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< span style="color:#0000ff;">Health screening is important to everyone. It involves the use of tests, physical examinations or other procedures to detect conditions early in people who look or feel well. This is different from diagnostic tests which are done when someone is already showing signs and/or symptoms of a condition.
Health screening helps you find out if you have a particular condition even if you feel perfectly well, without any symptoms and/or signs. Early detection, followed by treatment and good control of the condition can result in better outcomes, and lowers the risk of serious complications. It is therefore important to get yourself screened even if you feel perfectly healthy.
There are 3 types of screening tests1.
Beneficial for everyone: These tests are listed in Table A.
Beneficial for some but not others: Decision to be made on an 'individual' level, based on your individual risk factors e.g. self or family history of hereditary or chronic diseases, exposure to factors that can lead to disease e.g. smoking.
Not recommended for screening: Currently, there is not enough information to support the use of these tests.
It is best to speak to your family doctor who will advise you to go for the relevant screening tests based on your individual health profile.
Find out more about Type 2 and Type 3 tests.
View the report of the Screening Test Review Committee.
| Recommended for2 | To screen for | Screening test | Screening frequency3 |
| Individuals aged 18 yrs and above | Obesity | Body Mass Index (BMI) Waist circumference | Once a year |
Hypertension (High blood pressure) | Blood pressure measurement | Once every two years or more frequently as advised by your doctor | |
| Individuals aged 40 yrs and above | Fasting blood glucose HbA1c | Once every three years or more frequently as advised by your doctor | |
| Hyperlipidaemia (High blood cholesterol) | Fasting lipids Non-fasting lipids | ||
| Individuals aged 50 yrs and above | | Faecal Immunochemical Test (to test for blood in stools) OR | Once a year |
| Colonoscopy | Once every ten years | ||
Additional Tests for Women | |||
| Women aged 25-69 yrs, who have had sexual intercourse | Cervical cancer | Pap test | Once every three years |
| HPV test | Once every five years | ||
| Women aged 50-69 yrs | Breast cancer | Mammogram | Once every two years |
| Recommended for | To screen for | Screening test | Screening frequency |
| Newborns aged 0-4 weeks old | Hearing loss | Audiometry | Once |
| | Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency | Screen with umbilical cord blood | Once |
| | Inborn Errors of Metabolism (IEM) | Metabolic screen with
Tandem Mass Spectrometry (TMS) | Once |
| | Primary hypothyroidism | Thyroid Function Test (TFT) | Once |
If your screening results are normal, you should continue to go for regular screening at the recommended frequency because screening only detects health conditions that are present at the time of screening. If you develop signs or symptoms after your screening, please see your doctor and do not wait for your next screening appointment.
If your screening results are abnormal, you should follow-up with your doctor immediately even if you feel perfectly well. Early treatment and good control of your condition can result in better outcomes and prevent or delay serious complications.
A one-off screening will only pick up health conditions that are present at the time of screening. Regular screening helps to detect conditions that may develop after the previous screening. Hence, it is important for you to go for regular screening tests at the recommended frequency.
Health Screening is heavily subsidised for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents. If you have a Health Assist card (under CHAS – Community Health Assist Scheme), you will be entitled to enojoy the subsidies of the above tests (according to age) and a follow-up consultataion, if required, at $2 at CHAS GPs. All other Singaporeans can enjoy these subsidies for the above test (according to age) and a follow-up consultation, if required, at $5 at CHAS GPs.
If you belong to the Pioneer Generation (PG), the cost of the screening tests (offered under Screen for Life - SFL) and the follow-up consultation, if required, is also fully subsidised. PG cardholders can also claim up to $28.50, for each screening-related and follow-up consultation, for up to two times per year.
Check out the e xact costs of the screening tests.
If you have difficulty paying for the screening tests, please speak to the medical social worker at the polyclinics
Good, affordable basic healthcare is also available to Singaporeans through subsidised medical services offered at public hospitals and polyclinics. Medisave, Medishield Life, Elder Shield and Medifund schemes can help Singaporeans offset their medical expenses.
Health screening is available at many private medical clinics and polyclinics. Visit the directory for the list of screening locations.
Currently, Medisave cannot be used for other health screening such as screening for diabetes or high cholesterol. However, if you are diagnosed with a chronic condition covered under the Chronic Disease Management Programme (CDMP), Medisave may be used to pay for part of the outpatient treatment cost of these diseases.
Women aged 50 and above can use their own or immediate family member’s Medisave for their screening mammograms at approved mammogram centres. Under the Medisave 400 scheme, up to $400 per Medisave account a year can be used for screening mammograms.
Persons aged 50 and above can also use their own or their immediate family member’s Medisave for their screening colonoscopies (to screen for colorectal cancer) at approved colonoscopy centres.
Check out the list of approved centres or find out more.
Please consult your doctor to find out if a health screening is necessary for you.
If you have not been screened in the past three years, and you do not have a chronic condition (such as diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol), please consult your GP for advice on screening. If you have been screened within the last three years, do continue to see your GP for the necessary follow up and advice on health screening.
If you already have one of the chronic conditions and are on medication(s), your doctor would be monitoring your condition as a form of management. Please consult your GP on other suitable health screening tests that are necessary for you.
Having trouble keeping up with your appointments? myHealth keeps track of not only your health appointments and medical records, but also your family's as well.
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