Changes to our schedules have been a large part of our lives over this past year, and for too many people, that meant cancelling their annual exams and preventative screenings. As spring is the symbol of new beginnings, it’s also the perfect time to call your provider and schedule that office visit.

St. Lawrence Health System’s (SLHS) team of providers are ready to help you be proactive in your personal health plan, while following COVID-19 precautions to keep you safe. Routine exams and screenings may include a physical, blood work, eye exam, prostate exam, gynecological exam, or a visit to your dermatologist. Depending on your age, you may also be due for a mammogram or colonoscopy.

High blood pressure is another area that is important to monitor. It is one of the most preventable causes of disease in the United States, according to Primary Care Provider Payam Hadian, MD, who practices at Gouverneur Hospital through the Canton-Potsdam Hospital Specialty Suite.

“Routine screenings can help identify individuals who would benefit from additional treatments. Setting up a strategy for long-term control of elevated blood pressure can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke,” he said.

SLHS’s Center for Cancer Care Medical Director and Medical Oncologist Deepjot Singh, MD, encourages local residents to ask their primary care providers about cancer screening.

“Our health system offers screening exams for different types of cancer, including mammograms for breast cancer, low-dose CT scans for lung cancer, colonoscopy for colorectal cancer, prostate exams, and skin cancer exams.” Dr. Singh said. “Delaying recommended cancer screenings may result in missed early-stage cancers that aren’t caught until they’re already more advanced, and potentially more difficult to treat.”

“We know that with routine mammograms, common cancers such as breast cancer, can be found early and lead to successful treatment outcomes,” Dr. Hadian added. “I would recommend all women, especially those with a family history of breast cancer, take advantage of the mammography screening services that are provided through SLHS.”

St. Lawrence Health System has multiple sites where high-technology screening services are available so patients can schedule their procedure where it is most convenient for them. Between Canton-Potsdam Hospital, Gouverneur Hospital, Massena Hospital, and the E.J. Noble Professional Building in Canton, SLHS has the best-equipped Imaging centers in the North Country, and 3D mammography is available at all four locations.

For more information on SLHS’s Primary Care providers and imaging services, visit https://www.stlawrencehealthsystem.org/.

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