The wisest investment a company can
make is not in its equipment, supplies,
services and business operation. It is in
the health of its employees. In the Health
Care “Insights” columns earlier this year,
Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D., president and CEO of
MemorialCare Medical Centers, shared the
importance of creating and maintaining a
healthy work force. He offered tips on how to
improve employee health through cost-effective programs that can be implemented at
any business, no matter the size or sector.
In this column, Smart Business spoke to
Arbuckle about the importance of screenings
and physicals for executives and managers
and the details of a typical program.
Why are executive physicals important?
While many executives follow a healthy
lifestyle, the stress of work, travel and long
hours can result in an inability to properly
exercise, eat the right kinds of foods and
manage the stress and demands of management. Executive physicals include a battery
of tests and comprehensive history, evaluation and physical exams that are convenient
and meet the schedule of busy executives
and business professionals.
It’s a well-known fact that many conditions
such as heart and vascular disease, cancer
and diabetes go undetected during early
stages. Coincidentally, these conditions often
occur during the peak years of work productivity. The highly specialized medical team
at MemorialCare Medical Centers that conducts our executive physicals and screenings
shared with me countless examples of how
these chronic and potentially life-threatening
conditions were identified early when they
could be best treated, thanks to our comprehensive executive physical programs.
How do they contribute to the bottom line?
Executive physicals are designed to detect
potential health problems before they can
have a negative impact on the executive and
company performance. The University of
Michigan’s Management Research Center
found that executives who underwent physical exams had 20 percent fewer health
claims and lost 45 percent fewer workdays
than those who did not.
Are all executive physicals the same?
Each executive physical is designed around
the needs of the individual, according to a
number of factors. These include age, gender,
lifestyle, nutrition and exercise habits,
detailed personal and family medical history
and more. Comprehensive evaluation, consistent monitoring and extensive counseling
by outstanding physicians, nurses, other clinicians and support personnel ensure oneon-one attention. An ambassador personally
guides each executive through every step of
the process, offering that extra measure of
care by coordinating scheduling and follow-up, arranging for transmittal of results,
answering questions and assisting the client
and the company.
What are typical program components?
While each executive physical is tailored to
specific needs, the program usually offers a
complete physical by a board-certified physician. Medical tests may include an EKG,
blood analysis, urinalysis, hearing and vision
tests, stress profile, colon cancer screening
and testing for flexibility, strength and lung
function plus a bone density study and pap
test for women and PSA test to screen men
in prescribed age groups for prostate cancer.
Additional tests, including mammography,
chest X-ray, sigmoidoscopy, treadmill stress
testing, osteoporosis screening and more
may be added to or included in the core program. The diagnostic tests and screenings
may reveal conditions ranging from heart,
pulmonary, liver, vascular, kidney and thyroid
disease to diabetes, high blood pressure, anemia, asthma, hearing and vision problems
and more.
How are the results shared?
During an extensive consultation, your
physician discusses the risk factors, genetic
characteristics and habits that make you
susceptible to certain diseases. Advice is
offered on how to eliminate or minimize risk
factors and achieve a healthy and fulfilling
lifestyle. Recommendations based on the
findings are coupled with the latest and most
advanced best practice medicine and wellness to guide the busy executive in achieving
optimal health.
Each individual also receives a complete
personalized report, health profile and recommendations for follow-up activities and
lifestyle improvements. It’s a snapshot of
one’s health future and our version of the
crystal ball.
Who is eligible and where do we start?
You don’t need to be in the executive suite
to be eligible for an executive physical. The
program is open to individual business professionals and corporate and nonprofit
organization executives, management and
employees seeking a comprehensive look at
their current and future health. The costs are
reasonable and may be covered in part by the
employer or health plan.
BARRY ARBUCKLE, Ph.D., is president and CEO of MemorialCare Medical Centers (www.memorialcare.org) and past chair of the
California Hospital Association. Reach him at [email protected] or (562) 933-9708. MemorialCare Medical Centers include
Saddleback Memorial Medical Center in Laguna Hills and San Clemente, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley,
Anaheim Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach. For more information on executive physicals, call (949) 452-7255 in Orange County and (562) 933-1233 in Los Angeles County.
