What is Biometrics Screening?

Nowadays, many companies are encouraging their employees to undergo biometric screening. This medical procedure aims to determine whether someone has underlying health conditions including diabetes and heart disease and monitor them.

If you’re considering getting a biometric screening done, this article will tell you all about this procedure and everything you need to know about it.

Biometrics Screening Explained

Biometric screening refers to a medical procedure done to identify various health conditions with the aim of monitoring them. 

Also known as a biometric assessment, it can identify and monitor the following:

• Diabetes
• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Kidney disease
• Sleep apnea
• Cardiovascular disease

This is in no way an exhaustive list, but these are some of the most common health conditions that biometric screening can identify.

Biometrics and Employee Health

Additionally, biometric screening can also provide a baseline measurement of how healthy someone is. This can help catch early signs of underlying conditions and prevent them from developing into something more serious.

Many employers nowadays are beginning to see the benefits of biometric screening, especially for industries that are more labor-intensive, like construction or mining. After all, there are plenty of chronic conditions that can lead to something serious over time, or can even cause workplace accidents or injuries.

Not to mention, by recognizing health conditions early on, employers can save a lot of money on future health costs. This is because being able to monitor an existing condition can prevent or delay it from becoming more severe.

Currently, over half of employers offer it to employees. It’s mostly voluntary, although some employers offer cash bonuses or other incentives in order to encourage employees to participate.

Meanwhile, there are some insurance companies that have biometric screening as one of their requirements for a health insurance policy.

What Does Biometric Screening Measure?

‘Biometric’ here means the same thing as the biometrics requirement for an H4 visa, for instance, which refers to an individual’s unique characteristics that can be used for identification.

Therefore, biometric screening involves measuring your vital statistics, blood, and other related things.

For instance, here are some of the things measured in a biometric screening procedure:

• Body mass index (BMI)
• Height and weight
• Vital statistics (Waist, hips)
• Blood pressure and pulse count
• Cholesterol level
• Glucose level
• Complete blood count (CBC)

Depending on the specific program, your fitness levels may also be measured. It may even include your tobacco or cigarette use, as well as your exercise habits.

What Can You Expect from a Biometric Screening?

If it’s your first time getting a biometric screening done, you have nothing to worry about.

Aside from getting your biometric values such as your vital statistics, the screening will also involve a blood draw either via fingerstick or a venipuncture.

This will be done by a trained professional if you’re getting an on-site test, or by yourself, if you’re doing an at-home self-collection. Make sure that you follow the instructions carefully to get the most accurate results.

If you’re doing it at a Quest Patient Service Center (PSC), for instance, a trained staff member of Quest Diagnostics should draw your blood via venipuncture. They should also take your biometric measurements.

Regardless of how or where you do it, the entire process should only take around 10-20 minutes to finish.

What Happens During Biometrics Screening?

Here’s a rough guideline of what typically occurs:

1. The first step involves getting your height and weight measurement.
2. Next, a tape measure will be used to get your vital statistics, including your waist circumference and perhaps even your hip circumference.
3. Your blood pressure reading will be taken with a blood pressure monitor.
4. Blood will then be drawn from you via a fingerprick or venipuncture, which refers to putting a needle into your vein.
5. Lastly, you have to answer a questionnaire talking about your medical history, including any possible issues about your health that you may be worried about.

Don’t worry, they will only get your relevant information for the screening. All information, medical or otherwise, is protected under HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability) so feel free to be completely honest.

Under HIPAA, even your employer won’t be able to find out about your results or other information about your screening unless you consent to it.

There are also states that may have other laws put in place to protect your right to privacy.

Where is Biometric Screening Done? 

Where your screening will be done depends on your company. Some companies will have the testing done at an off-site facility where health professionals can instantly monitor the employees’ condition during the procedure.

Others will have professionals come to the company for on-site screening. The employees won’t have to go anywhere else, which is convenient for everyone involved.

There are even companies that allow their employees to do their biometric screening at home, on their own accord. Obviously, this carries some risk as there is nobody else who will supervise the procedure and ensure that the results are accurate. In some cases, companies will require the employee’s primary care doctor to go to the latter’s home to do the at-home testing.

How to Prepare for Biometric Screening

The procedure for biometric screening typically goes very smoothly. Your company should tell you everything you need to know or prepare for in advance.

The exact reminders may vary, but here’s a list of the general things you have to keep in mind if you’re about to undergo biometric screening:

• Fasting. You’ll be asked to fast for around 8 to 12 hours prior to your biometric screening. You won’t be allowed to drink anything other than water, tea, or black coffee. Be sure to follow this as it can affect the tests and may even lead to inaccurate results.
• Hydration. Make sure to stay hydrated despite your fasting. Continuously drink water throughout the day while waiting for the procedure to commence. If you’re not hydrated enough, the health professional will find it harder to find a vein, in case they’re using a venipuncture method.
• Medications. If you’re taking any medications, you don’t have to stop using them. Just continue taking them as usual.
• Exercise. Don’t exercise for at least 12 hours before your biometric screening. Just like above, this can also affect the results.
• Outfit. Wear something that will allow you to stay comfortable during the test. Preferably, you should wear short sleeves so that it will be easy to draw your blood and take your blood pressure.

How Long Does it Take to Get the Results from Biometric Screening?

How long it will take to get the results from your biometric screening will depend on the tests done on you.

For instance, vital statistics and other measurements can be available to you right after the procedure.

For more complex tests like blood work, however, it can take anywhere from a few days to a week to get the results. 

You can request the results either via your email or by snail mail. It may also be given straight to your company. That said, sometimes it may take a while, especially if there’s a backlog anywhere in the system, such as in the appointment setting.

What is Biometric Screening: Final Thoughts

Biometric screening is a medical procedure that many companies are now requiring their employees to undergo.

It’s a quick and painless test that can lead to many benefits for both the company and the employee. For one, it can help maintain and monitor the overall health of a workforce, ensuring the company is operating in tip-top shape.

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Frank Gogol

I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.

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