A check-up isn't a consultation for something that's going wrong. It's a consultation to make sure that nothing starts to go wrong without your knowledge. It's an important distinction, because it explains why millions of Quebecers put off this appointment year after year - and why many preventable chronic diseases are diagnosed too late.
In Quebec in 2026, screening recommendations have evolved. What the RAMQ covers, what private clinics offer as a complement, and what doctors actually evaluate during a complete check-up is not clearly communicated to patients. This guide fills that gap - so that you arrive at your next check-up knowing exactly what it includes, what it should include based on your age, and what you can get at Clinique Omicron.
What a medical check-up includes
A complete medical check-up is a structured medical evaluation that combines the patient's history, physical examination, biological tests and recommended screening according to the patient's profile. It's not a fixed list that's the same for everyone - it's an individualized assessment whose content varies according to age, sex, personal and family history, risk factors, and any symptoms.
The basic components of a complete health check-up systematically include the measurement of blood pressure, weight, height and body mass index, as well as a full review of personal and family medical history - heart attacks, strokes, cancers, diabetes, chronic diseases in the first-degree family. The anamnesis covers lifestyle habits - smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, diet, quality of sleep - which are documented health determinants that the doctor evaluates without judgment, because this information guides preventive recommendations.
Basic blood tests for a complete check-up include fasting blood glucose to screen for pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes, complete lipid panel - total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides - to assess cardiovascular risk, complete blood count to screen for anemia and hematological abnormalities, thyroid function tests with TSH for hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate for renal function, liver enzymes for liver function, and, depending on the clinical picture, ferritin, vitamin D, uric acid and other targeted parameters.
Resting ECG - electrocardiogram - is indicated in certain contexts: patients over 40 with cardiovascular risk factors, reported cardiac symptoms, family history of sudden death or early heart disease. It is not a routine part of every health check-up for young, asymptomatic adults with no risk factors - its inclusion depends on individual medical assessment.
Recommended cancer screenings are included in the check-up according to age and sex - mammography, colorectal cancer screening test, cervical smear. These screenings are discussed in detail in the next section.
Recommended screenings by age group
Screening recommendations in Quebec are based primarily on the guidelines of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC), adapted to the Quebec context by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux (MSSS) and the Institut national d'excellence en santé et en services sociaux (INESSS). These recommendations are evolving - some have been revised in recent years, sometimes in a different direction from the American recommendations.
For adults between the ages of 20 and 40, priority screenings include blood pressure at every medical consultation, screening for sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) - in particular HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis - for those at risk, depending on sexual practices and history, and lipid tests from the ages of 30-35, depending on family risk factors. Blood glucose testing is recommended from age 40 for adults with no risk factors, but earlier for people who are overweight, sedentary, have a family history of diabetes or are of high-risk ethnic origin. Cervical smears - Pap tests or HPV tests according to current protocols - are recommended for people with a cervix from the age of 25, every three years. Mental health and substance use are assessed in the case history at every check-up.
For adults aged 40 to 60, screening is becoming more intensive. A complete cardiovascular check-up - blood pressure, lipids, glycemia, abdominal perimeter, calculation of cardiovascular risk over 10 years - becomes central to this age group, which concentrates the onset of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Colorectal cancer screening begins at age 50 for average-risk adults - fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) is recommended every two years, or colonoscopy every ten, depending on preference and history. Mammography screening for breast cancer is recommended every two years for average-risk women aged 50 and over - for women with a first-degree family history of breast cancer, individual risk assessment and earlier initiation of screening are indicated. Screening for type 2 diabetes is recommended every three years for all adults aged 40 and over. Assessment of thyroid function by TSH is indicated according to symptoms and risk factors - more frequent in women and people with a family history of thyroid disease.
For adults aged 60 and over, screening includes all of the above, with particular attention to several conditions whose prevalence increases significantly in this age group. Bone densitometry - DEXA scan - is recommended for women from the age of 65 and for men from the age of 70, or earlier in the presence of osteoporosis risk factors - smoking, prolonged corticosteroid therapy, history of fragility fracture. Screening for age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma involves regular eye examinations, recommended from the age of 60. Vaccination against shingles (Shingrix) is recommended from age 50 - two doses. Cognitive screening is included in the assessment of adults over 65, particularly in the presence of subjective memory complaints or functional changes reported by family and friends. Assessment of the risk of falls and nutritional status complete the primary geriatric assessment.
What RAMQ covers and what is private
One of the most common sources of confusion among Quebec patients is the distinction between what the RAMQ covers and what is covered privately for a check-up. The short answer is that RAMQ covers clinically indicated medical procedures, but does not cover check-ups requested on a purely preventive basis without a documented clinical indication - an important nuance in practice.
Laboratory tests prescribed by a physician as part of a medical consultation - blood glucose, lipid profile, TSH, blood count, renal and liver function - are covered by RAMQ when medically indicated, i.e. prescribed to assess a symptom, a documented risk factor, or to monitor a chronic condition. Tests prescribed without a documented medical indication - «routine check-ups» without prior medical consultation - may not be covered.
The medical consultation itself for a check-up is covered by the RAMQ when performed by a physician participating in the public plan. Clinique Omicron physicians participate in the RAMQ - the medical consultation for an annual check-up is covered for patients covered by the RAMQ. During the consultation, the physician determines which tests are clinically indicated and prescribes them accordingly.
Organized screening - colorectal cancer screening program, Quebec breast cancer screening program - is covered by the RAMQ as part of government programs. Access is generally by invitation for target age groups, or by medical prescription.
What is not covered by RAMQ includes check-ups offered as «packages» by private clinics without RAMQ-participating physicians, certain biological analyses not listed in the RAMQ billing manual or prescribed outside recognized indications, bone densitometry in certain contexts, certain preventive genetic analyses, and executive check-ups with advanced imaging technologies - body scanners, screening MRIs - that have no established population screening recommendation.
At Clinique Omicron, check-ups are performed as part of a medical consultation covered by the RAMQ. The tests prescribed during this consultation are covered under the usual RAMQ rules. Certain complementary services - ECG if not covered in the context, additional analyses outside the form, detailed medical reports - may be subject to private fees clearly communicated prior to the consultation. The fee schedule is available on cliniqueomicron.ca.
Health check-up for immigrants and newcomers
Immigrants and newcomers to Quebec have specific preventive health needs that go beyond the standard check-up. An initial health check-up on arrival is a medically recommended step - not just for the usual screenings, but to identify health conditions acquired in the country of origin that may remain asymptomatic for years.
Tuberculosis screening is a clinical priority for people from countries with a high prevalence of TB - including many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia, Central and South America, and parts of Eastern Europe. Latent tuberculosis - tuberculosis infection without active disease - can reactivate years after initial exposure, particularly in cases of immunodepression or immunosuppressive treatment. Screening is carried out by tuberculin intradermal reaction (TIR or Mantoux test) or by IGRA (Interferon-Gamma Release Assay), depending on the clinical context. A positive screening result does not mean active tuberculosis - it indicates past exposure and may justify preventive treatment, depending on the risk profile.
Screening for intestinal parasitosis is recommended for people from endemic regions - parasitological examination of stools, serology for certain parasites such as Strongyloides stercoralis, whose infection can remain silent for decades before manifesting itself during immunosuppression. Hepatitis B and C serology is recommended for all people from regions of intermediate or high prevalence - many countries in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Unknown or undocumented hepatitis B immune status warrants screening and, depending on the results, vaccination if indicated. HIV screening is universally recommended for anyone who does not know their HIV status.
Vaccination updates are an essential part of the health check-up for new arrivals. Vaccination schedules vary by country of origin, and some vaccines may be missing - check vaccination status for measles-mumps-rubella, varicella, hepatitis B, pneumococcus depending on age, and other vaccines depending on clinical profile. A Clinique Omicron physician can assess your immunization status and prescribe any missing vaccines - some are covered by the RAMQ, others are private fees.
Mental health conditions linked to the migratory experience - acculturation stress, exposure to traumatic events in the country of origin or during the migratory journey, mourning for family separation - are not weaknesses or administrative problems. They are documented medical realities. The doctor who carries out a health check-up on a newcomer should include a mental health assessment in the anamnesis, without presupposing that all is well because the reasons for consulting are preventive.
For people in the immigration process who require an immigration medical examination - an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) medical examination - this examination is separate from the preventive health check-up described in this article. It is performed by doctors designated by IRCC and follows a specific protocol imposed by the federal agency. Clinique Omicron doctors are not IRCC-designated physicians - for the immigration exam, please go directly to the IRCC website to find a designated physician in your area.
Annual check-up at Clinique Omicron
An annual check-up at Clinique Omicron begins even before the medical consultation. Structured nursing triage collects essential information upstream - medical history, current medications, documented vaccinations, lifestyle habits, any symptoms, screenings already carried out and their dates - enabling the doctor to use consultation time for clinical assessment, discussion with the patient, and personalized recommendations, rather than for administrative data collection.
The medical consultation includes a complete physical examination adapted to the patient's profile - blood pressure measurement on both arms, depending on the context, cardiac and pulmonary auscultation, abdominal palpation, skin examination according to risk factors, rapid neurological assessment if indicated. The detailed history covers the health events of the past year, changes in lifestyle, and the patient's specific concerns - a health check-up is not a medical monologue, it's a conversation between doctor and patient based on a structured assessment.
The tests prescribed during the work-up are adapted to the patient's clinical profile and the screening recommendations relevant to age and risk factors. Results are communicated and explained during a dedicated follow-up consultation - not through an automated message that lists numerical values without clinical context. The doctor explains what each result means for your health specifically, what is normal, what merits follow-up, and the recommendations that follow.
Clinique Omicron's health check-up is available face-to-face in Brossard and Saint-Hubert. Certain components - medical consultation, review of results, follow-up on recommendations - are also available by teleconsultation for patients who prefer this option. Appointments are booked online at cliniqueomicron.ca, with availability within 24 to 72 hours for most patients.
An annual check-up is not a luxury - it's the approach that allows us to diagnose hypertension before stroke, pre-diabetes before diabetes, dyslipidemia before heart attack, and to identify conditions that can be treated well when detected early. This is the very principle of preventive medicine.
Frequently asked questions
Does RAMQ cover my annual check-up?
A medical consultation for a check-up with a physician participating in the RAMQ - such as the doctors at Clinique Omicron - is covered by your health insurance card. Tests prescribed during this consultation are covered under the usual RAMQ rules when medically indicated. Some complementary services may be subject to private fees - the fee schedule is available on cliniqueomicron.ca before your consultation.
How often should I have a check-up?
The recommended frequency varies according to age and risk profile. For healthy adults under 40 with no particular risk factors, a check-up every two to three years is generally sufficient. From the age of 40 onwards, an annual check-up is recommended for the majority of adults - the density of relevant screenings increases from this age onwards. For patients with chronic diseases - diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia - follow-up is more frequent and integrated into the monitoring of the chronic condition. Your doctor will determine the appropriate frequency during your consultation.
Can my doctor carry out a teleconsultation?
Partially. The complete history, review of test results, preventive recommendations and certain assessments can be carried out via teleconsultation. Physical examination - auscultation, palpation, blood pressure measurement - requires a face-to-face consultation. For a complete assessment including physical examination, a face-to-face consultation in Brossard or Saint-Hubert is recommended. A follow-up consultation to review results and recommendations can then be carried out by teleconsultation, depending on the patient's preference.
What tests should I request for my first check-up after age 50?
The doctor determines the appropriate tests according to your clinical profile during the consultation - it's not a list to ask for on arrival, it's the result of a medical assessment. For a 50-year-old adult with no particular history, a complete check-up typically includes blood sugar, lipid profile, thyroid profile, complete blood count, kidney and liver function, and depending on gender, the cancer screenings recommended at this age. If you have specific risk factors - family history, symptoms, chronic conditions - the check-up is adapted accordingly.
I'm arriving from another country and I don't have a medical file in Quebec. Where do I start?
A complete medical check-up at Clinique Omicron is a good first step. Bring any medical documents available in your language - vaccination records, recent test results, prescriptions, medical reports - even if they are in a language other than English or French. The doctor adapts his or her assessment to the absence of prior medical records, and includes screenings specific to newcomers from your country of origin. Your medical file at Clinique Omicron begins to take shape from this first consultation.
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