, but I think the single most useful link is Browse USPTF Screening Recomendations by Topic. This link has direct links to every single health screening recommendation from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

The ePSS app is a great resource for all primary care clinicians to help make sure there patients are getting all the preventive care that they need.

Here are some links to the awesome Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) App From  Agency For HealthCare Research And Quality (AHRQ) based on the recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

ePSS Home – Download the app.

About ePSS:

AHRQ’s Electronic Preventive Services Selector (ePSS) is a quick, hands-on tool designed to help primary care clinicians and health care teams identify, prioritize, and offer the screening, counseling, and preventive medication services that are appropriate for their patients. The ePSS is based on the current, evidence-based recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and can be searched by specific patient characteristics, such as age, sex, and selected behavioral risk factors. When using this tool please read the specific recommendation to determine if the preventive service is appropriate for your patient. This tool is not meant to replace clinical judgment and individualized patient care. Available both as a Web-based selector and as a downloadable PDA application, the ePSS brings information on clinical preventive services that clinicians need – recommendations, clinical considerations, and selected practice tools – to the point of care.

Some of the tools in the ePSS include a BMI calculator, a scoring system for osteoporosis, and topic specific information for patients from www.healthfinder.gov.

About The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF or Task Force):

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF or Task Force), an independent body of experts in preventive medicine and primary care, works to improve the health of all Americans by making evidence-based recommendations about the effectiveness of clinical preventive services and health promotion. The recommendations made by the USPSTF address clinical preventive services for adults and children, and include screening tests, counseling services, and preventive medications. The Task Force makes its recommendations based on comprehensive, systematic reviews and careful assessment of the available medical evidence.

USPSTF recommendations apply to preventive services that are offered in a primary care setting (such as a Pap smear to detect cervical cancer), services that are available through primary care referral (such as a colonoscopy to detect colorectal cancer), or behavioral counseling programs (such as counseling to help reduce obesity). USPSTF recommendations apply to people who have no signs or symptoms of a disease or condition.

Every USPSTF recommendation is based on a rigorous, systematic review of the scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed journals.

What the USPTF Grade Definitions Mean

Tools for implementing USPSTF recommendations:

Some of the recommendations of the USPSTF include useful tools and supplemental information to assist with implementing the recommendation in practice. The tools here are listed [in the link above] in alphabetical order. Tools can also be found with each topic by searching for recommendations or browsing by topic.

Browse USPTF Screening Recomendations by Topic

 

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