Know your real health picture

2021 must see the return to being proactive about personal health.

During the pandemic, everything from mammograms, blood pressure checkups, and physicals got canceled. Many never rescheduled.

As Healthnetwork’s medical director, Dr. Richard Cartabuke, likes to say, “You’ve got to be the CEO of your own health – no one else is going to do it for you.”

One of the best ways to get back on track is an executive physical. It is not a typical annual physical, with a patient sitting on crinkly paper in a small office waiting to see his general practitioner. It is a head-to-toe audit of your entire health, from physicians who work with business leaders every day at the country’s most advanced medical facilities. Best of all, the whole experience is custom-tailored, taking into account your lifestyle, family health history, genetic profile, and health concerns. Healthnetwork can match you to a program at one of our top facilities.

When you make your health a priority and meet with expert specialists who know the executive mindset, you have an opportunity to learn about risky behaviors or irregularities that could be early warning signs of more serious conditions. Early diagnosis often leads to a better outcome.

It’s also quite possible the results could change your life—or even save it.
Which tests should people 50-65 years old have? Here are a few – there are others not shown here. (Information for guidance only.)

KATE MARTIN is director of marketing for Healthnetwork.

Physical Exams: 50-65 years
Executive Phsyical: every 1-2 years

BASICS
Blood Pressure: Annually
Height / Weight / BMI: Annually
Body Composition / Nutrition Counseling: Annually
Fitness Assessment: Every 1–2 years

COMPREHENSIVE LAB PROFILES
Lipoprotein Panel (Cholesterol with Triglycerides)
• Annually for men 35 years and older, or as indicated by risk
• Annually for women 45 years and older, or as indicated by risk

Fasting Glucose
• Screen overweight or obese adults age 40-70

Hepatitis C Screening/HIV Screening
• At least once in the lifetime of adults over age 18 or as indicated by risk

HEART HEALTH SCREENINGS
Resting EKG
• Every 4 years or as determined by physician

Stress Test
• Every 4 years or as determined by physician

Coronary Artery Calcium Score
• Baseline for men after age 40 and women after age 45; Repeat in 5 years if initial screen is 0 (zero)

Vascular Screening
• Baseline at age 50; repeat in 5 years if normal or as medically indicated

Ultrasound for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
• One time, if previous smoker

LUNG HEALTH SCREENINGS
Chest X-ray
• Repeat as medically indicated

Chest CT Scan
• Age 55–74 with 30 smoking pack years

Spirometry
• Smokers only

CANCER SCREENINGS
Thyroid, Mouth, Skin, Ovaries, and Lymph Nodes
• Every 1–2 years

COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENINGS
Colonoscopy
• Every 3–10 years or as medically indicated

Cologuard
• Baseline at age 50; then every 3 years

Fecal Occult Test
• Annually

MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS
Depression
• With each exam

Alcohol, Smoking, Drug Use
• With each exam

WOMEN’S HEALTH SCREENINGS
Clinical Breast Exam
• Annually

Mammogram
• Annually

Pelvic Exam: Cervical (Pap) Test
• Every 5 years with cytology and HPV testing

Bone Density
• Baseline at age 50; every 5 years if normal; every 3 years if abnormal

MEN’S HEALTH SCREENINGS
PSA Blood Test
• Annually starting at age 45

Testosterone
• Annually

DENTAL, VISION, & HEARING EXAMS
Annually