There's often speculation about whether a health MOT really can give peace of mind, as well as a view that some health checks can cause more harm than good.

When considered with facts such as 1 in 3 people not surviving their first heart attack* and more than 1 in 3 people developing some form of cancer in their lifetime*, there's a strong case for saying some form of health check up is a good idea, especially as the sooner you find serious health problems the easier they generally are to treat successfully.

Additionally, a review of the UK's 2007 health statistics in the BMJ (October 2007) highlighted the key health risks of the working population.  They focused on mental health, obesity and type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and early malignancies (particularly of the skin, breast, cervix, prostate and bowel), all of which can be screened for appropriately without undue risk to the patient.

The view that screening itself may cause more anxieties than it solves, or that some screens involving scans that could potentially cause cancers because of radiation exposure merits consideration.  Clinicians such as Professor Nicholas Wald (Wolfson Institute of Preventative Medicine) have said "in medical screening, there is often some harm, which is only acceptable if there are also confirmed benefits that outweigh the harm".

Most clinicians agree, therefore, that there is only a real benefit to the patient if a test being offered has a clear purpose for being conducted and a clear outcome, based on sound, peer-reviewed, clinical research.  It's debatable whether some tests offered by some practitioners have a strong basis in clincial science or a clear outcome e.g. testing hydration levels (the assessment of which is hugely affected by how much liquid has been consumed before the test) or testing for "c-reactive protein", which is not a valid test for prediction of an initial cardiac event, rather, is a good predictor of repeat cardiac events (which are not a modifiable risk).  The use of MRI, CT or EBCT scanning as a mass screening tool is justifiably contentious.

Blossoms Healthcare believes health assessments that contain appropriate, accurate and clinically valid tests, with a clear reason for being offered, are advantageous in managing health and are therefore a good investment.  The right profile of tests delivered by an experienced Doctor reduces the risk of key people in a business being out of action, helps to attract and retain talent, helps to allay indiviual health concerns and shows where health resources can be best targeted.

An independent health or risk benefits consultant will also be well placed to guide anyone through the different tests, investment implications and support available from different providers to help you choose the right tests and get the most appropriate suite of health support.

Please contact us for any further information regarding Blossoms' health assessments, or for a free copy of our White Paper regarding the efficacy of health assessments as a health risk management tool.

Sources: http://www.heartstats.org/topic.asp?id+17 and http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/incidence/?a=5441#incidence