A preventive medical examination is the best health insurance and life insurance you can buy. Today's health insurance is actually "disease" insurance and life insurance is "death" insurance.
Ideally, you would find a doctor or clinic whose practice focuses on preventive medicine. However, any physician can work with you in a good preventive medicine program if he/she has the time, the interest, and the knowledge. Since preventive medicine is not routinely covered by health insurance, it may have to be paid for out of pocket. To help determine whether the physician can give you what you need, here are some possible questions. The answer to many of these questions depends on a patient's age, gender, and medical history:
- What studies do you perform or can arrange as a part of your complete physical examination?
- Does the exam include complete laboratory studies, concentrating on the lipid profile, measuring C-reactive proteins, and vitamin D blood levels?
- Does the exam include both a resting and stress electrocardiogram?
- How is the best body weight determined? By percent body fat or body mass index?
- What cancer screenings are done? Mammography? Evaluation for colon cancer? Lung cancer?
- What about a dietary analysis with specific recommendations?
- Do you evaluate for hearing loss, visual deficiencies, pulmonary function abnormalities, and (past 60 years of age) do you test for bone density?
- Following this evaluation, will you give me specific recommendations regarding changes in my diet, losing weight, increasing my level of physical activity, supplementation, and stress management?
If most of the answers to these questions are no, find another preventive medicine physician. Note: There is no comprehensive database that lists preventive medicine physicians across the country, but an Internet search will list preventive medicine clinics.
Health Advice Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for the general information of the reader and to help patients become better informed to consult with their own physician. It does not constitute a doctor-patient relationship, and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. You should not use the information on this website for diagnosing or treating… Read more >>
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