What to Expect at a Drive Screening

The Drive Against Prostate Cancer is absolutely free, confidential and it doesn’t require you to have an appointment or insurance. It’s the way every doctor’s office ought to be!

When you get to the Drive, you will be greeted by one of our staff or volunteers who will walk you through the screening process. Most days onboard a Drive vehicle, men will experience little to no wait, which mean you will be in and out of the Drive in less than 20 minutes. The screening consists of a simple blood test (prostate specific antigen blood test) and an optional physical exam.

Pre-Screening Forms

Upon arrival, you will be asked to fill out two forms to allow for the screening:

• One form is a lab requisition used to match you to your blood sample. It also has a section on symptoms and family history to give the physician on board a better idea of your current health and risks.
• The other form is a consent form. This explains the tests you are consenting to, the Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test and the physical exam. This is also how we obtain your address in order to mail your results to you.

During the Screening

The first step is to have your blood taken for the Prostate Specific Antigen or PSA test. One of our phlebotomists will draw your blood and give you a copy of your consent form. The blood is later air-mailed to a processing center to determine your PSA score.

The final step is to see the physician for the physical exam. The physical consists of a digital rectal examination or DRE (when the doctor uses his index finger to quickly feel for irregularities on the surface of the prostate) and a short consult about his or her findings. The doctor marks his findings on the patient requisition form and a copy is given to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the physical exam hurt?

No. it’s just mildly uncomfortable for up to 15 seconds. You can opt not to take the physical exam, however, ZERO and all other leading medical experts recommend a PSA blood test along with a DRE to more accurately determine a diagnosis of prostate cancer.

What happens when I’m done?

You exit the vehicle and pick up prostate cancer education literature and a free gift (if available). You can expect to get your results in four-six weeks via the U.S. Postal Service.