Annual Medical Check Up
The annual medical check-up has been very important, and for decades it has been enshrined as a cornerstone of preventative care. Nowadays, many doctors admit that it is a waste of time and money. Why? Between 2002 and 2004, around 44 million adults in the United States of America had a taken a routine medical check-up, with a range of unnecessary tests that cost $350 million every year. These were ordered by the doctors, for tests that included tests on blood count, urine, serum electrolytes plus a check on the health of the heart. Dr. Ateev Mehrotra from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, however, said that these tests should not have been carried out routinely. He said that instead, they should have been ordered only if the doctor has a very good reason to do so. Doctors should give general preventative advice either during other surgery visits or from other sources. He said that the only regular check-ups that are worth preserving are the cervical smear tests and mammogram. (Source: Archives of Internal Medicine, 2007; 167: 1876-83)