essay about medical check up

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Routine medical checkups have important health benefits, benefits of routine check-ups include chronic illness detection, cancer screenings.

Some leaders in healthcare have called for an end to annual health check visits, saying they’re a waste of time for patients and overworked primary care physicians and don’t reduce the risk of death.

A new Northwestern Medicine study published in JAMA has found that while there is no clear proof that regular check-ups help adults live longer or prevent cardiovascular events like heart attacks or strokes, they still have many health benefits – especially for at-risk populations – and should continue.

Routine check-up visits (they don’t have to necessarily be done annually) can lead to better detection and treatment of chronic illnesses such as depression and hypertension, an increase in vaccinations and screenings for diseases like cancer, and improve how a patient actually feels after visiting with a doctor (patient-reported outcomes), the study found.

“While it is disappointing that I can’t tell my patients a visit with me or my colleagues will help them live longer, it is good to know there are proven, measurable benefits,” said senior study author Jeffrey Linder, ’97 MD, MPH , chief of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics in the Department of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician.

The study is a review of 32 studies conducted between 1963 and 2021.

“I was surprised at how many benefits we found when we dug into the data, given the negative messaging around these exams,” said first study author David Liss, PhD, research associate professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics. “Especially when it relates to patient-reported outcomes. If you walk away feeling healthy, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

“I think a lot of the critics meant to say ‘Don’t do these annual exams for low-risk patients,’ but the message came out to not do these exams at all, which is problematic.”

‘Sick visits’ don’t allow for all the necessary screenings

For at-risk populations, these exams are still vital, Liss said. They include patients who are ethnic or racial minorities; overdue for preventive services and have uncontrolled risk factors, such as diet, exercise and smoking; low self-rated health; don’t have a single source of trusted care; or live in geographic areas with low access to primary care providers.

“A lot of people only see a doctor when there is a problem,” Liss said. “But that often doesn’t leave time to talk about vaccinations or cancer screenings. It’s easy to see the value in routine check-ups because there are multiple recommended services that could be discussed in these visits.”

Cost should not be a factor because every patient with Medicare coverage and many insured patients 65 years and older can get an annual wellness visit for $0 copay, Liss said.

The study examined a variety of factors, including mortality (risk of premature death) and cardiovascular outcomes (heart attacks or heart disease), which did not benefit from general health checks.

However, several remaining factors saw added benefits from routine check-ups, including chronic disease detection (e.g. increases in statin or depression prescriptions); risk factor control (improved blood pressure, cholesterol readings); clinical preventive services (more screenings and vaccinations); and patient-reported outcomes.

‘The patient is the only person who knows how they feel’

Physicians are increasingly discussing “patient-reported outcomes” or “self-reported outcomes” as a measure of someone’s health, almost equivalent to lab results or scan readings.

“It speaks to peoples’ states of mind,” Liss said. “There’s a general sense of health when they walk away from these visits, maybe thinking, ‘Hey, I’m not as unhealthy as I thought I was.’ The patient is the only person who knows how they actually feel. The feelings people carry with them are important to their health and wellbeing over time.”

Seeing a consistent and trusted source of primary care is important to foster relationships and makes it easier to reach out to doctors when there is a problem, Liss said, adding that just talking to someone about your concerns can make you feel better.

Other Northwestern co-authors include Toshiko Uchida, MD , associate professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics; Cheryl Wilkes, MD , assistant professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics; and Ankitha Radakrishnan.

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5 Reasons Why You Need to go for a Regular Checkup

by Swacon Hospital | Sep 23, 2019 | Blogs and Updates

While exercise, a balanced diet, and a healthy lifestyle are important to keep oneself healthy, it is also very important to go for health checkups at periodic intervals.

Why do I need to go for a Regular Medical Checkup?

Going for a medical checkup regularly helps you avoid a wide number of diseases and catch other diseases early on. It also serves to keep you better-advised about your health, keep your physician or other doctors apprised on your health, and basically result in a healthier life.

1. Going for a Medical Checkup regularly can reduce your risk of getting sick

Regular medical checkups include a number of physical and mental checks, making sure that your body and mind are fit and fine. These checkups are known as full body checkups for this reason – because they examine you from head to toe, almost literally.

The reason this is done is to catch any disease early on, and so that you can be prescribed the right treatment for it.

2. Regular Checkups can help identify stress-related diseases

These days with factors such as the heavy Kathmandu traffic, constant pressure at work (or school, college), unpredictable weather, it is no surprise that most people are suffering from stress.

This is causing higher levels of stress in everyone and may even result in stress-related diseases and disorders which can manifest physically or even psychologically.

A regular full body checkup will help your doctor diagnose such issues and also give you the opportunity to discuss stress to get the treatment that you need.

3. Yearly Checkups can help to identify blood test results

Most people know the symptoms of common diseases such as cold or a fever since these usually have physical symptoms. While this may suffice for smaller diseases, you may be suffering from something worse which can get worse without going for a checkup.

It is for this reason that doctors usually ask for a blood test, which is also an essential part of any yearly health checkup package (although the exact tests can differ depending on your age and lifestyle).

These blood tests further help screen out various potential diseases.

4. Periodic Health Checkups will make you more aware of your health

Many people take their health for granted, and most of us rarely visit a hospital or a doctor until we are actually sick and need treatment. This also makes us more likely to make poorer decisions regarding our health, especially when it comes to exercise and the food we eat.

Going for a period health checkup automatically will make you more aware of your health and what you can to lead a healthier lifestyle. This is partly because of just the act of visiting the hospital and speaking to your doctor, as well as seeing other patients and hospital visitors.

5. Yearly Full Body Checkups can reduce healthcare costs over time

As mentioned earlier, going for Full Body Checkups and other types of preventive checkups regularly helps prevent, and avoid diseases as well as treat other diseases at an early stage. This in turn reduces the chance of you getting sick (or more sick ) which further reduces your medical costs.

Let’s also not forget the time factor – getting sick can result in needing to take time off from work or school and can disrupt your entire lifestyle.

A medical checkup every now and then ensures that you are healthy and decreases the chances of having to take a sick day, or even get admitted to the hospital.

What kind of Health Checkup Package should I choose?

Most hospitals and health providers will have a number of Preventive Health Checkup Packages available. These differ by the tests involved based on your age and lifestyle.

E.g. younger people may need fewer screening since they are relatively more healthy. Older people will probably need a health package that includes cardiac screening tests since they are more at risk. Similarly women also need few additional tests from men, such as Breast Cancer Screening.

The best idea is to visit your doctor and ask him / her what option is the most appropriate and necessary for you.

Looking for a Full Body Checkup?

Swacon International Hospital offers a range of Full Body Checkup Health Packages based on your needs. You can either choose the one you need, or you can also consult with our doctors first and undergo the tests based on their recommendations.

Health for All