The concept of executive health services is over a century old, with the earliest programs supporting the insurance underwriting process. At that time, the notion of primary prevention was in its earliest stage. While much has changed since then, the basic tenets remain much the same. Traditional executive exams are annual (or biennial) top-to-bottom physicals that claim to improve the health of senior company leaders and return value back to the sponsoring company. Data supporting those claims are incredibly thin. In fact, it is possible that traditional exams, costing in the range of $3000 each, can have negative impacts on health. Testing protocols at many providers are not evidence-based, and frequently return inaccurate or inconsequential results. More importantly, these programs can fragment care. They operate largely separate from the primary care provider, creating duplicity and miscommunication. It simply is not an efficient solution.
The counter-argument is that primary care physicians are unable to provide executive-level care. The concern relates to limited access, time constraints,, non-adherence to prevention standards, and a general unfamiliarity with the forces that influence executive health. Those concerns can’t be fully discounted.
Think about a program that would direct primary care physicians to provide high quality executive health services. It would provide the best of both worlds. The cost of care would be substantially lower, since claims could be processed through the benefit plan. And, executives could use the program to foster closer ties to their family physicians. If this idea piques your interest, give NBS Healthcare Group a call.