Frequently Asked Questions
- How is this program different than the annual exam from my personal physician?
- My physician has known me for years and is a highly regarded internist. How can this program be as good as seeing my own personal physician?
- I'm young and healthy.I exercise regularly and eat right.Why should I participate in this program?
- Of what value is this program to my company? I don't want any of my personal health information shared with my company.
- How does this program compare to programs available nationally?
- Our insurance benefit covers preventive care, so why should we pay for our executives to do this?
- Where are the assessment and testing done and how long do they take?
- Who conducts the assessment?
- Do I need a referral from my doctor?
- Would a full body scan be even better than TriHealth's Executive Health Day?
- What happens if you find something previously undetected?
- How often should I come back to the TriHealth Executive Health Program?
How is this program different or better than the annual exam I already get from my own personal physician?
There are a number of important differences between this program and a high quality annual physical.
- Your Executive Health Day is scheduled to allow all testing to be accomplished in one day (one and one-half days if a colonoscopy is performed). The doctor's time is your time.
- Testing is selected on the basis of the value of the test to you, both in identifying early indicators of disease and in identifying measures of healthfulness. The process includes a computer-interpreted health risk appraisal (HRA) to examine your current lifestyle in the realms of nutrition, exercise and healthy behavior.
- Some of our tests really should be available to every adult in the general population on the basis of medical value, but are not recommended because of scarcity of physician specialists and/or equipment. Examples include colonoscopy, stress echocardiography and DEXA scanning.
- All results are available the same day tests are performed (with the exception of pathology reports if biopsies are taken and occasionally some blood tests). At the conclusion of your Executive Health Day, you will receive verbal feedback directly from your examining physician, as well as copies of the preliminary results and recommendations for follow-up testing. A comprehensive report will be mailed to you and your personal primary care physician (with your permission) about 10 days after your evaluation.
- Finally, this program is designed to empower you to take increasing responsibility for maintaining and continuously improving your own healthfulness. It is meant to be an ongoing health management process rather than a once-a-year examination.
My physician has known me for years and is a highly regarded internist. How can this program be as good as seeing my own personal physician?
The TriHealth physicians involved in this program are highly skilled and they understand health issues associated with family demands, a potentially stressful work environment, concerns about foreign travel, and the value of your healthfulness at work and home. Our physicians are not in competition with, nor are they a substitute for your personal physician. Their goal is to complement what your primary care physician provides.
I'm young and healthy. I exercise regularly and eat right. Why should I participate in this program?
The value of this program for the healthy young person includes confirmation of health, identification of early indicators of potential future problems, and assistance in the development of increasingly healthy behaviors to help ensure continued good health.
Of what value is this program to my company? I don't want any of my personal health information shared with my employer.
We're very aware of the importance of confidentiality in the executive health process, both for the executive and for the company, and will provide your health information to no one without your express written consent.
Annually, your company receives group data that reports an overview of all participants' improvement in key controllable outcomes since the previous year, e.g. blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, dietary choices, and adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors. This is an aggregate report, and no individual data is shared with your employer.
How does this program compare to programs available nationally (e.g. the Mayo Clinic or Cleveland Clinic)?
Based upon the feedback we receive from our clients, our staff makes the difference in setting this program apart from our competitors. From the moment you valet park and are met at the door, your day runs smoothly due to exceptional personal attention. There is no down time, no waiting alone and wondering if you will be next for a procedure in a common waiting room. Most of our clients have experienced other programs prior to coming to us. Once with us, they stay year after year for the basic reason that we combine the highest quality health care and technology available with absolute commitment to exceptional customer service. We hear repeatedly that our clients leave the program with a renewed sense of health, a clear understanding of their personal health status, and the knowledge that they can improve their health picture.
Our insurance benefit covers preventive care, so why should we pay for our executives to do this?
TriHealth's Executive Health Program is much more than an annual physical. Our goal is to take a look at the whole person, which often isn't feasible in the time allotted for a typical "annual" physical.
For starters, we tailor a program for each individual. We spend time with you on the phone prior to your visit discussing your family and personal history, lifestyle and medical issues.
On the day of your visit, we are able to complete testing equivalent to seven or more medical appointments, all in one place, on one day. By the end of your day, you will have met with a nutrition professional, a fitness coach and a life balance coach, not to mention a physician who will spend over an hour with you reviewing your results and your personal action plan.
The program is an ideal way for a busy executive--or anyone--to have a comprehensive, holistic picture of their health.
Where are the assessment and testing done and how long do they take?
Your Executive Health Day can take place at one of our two convenient locations: Good Samaritan Hospital in the Clifton area of Cincinnati, or Bethesda North Hospital in the northern suburb of Montgomery. All testing and your physician consultation are complete in one full day, typically lasting from 8 am to 5 pm.
Who conducts the assessment?
Leading physicians and specialists will see you and perform all tests, screenings and consultations.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No. Referrals are not required.
Would a full body scan be even better than TriHealth's Executive Health Day?
Although there have been improvements in the sensitivity and specificity of full body scans as the resolution of the images increases, there are very significant problems remaining.
For example, a "virtual" colonoscopic examination (using CT scan) is far less sensitive in picking up problems than an actual colonoscopy. It is therefore much more likely to yield a "false negative" result –– that is, the test result shows that everything is okay when it isn't. In addition, any abnormality found on a virtual colonoscopy must be followed up with a full colonoscopy. Based on our experience over the last 10 years, we would be doing a follow-up colonoscopy on about half of our clients –- thus, the client would undergo the prep for the procedure twice. If that same client had the full colonoscopy initially, during which abnormalities (like polyps) are directly visualized and removed at the time, he or she would have undergone the prep only once.
Although we do not recommend whole body scanning for all of our clients, or for clients according to age, we certainly recommend MRI and CT scans of various areas depending on past medical history, family history, risk factors, symptoms, etc. For example, we recommend CT lung scans for smokers, and abdominal CT scans looking for abdominal aortic aneurysms in clients over age 60 who ever smoked cigarettes. We also suggest other types of scans, including ultrasound, CT, or MR angiograms as indicated to follow up on previous results. In addition, we conduct many tests for clients with painful backs, knees, shoulders, and necks.
Bottom line, our approach is to use testing targeted to specific concerns or diagnostic considerations. We have shown that doing so greatly increases the likelihood that abnormalities discovered in the process will be "important", and it greatly reduces the likelihood of having to deal with "false negatives" or "false positives" –– both of which can be a real danger with whole body scanning.
What happens if you find something previously undetected?
Early detection equals greater opportunities for treatment. If a disease or condition is detected during your Executive Health Day, we will help guide in you to next steps via your primary care physician and the appropriate specialists.
How often should I come back to TriHealth Executive Health?
Based on your personal health and wellness status, we will develop a three-to-five-year program for you. You will come back annually, but the tests and screenings will vary year to year during the life of the program. Remember, our program is a proactive and ongoing health management process rather than a once-a-year examination.
See why we're the choice of leading companies. Contact TriHealth Executive Health at (513) 862-2300 or e-mail us.