Dr Peter Gray describes perfectly what is wrong with the periodic health examination. The annual checkup was born from a tradition of company or insurance physicals and has no relevance to evidence-based medicine. Other countries seem to get along fine without it.
But for many it has evolved into a visit with more time to attend to prevention and lifestyle counseling, which, as Dr Gray mentions, is lacking and absolutely needed in our society. It does not suit everyone, patient or physician, but if we can piggyback some prevention, evidence-based screening, and general care onto this cultural habit, then let’s do it.
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