Guest posting by Andrew Ta
Annual checkups undoubtedly improve patient outcomes, but with today’s new technologies, is the status quo regarding them no longer the best solution? With companies like Doctors on Demand and telehealth solutions everywhere you look, there are more avenues than ever to get the care you need, when you need it. The archaic model of a yearly checkup should change to accommodate those realities, and such changes should strive to capture the individual personalization endemic in other industries. I’ve constructed an infographic that helps capture the benefits and drawbacks of the current annual checkup system, as well as what both patients and physicians can work towards for better care and a more efficient healthcare system.
http://i.imgur.com/o2FnYEF.png
Sources
Aschwanden, Christie. “Annual Physical Exam Is Probably Unnecessary If You’re Generally Healthy.” Washington Post. The Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/annual-physical-exam-is-probably-unnecessary-if-youre-generally-healthy/2013/02/08/2c1e326a-5f2b-11e2-a389-ee565c81c565_story.html
Boyer, Tim. “Why an Annual Physical Exam May Shorten Your Lifespan.” EmaxHealth. EmaxHealth, 24 Jan. 2014. http://www.emaxhealth.com/8782/why-annual-physical-exam-may-shorten-your-lifespan
Weintraub, Karen. “Ask Well: Do I Need an Annual Physical?” The New York Times, 17 Apr. 2015. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/17/ask-well-do-i-need-an-annual-physical/