Executive Health Exams: What They Include and Why They Matter

Are you invested in the health and well-being of your employees? How about yourself? A wealth of research suggests that a healthy and happy workforce makes for a healthy and highly productive company. Wellness programs help support the physical and mental health of your employees, which in turn helps your company's bottom line. And that all starts at the top.

Executive health exams and physicals are an increasingly important aspect of employee wellness programs and initiatives. Designed for busy professionals, these check-ups go further than a standard annual physical, with preventative tests and screenings and individualized plans to help you stay aligned with your personal and professional goals.

This article covers everything you need to know about executive health exams. Discover what distinguishes an executive medical exam from a standard annual physical, what's included, its benefits, and how it can support your health now and in the long term.

Do you worry about how your job may be affecting your health? No matter how much you enjoy your work, a high-stress job can significantly impact your well-being. Stress can manifest in many ways. You may physically feel it — in the form of chest pain, headaches, or fatigue — or it may lead to burnout, loss of motivation, lack of focus, or behavioral shifts, such as overeating or undereating.

You may be proactive at work, but how are you with your health? Executive health exams are tailored to the needs of busy professionals. These comprehensive health check-ups include an in-depth physical exam, lab work, cardiovascular and cancer screenings, and other preventative health assessments.

The executive health exam is focused on early detection, using advanced diagnostics and thorough testing to try to catch issues — like diabetes, heart disease, or stress-related conditions — before they become advanced. These assessments are often supplemented with personalized interventions and lifestyle recommendations.

The exam provides the data to inform a structured annual wellness program that can help guide your health and lifestyle decisions for the year ahead and keep you in peak physical and mental health.

Executive health exams are designed to meet the needs of busy professionals and health-conscious adults over 30. Have you been feeling especially stressed, overworked,or on the verge of burnout? This is a clear sign you need to start prioritizing your health.

When your schedule is full, it's hard to find time to tend to your health — to book a physical, track down specialists, get lab work done, and deal with follow-up appointments. The goal of an executive health exam is to do the bulk of this in one day. Your physician will go through a suite of tests, screenings, and blood work, and help you schedule any additional tests or follow-ups needed.

The goal of an executive health exam is to detect and prevent any potential health issues. Many of the tests and screenings included aren't part of a typical annual physical. The key components of an executive health exam may include the following:

Detailed Physical Examination

An executive physical exam will include the usual tests, such as blood pressure measuring, heart rate monitoring, and a visual examination of your ears, nose, and throat. But it may also include more in-depth assessments, such as body composition analysis to evaluate your body fat percentage, VO2 max testing to measure your aerobic fitness, and a spirometry test to evaluate your lung function.

Extensive Blood Work

Lab work is essential for early detection. An executive medical exam may also include a comprehensive metabolic panel. This detailed blood test looks at over a dozen different measures of your metabolism, including blood sugar levels and kidney and liver function. You may also have a complete blood count (CBC), thyroid test, and lipid profile, as well as any other blood or lab tests that are relevant to your age and lifestyle.

Cardiovascular Tests

You may get a resting EKG (electrocardiogram) and imaging tests, such as a carotid ultrasound or ankle brachial index, which is used to look for abnormalities in the arteries that may increase the risk of stroke. You may also get a cholesterol check and a screening for diabetes

Cancer Screenings

There is considerable evidence to suggest that cancer treatments are more effective if interventions are made before the disease reaches an advanced stage. For example, breast cancer mortality in the U.S. declined by 39% between 1989 and 2015 as screening rates increased, and cancer detection at an early stage became more common.2 Because cancer screenings can be lifesaving, expect your executive health exam to include screenings for certain cancers.

Nutritional and Lifestyle Consultation

Struggling to lose weight, stop smoking, or eat a more well-balanced diet? An annual executive health exam can help you establish health goals and identify metrics to help you track your progress for the year ahead.

Along with screenings, your doctor will also ask you about your diet and lifestyle habits. In a recent report, the American Cancer Society estimates that up to 40% of cancer cases in the U.S. were attributable to "modifiable risk factors," including lifestyle choices such as smoking, an unhealthy diet, or lack of exercise.3 The main goal of an executive health program is not only early detection but also prevention.

With a nutritional and lifestyle consultation, your doctor may refer you to a dietitian, physical therapist, or other specialist who can work more closely with you to support your health journey, whether that involves a customized diet and fitness plan or a program to help you kick an unhealthy habit.

Advanced Image Testing

Depending on your individual physical condition and risk factors associated with your lifestyle, your doctor might also recommend advanced imaging tests, such as MRIs, ultrasounds, or X-rays. These will most likely need to be scheduled for a future time.

Personalized Health Strategy

The endpoint of an annual executive wellness check is a personalized health plan. Your doctor may look over results from your tests, screenings, blood work, and consultations with specialists to create a customized strategy for you that is focused on prevention, risk management, and your overall well-being. This may include prescription medications, an individualized diet and exercise plan, and referrals for any necessary follow-up visits.

Standard checkups are important, but they often only scratch the surface. Preventive treatment takes into account a variety of tests and screenings, many of which are not part of a typical annual physical.

Along with focusing on early disease detection, an executive health exam looks at your physical well-being in a truly holistic way. Your doctor will not only review test results but also consider your lifestyle choices, habits, stressors, and needs as a busy professional to help you develop an individualized action plan with measurable goals and next steps.

Executive health exams can become the foundation of your routine healthcare and long-term wellness planning. During this annual check-up, your doctor will take and examine all the baseline metrics for monitoring your health, from basic blood pressure, weight and heart rate measurements to more advanced testing that goes beyond a basic annual physical.

The main focus is on preventive medicine — that is, detecting health risks before they reach a point of crisis and providing actionable steps to keep you feeling your best.

Following your health exam, a physician will typically give you a comprehensive health plan that provides guidelines and recommendations for the year. This may include any medications you should take, requirements for further testing (if necessary), as well as recommendations for diet and exercise. The plan will also include metrics to help you track your progress, whether that's body weight, cholesterol readings or blood sugar levels. If your doctor sees anything that may require immediate attention or close monitoring, they will establish a treatment plan as soon as possible.

Ultimately, executive health exams help you create a detailed road map for your overall health strategy, making it easy for you to put your health first — no matter how busy life gets.

MDVIP offers a comprehensive wellness program for executives. Like executive health programs at major medical institutions, MDVIP's program goes beyond the typical annual physical and looks for health risks using advanced screenings and diagnostic tests. Plus, unlike hospital- or healthcare system-based programs, patients who take part in the MDVIP Wellness Program can see the doctor who performed their wellness program for follow-ups and acute care needs, giving them continuity of care.

Worth Magazine has named MDVIP's Wellness Program as a top-10 executive health program.

You can find an MDVIP-affiliated physician who fits your needs using our easy-to-use doctor search tool. Start by scheduling a complimentary meet-and-greet to talk with your prospective physician, get to know how they work, and decide whether their approach aligns with your requirements and preferences. When you've found a physician you like, join MDVIP using our simple online or phone enrollment process. You're then ready to begin your personalized health journey.

An executive health program can help you prioritize and strategize your health with the same commitment and level of detail you bring to your work. To find out more about what MDVIP offers, contact us online or call our Patient Care Center.