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This relates to the news item concerning annual check ups in your
journal [1]. Timely checks, maintenance and corrective actions may lead
to better health outcomes. Hence proactive medical check ups should become
a norm for all age groups for ensuring better health. At the time of
birth, or soon afterward, baby is carefully examined for any illness and
birth defects and appropriately managed. Such an examination is usually
repeated every time when this baby is brought for receiving immunizations.
Thereafter school health programs take on the onus of medical examination
of this child on a regular basis and corrective measures are taken for any
defect or abnormality that is detected. While it was still in the womb,
it was the chance of the mother to be routinely examined for any illness.
Such diseases like hypertension, heart diseases, lung infections, breast
diseases, abdomino-pelvic and genital abnormalities, blood disorders and
anaemia, genetic disorders, diabetes, STIs and HIV infection, etc, are
usually excluded. Appropriate management is offered if any disorder is
detected. This examination is usually available again during the next and
all subsequent pregnancies to a lady.
Adolescents, youth and middle age deserve equal care. In the first
place adolescents and youth may not want regular medical examinations, or
rather may seem to be against it. However, at least one medical
examination could still be instituted for these age groups. For
adolescents, a concentrated effort is to be made for prevention and
management of disorders like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac
anomalies, vision defects, dentition, endocrinal disorders, other obvious
metabolic disorders, failure of growth and STIs. Medical examination
should once again be recommended at the time of entering college, then at
the time of first employment and thereafter at the age of 45 years, if not
earlier. At these stages emphasis should be given to metabolic and blood
disorders, hypertension, diseases of urogenital and gastrointestinal
systems, while reviewing any disorder or disability that was detected at
any earlier stage or as directed by a family history.
Geriatric population is increasing and their health related
expenditures and morbidities are on the rise. Having had spent the prime
of their lives constructively, these people definitely require the helping
hand now in their times of failing health and aging along with proper and
relevant health advice [2]. With the advances in medical sciences, this
population is bound to increase further still, adding to further expenses
and reallocation of resources for them. Positive role of medical
examinations had been suggested for the geriatric population along with a
rough framework to be followed [3, 4].
Regular medical check ups shall amount to adding tremendous pressure
on the stretched out medical services and providers. However, with time
it would be realized that having detected any budding problems and having
taken due care of it timely, the overall disease burden and morbidity
rates shall be drastically reduced, benefiting the providers in the long
run. If considered necessary, immunization can also be provided
simultaneously. Moreover on an economical front too, this proposal shall
prove to be sufficiently viable, as many unwarranted expenses resulting
with late diagnosis, added complexities and morbidities can be curtailed
to a large extent. As the overall health improves, medical premiums would
automatically be brought down and expenses by the exchequer would be
curtailed as long term debilities would by and large be prevented.
Morbidity patterns would be picked up early, which can benefit the
budgetary allocations and health planning at regional and national levels.
These medical check ups can be spread out throughout the year and
mobile medical teams may be deployed for the old who may not report to a
medical facility at their own. Services of medical and paramedical
students, who are in their last phases of college, can also be taken.
This shall be able to ease the burden on the establishments and would also
provide a chance to the students to interact with the patients and gain
experience that is so necessary. As already pointed out, such annual
check ups will also help foster better relationships [1]. It would also
help improve clientele satisfaction [4]. Hence due thought and
consideration is needed in right earnest. Finally, it is to be remembered
that whatever decisions are implemented by you are usually incorporated in
the general guidelines of policy frameworks elsewhere too.
With regards.
References:
1. Tanne JH. US doctors and public favour annual check ups. BMJ
2005; 331:68
Proactive medical check ups for all
Dear Editor,
This relates to the news item concerning annual check ups in your
journal [1]. Timely checks, maintenance and corrective actions may lead
to better health outcomes. Hence proactive medical check ups should become
a norm for all age groups for ensuring better health. At the time of
birth, or soon afterward, baby is carefully examined for any illness and
birth defects and appropriately managed. Such an examination is usually
repeated every time when this baby is brought for receiving immunizations.
Thereafter school health programs take on the onus of medical examination
of this child on a regular basis and corrective measures are taken for any
defect or abnormality that is detected. While it was still in the womb,
it was the chance of the mother to be routinely examined for any illness.
Such diseases like hypertension, heart diseases, lung infections, breast
diseases, abdomino-pelvic and genital abnormalities, blood disorders and
anaemia, genetic disorders, diabetes, STIs and HIV infection, etc, are
usually excluded. Appropriate management is offered if any disorder is
detected. This examination is usually available again during the next and
all subsequent pregnancies to a lady.
Adolescents, youth and middle age deserve equal care. In the first
place adolescents and youth may not want regular medical examinations, or
rather may seem to be against it. However, at least one medical
examination could still be instituted for these age groups. For
adolescents, a concentrated effort is to be made for prevention and
management of disorders like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, cardiac
anomalies, vision defects, dentition, endocrinal disorders, other obvious
metabolic disorders, failure of growth and STIs. Medical examination
should once again be recommended at the time of entering college, then at
the time of first employment and thereafter at the age of 45 years, if not
earlier. At these stages emphasis should be given to metabolic and blood
disorders, hypertension, diseases of urogenital and gastrointestinal
systems, while reviewing any disorder or disability that was detected at
any earlier stage or as directed by a family history.
Geriatric population is increasing and their health related
expenditures and morbidities are on the rise. Having had spent the prime
of their lives constructively, these people definitely require the helping
hand now in their times of failing health and aging along with proper and
relevant health advice [2]. With the advances in medical sciences, this
population is bound to increase further still, adding to further expenses
and reallocation of resources for them. Positive role of medical
examinations had been suggested for the geriatric population along with a
rough framework to be followed [3, 4].
Regular medical check ups shall amount to adding tremendous pressure
on the stretched out medical services and providers. However, with time
it would be realized that having detected any budding problems and having
taken due care of it timely, the overall disease burden and morbidity
rates shall be drastically reduced, benefiting the providers in the long
run. If considered necessary, immunization can also be provided
simultaneously. Moreover on an economical front too, this proposal shall
prove to be sufficiently viable, as many unwarranted expenses resulting
with late diagnosis, added complexities and morbidities can be curtailed
to a large extent. As the overall health improves, medical premiums would
automatically be brought down and expenses by the exchequer would be
curtailed as long term debilities would by and large be prevented.
Morbidity patterns would be picked up early, which can benefit the
budgetary allocations and health planning at regional and national levels.
These medical check ups can be spread out throughout the year and
mobile medical teams may be deployed for the old who may not report to a
medical facility at their own. Services of medical and paramedical
students, who are in their last phases of college, can also be taken.
This shall be able to ease the burden on the establishments and would also
provide a chance to the students to interact with the patients and gain
experience that is so necessary. As already pointed out, such annual
check ups will also help foster better relationships [1]. It would also
help improve clientele satisfaction [4]. Hence due thought and
consideration is needed in right earnest. Finally, it is to be remembered
that whatever decisions are implemented by you are usually incorporated in
the general guidelines of policy frameworks elsewhere too.
With regards.
References:
1. Tanne JH. US doctors and public favour annual check ups. BMJ
2005; 331:68
2. Chauhan R, Singh AK, Kushwah P. The dilemma of the aged. BMJ 22
April 2005.
http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/330/7497/954
3. Chauhan R, Singh AK, Kushwah P. Proactive approach needed for
better health: recommendation for annual medical examinations. EMJ 7 June
2005.
http://emj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/22/5/370?ck=nck#566
4. Laine C. The Annual Physical Examination: Needless Ritual or
Necessary Routine? Annals Internal Medicine 2002; 136(9): 701-703.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests