CHART: PREVENTION GETS A SHOT IN THE ARM

A new guide from the National Business Group on Health aims to help promote preventive care. Advantages include:

Clinical preventive services can help individuals avoid disease altogether (e.g. tobacco use treatment).

Preventive services can detect disease in its earliest stages (e.g. cancer screening). Identifying patients early enables clinicians to begin treatment sooner, when interventions are more effective and less expensive. Early detection and treatment can also prevent spread of some infectious diseases.

Disease avoidance and early identification have financial benefits, including lower medical costs and reductions in absenteeism, lost productivity, turnover and disability.