The term I have seen used for this is "executive physical". Many
institutions offer these, and what they actually consist of varies
widely. Do a search for that term and you will see what I mean. The
good ones are simply thorough history/physicals with screening tests
as indicated by age, gender, risk factors of the patient, supported by
evidence, followed by appropriate preventive counseling and guidance.
Others are "throw every test know to man at them" whether they need it
or not. The risk of this type is multiple. The tests may not be
entirely benign, may find false negatives that need to be followed up
on at increased risk and expense, and often are not covered by
insurance (since evidence has not shown they are cost-effective). A
good example of this type of testing is the whole-body CT scan. This
is why they are marketed as "executive" physicals - only executives
can afford them (or more likely have it built into their compensation
package so the company and ultimately consumer pays). They do offer
additional amenities like more convenient scheduling, extra privacy,
etc. to make the patient feel pampered as well. All this comes at a
cost of course.
On the other hand, it is often promoted as giving peace of mind, which
may be true as long as they don't find something which requires
further studies to determine if is significant or not, causing
unnecessary worry while you wait for the next test. |
