Where to go for complete physical exam?
 

Before retiring, I used to go to a medical center in North Carolina that did complete physical exams - everything from bone density to hearing to cardio stress test to plaque buildup. I really like my GP here in The VIllages but he's not set up for that kind of examination. Can anybody recommend a medical center in or around The Villages that does this kind of complete exam?

Did you ask your GP for a recommendation, our PCP does a good job for a lot of items, but we use specialists for others, like hearing, dermatology, joint pain, etc.

OK, let's play devil's advocate. Why would you need or want "that kind of 'complete' physical exam"????

We don't do stress tests for the fun of it---we need a reason, especially since the false positive is 10-12% as is the false negative rate. Translation---if you get on a treadmill for the fun of it, there's a 10-12% chance you will end up with a cardiac catheterization.

Unless you are female or have some unusual bone disorder, you don't need a DEXA scan

Coronary artery calcium scoring has become popular for those with high LDLs, not a routine screening test

Bottom line, when it comes to medical tests, there are screening tests and diagnostic tests. They should NOT be confused with each other. Yes, there are places that make a lot of $$$$ by doing "complete" (also known as unnecessary) testing, many in Florida (probably only second to California). But fair warning---when it comes to medical testing, MORE is not usually BETTER.

I would be guided by your primary care physician as to what type of testing is indicated in your particular case

There are probably places near here, but you will have to pay for it. Medicare does not cover them.

When I have a medical test performed, I am always concerned that the doctor will recommend an unnecessary procedure to protect the doctor against a possible malpractice lawsuit. I would never undergo a screening that is not universally recommended by the medical profession.

Absolutely! Not only that, many of the places that offer "complete" examinations are simply Medicare and Medicaid mills, and often have fraudulent billing practices. Avoid at all costs.

Our Dr in Va always said be wary of invasive tests that are very often not needed.

And for good reason.

We have a neighbor that always have 3-4 doctor appointments a week for some test about something.
And their snowbirds, so they juggle the appointments and doctors between up north and here when they travel every 6 months.

bone density is covered by Medicare, but only one time every 2 years. I am diabetic, so I go for blood work every 3 months to check A1C and also other items. I went to a cardiologist 2 times to just "check" that everything is ok, and he told me not to come back until I really needed a cardiologist. Eye exam every year, dermatologist every year, sleep doc ( I have apnea) every 6 months, mammo every year, dentist ( for cleaning) every 4 months hearing( not so much).

I had a preventative medicine full physical every other year at Cooper Clinic in Dallas until I retired. I was going to ask the same question you did. The convenience of getting it all done in one place and in one day and then discussing with a doctor that has more than 10 minutes with you was peace of mind. Is it considered too late for preventative medicine if you’re on Medicare? I’m not there yet but dreading it from what I hear.

The world kinda runs on asymmetric information, eh? But educating yourself can be an awful lot of trouble. Such a dilemma. :-) Had a cardiologist *lie* to me to get me to agree to a more expensive test. When he tried to scare me with the risk of sudden death via "tachycardia" and I asked if he didn't mean "fibrillation", he turned around and left the room. Have since learnt that such strategy is not rare. Ashamed of what I know of some in my own profession. Be careful out there. And good luck. No easy answers.

I have never agreed that less information is better when it comes to health especially since the medical schools do a very poor job of covering nutrition. Sometimes bad news will have a motivating effect for people to take their health more seriously. The vast majority of our ailments in this county are due to poor diet and lack of exercise. The major concern I see with too much testing if it involves radiation or some other potential harm such as a colonoscopy.

I recommend one of my favorite podcasters who is a cardiologist who does short programs on the latest research for wellness. Heart Doc VIP with Dr. Joel Kahn.

(I might need some cognitive testing since at first I posted this in the wrong thread)

Okay, Did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night???

:posting:

Great question!

As with (I assume) most of us, I've been getting regular colonoscopies as a preventative measure. I think most recently every five years. Comes time for my last physical, Doc asks me when my last colonoscopy was. 2018 as I recall. He then told me the "good" news: as I was now 75 I no longer needed regular colonoscopies, just "as needed" though he didn't define what "as needed" would consist of.

Was it good news? Or at 75 does the insurance look at me as someone with one foot in the grave and the other one on a banana peeling, so why waste money checking for things when odds are I'm going to be cashing it in soon enough anyway?

Regarding Colonoscopies after age 75
 

The reason they don't do colonoscopies after age 75 is the possibility that you face a greater risk of piercing your colon than you do of contracting colon cancer.

Thanks for this great discussion. I met with my PCP, who is a nurse practitioner, a few months back. When I asked her about tests I might need, she declined to order any & said I should go to one of the health screeners. I hesitated doing this as I knew they produced many false positives. Now I'll just wait until my PCP orders something.

What is a health screener?

Tri County Health Cardiologist, on 441 at the Sharon next to the Village hospital in Lady Lake the villages fl. she did all my exams your asking about right at the office. Also, Novu Dermatology Dr. Cristina Novela Cortes, MD (Internist) Shares the building with her husband which is a dermatologist. Good Luck with all your exams!

The reason you received a "complete exam" is that the facility you went to owned expensive machines that they needed to pay for, and your insurance company helped them to do so. A good PCP will order test that are needed following your annual visit based on your individual case (or recommended according to established guidelines of age or time since last test). You don't need a bone density every year. Yes it's less convenient to have to schedule at another facility/date following your annual but this is actually what good doctors do.

Solid advice.

I've wondered about the same question. I used to get annual physical exams until 8 or 10 years ago. Medicare no longer covers them. I'm not one to rush to a doctor with every itch or bump, so I wondered if I'm supposed to wait until I have untreatable Stage 4 melanoma before I see a doctor? I keep hearing about someone in a news report that a nasty disease was 'caught early on a routine physical', but never hear how that happens. Is there really such a thing as a 'routine physical'?

Why undergo unnecessary procedures? Personally, I adhere to the plan: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Medicare doesn't cover a yearly physical but it covers a yearly "wellness" visit.

Before I retired, I would get a yearly physical. Now I get a yearly "wellness" visit. I haven't noticed a big difference between a physical and a "wellness" visit.

Annual Wellness Visit Coverage

What is the difference between a physical exam and a Medicare Wellness Visit? | UnitedHealthcare.

About $80 :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

2 points:

Less information is better than more information if the "more" information is either a load of crap or gives false information.

I take it the medical school YOU went to did a very poor job of teaching nutrition, since you must have first hand information to make that sweeping claim.

And what qualifies you to make comments? For me a complete physical every year can pick up changes early and avoid major problems later. Why wait till symptoms appear and that end up requiring more aggressive treatment.

VA
 

I went to a private practice in Leesburg and found it pointless. Then I discovered the VA on 42. They are very efficient and I have zero complaints.

Hmmmm.......what makes me qualified?????? Let's start with :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Then, without posting my entire CV, let's just summarize with AOA graduate Univ of NY, 35 years in practice board certified in Internal Medicine, Retired Chief of Staff of my Community Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at SUNY Upstate.

So, just to be fair, what makes you qualified to challenge that????

That being said, you should have a "complete" physical every year----that means seeing your physician, and having whatever lab and screening tests are indicated for you as an individual. That's not what the OP was looking for. He/she was interested in a location that runs a panel of unnecessary tests without a clear indication---the problem is that this often gives useless and false information that only leads to more tests, some of which might be invasive.

PS----did you read post #3 on this thread?

Knew that was coming.:BigApplause:

I tried to resist---I really, really tried. I even waited 7 seconds (a good 7 seconds) before typing, but let's face it, he walked right into that one :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

There are several medical facilities in Florida that do extensive “executive” physicals. The UF Health Douglas Williams Executive Health Program is one that I would recommend. It takes a two of days of your time. It is also customized for your particular situation. This is a thorough physical staffed by people who specialize in this program.

Its not cheap and is not covered by insurance. If my memory is correct it was $3,400 in 2020.

You can google it for contact info

I have heard many so-called doctors say some really stupid things. Bottom line, they are taught very little about nutrition and most of them these days just want you to pop a pill. They have no time to get to the true cause of the problem. Scream all you want about your worth, but actually, I believe you need to seek counseling for your control and self-esteem issues.

I think that doctors know a lot about nutrition and weight control, but they also know that their patients will not follow their advice, so they don't waste their time on it. There is a current television ad where a young woman with type 2 diabetes is happy and dancing around because she is taking a new fangled drug that has reduced her A1C. The problem is that the woman is obviously at least 100 pounds overweight, and, if she lost that weight, she may not need any drugs at all.

Guess you do not like doctors or is it just so called doctors?

Whoosh.

Relativism is in fashion now but very dangerous. Facts matters. Opinions not so much.

Bottom line: You have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. To quote Luke Skywalker from Star Wars episode 8---"Everything you have just said is WRONG". Please tell me all you know about medical education and the curriculum at over 100 medical schools in the US. Please tell me about all the really stupid thing doctors say, which would mean you have more medical knowledge than they do to be able to judge their statements. Tell me your basis for the claim that they just want you to "pop a pill"---is that based on your years of experience diagnosing and treating patients or just something you just picked up on some talk show????? (Probably "The View":1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:) Tell me how physicians have "no time" to get to the cause of the problem. I have seen some really ignorant posts on TOTV over the years, but congratulations on making the top 3. And that's with ignoring your idiotic personal attack because it was so off base and without merit that it isn't worth mentioning any further.

PS: Are you off your neuroleptics and other psychotropic meds??????

GET HELP!

This type of service: https://discover.lifelinescreening.c...jFai_z2gCK4j6s

Could not agree with Golfing Eagles more.

As a board certified cardiologist I have seen many more complications from unnecessary testing than I care to imagine. Usually the docs succumbs to patient pressure or "just to be sure"

Case in point- screening stress test with no symptoms or risk factors for CAD. Stress test comes back mildly abnormal ( of which 40-50% do) , onto a nuclear stress test with again a mild abnormality (30 % false positive rate) , onto a heart cath in which a spiral dissection of a coronary occurs obligating a coronary bypass.

Now did anybody really do this patient any favors.