Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
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Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
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A Sunday New York Times article on the 3d of June summarized the case against routine annual physical examination: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/sunday-review/lets-not-get-physicals.html I
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Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
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Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
posted at 22/6/2012 2:00 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 461
First: 29/4/2011 Last: 31/5/2013 |
A Sunday New York Times article on the 3d of June summarized the case against routine annual physical examination: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/03/sunday-review/lets-not-get-physicals.html It suggested that most of what is done in such examinations is not of much value and pointed data collection is much more likely to yield actionable information. Are routine physical examinations a waste of time? |
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Re: Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
posted at 22/6/2012 3:01 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1336
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 16/6/2013 |
The simple answer is "yes" and all the evidence over many years shows that to be the case. They simply pander to the concerns of the worried well, create unnecessary anxiety and turn healthy people into patients. The only thing they are good for is lining the pockets of the the greedy individuals and companies who are quite happy to deceive and exploit their fellow human beings for a quick buck. |
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Re: Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
posted at 22/6/2012 5:58 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 897
First: 17/6/2011 Last: 17/6/2013 |
I was asked this question yesterday by an 86 year old man who has been paying up to £400 per year for this for about 40 years. He has had two major health problems , neither picked up any earlier because of screening. I told him to spend the money somewhere else! sadian |
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Re: Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
posted at 22/6/2012 6:31 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1302
First: 9/12/2011 Last: 12/6/2013 |
Sorry Steve, your wrong this time, In the USA, we find loads of stuff in annual routine medical exams. Sometimes the begginning of progressive osteo-atrhritis, sometimes minor blood pressure conditions, sometimes simple adjustments to medications, but the USA sees them as a tool to detect possible problems. They are a good thing. DuaneF |
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Re: Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
posted at 26/6/2012 9:40 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1336
First: 13/4/2010 Last: 16/6/2013 |
In Response to Re: Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?: Sorry Steve, your wrong this time, In the USA, we find loads of stuff in annual routine medical exams. Sometimes the begginning of progressive osteo-atrhritis, sometimes minor blood pressure conditions, sometimes simple adjustments to medications, but the USA sees them as a tool to detect possible problems. They are a good thing. DuaneF Posted by DuaneF Hi Duane - it would be great if you could show me objective evidence for this statement as my understanding is that the only things found to have been of possible value in routine health checks for the elderly were thyroid fucntion tests and, possibly, blood pressure. In the UK in the early 1990s routine health checks for the elderly became part of the general practice contract but they were dropped after a few years because it was immensely time consuming with no evidence of significant reductions in morbidity and mortality to back it up. I am willing to accept I might now be out of date so it would great to see some objective, peer reviewed evidence of benefit. |
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Re: Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
posted at 1/7/2012 5:50 AM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 627
First: 13/4/2011 Last: 18/6/2013 |
Hello Fellows: I am not that slave of so-called "deterministic" or "Evidence-Based" techonological medicine. This dictatorship of reductionist medicine is full of biases and vested interests. I am responsible for a University-based Hypertension and Diabetes out-patient (ambulatory) clinic&consultancy. And I do follow the advice of Sir William Osler: "Learn to see, learn to hear, learn to smell, learn to feel. And learn that by practice alone you can become experts". The appropriate listening and thorough physical exam every once a year or whenever necessary, spare-me of ordering a lot of unnecessary laboratory exams. And helps to build a lot of rapport with my patients. Oh yes, I do watch, listen, smell, and feel them, and that is really worthy. I spend usually at least 20 to 30 minutes at return visits. First time visits usually are longer than that. This approach also helps-me to avoid unnecessary drug treatments. I believe that the avoidance or not of at least once a year physical exam is more related to different cultures than to hard outcomes related to "Evidence-Based" Medicine. Too many laboratory exams - at least in my out-patient practice - I believe, are a waist of time and resources. All Best, Joey |
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Re: Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
posted at 1/7/2012 10:42 PM BST
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1828
First: 7/3/2009 Last: 18/6/2013 |
Now, now, ladies and gentelmen. I have been doing screening checkups of recruits for a long time now and have accumulated a pretty nice number of examinations. Well, if you think there are no surprises and all is good, then think again. There is no single day passing by without some new finding, not one but quite a few. Another surprise: these are not negligible. Heart disorders, neurological findings, orthopedic problems, urological anomalies, not to talk avout hernias, varicoceles and hydroceles, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, proteinuria, hematuria etc etc etc. Another small pilot that was performed here in a different setting took a few hundred apparently healthy 30 yrs old registered at Clalit Health Services( about 60% are registered with this HMO) and were invited for a check up plus taken blood pressure measurements and a CBC+ chemistry. More than 30% had some health problem in need of further investigation and treatment. Don't underestimate periodic check ups. Performed correctly those can be used to prevent serious health conditions as well as diagnose early conditions in need of treatment.
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Forums » Open clinical » General clinical » Are annual routine physical examinations a waste of time?
