Health screening services play a vital role in early disease detection and proactive health management for the public. These services, often accessible without requiring a separate doctor’s appointment, can include blood pressure checks, blood glucose testing, cholesterol screenings, BMI calculation, and more comprehensive assessments for conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Pharmacists and trained staff can conduct these tests and provide counselling on lifestyle changes to improve health outcomes.

1) Role and Services of a Health Screening Centre

A Health Screening Centre (HSC) is a facility that provides preventive, diagnostic, and monitoring tests to assess an individual’s health status and detect potential health issues early.

Key Services Provided

• Preventive Health Checkups – Detect risk factors before symptoms appear.
• Diagnostic Testing – Identify existing health problems.
• Chronic Disease Monitoring – For diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, etc.
• Lifestyle Counselling – Diet, exercise, and stress management advice.
• Vaccination and Immunization – Optional, depending on the centre.
• Referral Services – Direct patients to specialists if abnormal results are found.

2) Training & Staff Requirements

Staff Role	Training / Skills
Pathology Technicians	Lab procedures, equipment handling, sample safety, quality control
Nurses / Paramedics	Patient preparation, blood pressure, blood collection, first aid
Doctors / General Practitioners	Result interpretation, counselling, risk assessment
Pulmonary Technicians	Spirometry and lung function tests
Nutritionists / Counsellors	Provide dietary and lifestyle guidance
IT / Data Staff	Manage digital reports and patient records

3) Major Health Screening Tests

A) Blood-Related Tests

Test	Steps	Importance	Reliability Level
Haemoglobin (Hb)	Take venous blood sample; analyse via automated analyzer.	Detects anaemia, oxygen-carrying capacity issues.	High (95%+ with automation)
RBC/WBC Count	Automated analyzer counts cells.	Identifies infections, immunity, blood disorders.	Very High
Random Blood Sugar (RBS)	Prick finger or collect venous sample; check glucose.	Screens for diabetes or hypoglycaemia.	High in lab; moderate with glucometer
Blood Group	Agglutination method with anti-sera.	Crucial for transfusions, pregnancy, emergency care.	Very High

B) Vital Signs Monitoring

Test	Steps	Importance	Reliability
Blood Pressure (BP)	Use manual or digital device; measure systolic/diastolic levels.	Detects hypertension or hypotension risk.	High (manual mercury gold standard)
Pulse Rate (PR)	Count manually or use monitor/ECG.	Assesses heart rhythm and health.	High with ECG
Respiratory Rate (RR)	Count breaths per minute.	Detects respiratory or cardiac stress.	Moderate manually, high with sensors

C) Anthropometric Measurements

Test	Steps	Importance	Reliability
Height	Measure with stadiometer, no shoes.	Growth and health assessment.	Very High
Weight	Use digital weighing scale.	BMI, obesity, nutrition monitoring.	Very High
Body Mass Index (BMI)	Weight ÷ (Height²).	Obesity and disease risk assessment.	Depends on accurate H & W
Waist-Hip Ratio	Measure waist & hip circumference; divide waist by hip.	Detects abdominal obesity and metabolic risk.	Moderate (depends on technique)

D) Lung & Respiratory Tests

Test	Steps	Importance	Reliability
Spirometry	Patient inhales deeply and exhales forcefully into spirometer.	Detects asthma, COPD, lung function.	High (calibration & trained staff)
Respiratory Rate (RR)	Observe breaths/min or use sensors.	Identifies distress or chronic lung issues.	Moderate manually, high with sensors

4) Workflow of a Health Screening Centre

1. Registration – Patient details and medical history.
2. Pre-Test Counselling – Explain purpose and steps of tests.
3. Sample Collection & Measurement – Blood, vitals, physical measures.
4. Analysis – Using automated lab analysers and calibrated devices.
5. Doctor Consultation – Explain results, risks, and next steps.
6. Counselling & Referral – Nutrition and lifestyle advice; referral to specialists if needed.
7. Report Delivery – Digital or printed health reports provided.

5) Importance of Health Screening Centres

• Early Detection – Prevents complications by identifying risks early.
• Cost-Effective – Cheaper than treating advanced disease.
• Community Health – Helps reduce burden of chronic diseases.
• Education & Awareness – Promotes preventive health.

6) Reliability and Accuracy Levels

Category	Accuracy Level	Key Factors Affecting Accuracy
Automated Blood Tests	Very High (95–99%)	Calibration, sample quality
Vital Signs	High	Device quality, operator skill
Anthropometric	High	Proper posture, correct tape placement
Spirometry	High	Patient effort, technician training
Glucometer RBS	Moderate (±10%)	Device quality, technique

7) Quality Control for Reliability

• Equipment Calibration – Regular checks for machines and devices.
• Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) – For each test.
• Staff Training & Certification – Ensures uniformity and reduces error.
• Internal & External Quality Assurance (IQA/EQA) – Periodic testing to maintain accuracy.