"... our “free” physical isn’t significantly useful in predicting our big three killers: heart attack, stroke and cancer, nor does it let doctors catch diabetes early. True, if you want to pay out of your own pocket, you can get a PSA test for prostate cancer and a CA125 for ovarian cancer as well as nutrient markers to detect deficiencies (such as for Vitamin D). But these tests are far from perfect predictors of sickness or health.
"So why hasn’t our physical changed in a quarter century when medicine itself has been revolutionized? ...
"... there are now all kinds of tests to detect dire conditions that are much more effective than what we use now.
"... And think of how these new tests would keep patients out of the hospital by detecting a heart condition rather than dealing with a heart attack in the ER. ...
"... the question isn’t, “But won’t they [much more sophisticated tests] cost a lot of money?”
"It’s, “Won’t they save a lot more money and lives?”
"Because the answer is, of course, they’ll do both."
Full article: Annual physicals in Ontario need an update.
Dr. Elaine Chin is a Toronto physician and founder of the Executive Health Centre.
