Features

Fit to fly: Body and soul

1 May 2007 by BT
Health checks are becoming more common – perhaps because, with increased life expectancies, we don't want to be the ones to miss out on living forever. Having hit that magical 40 a short while ago, and as a regular traveller who does not get as much sleep or exercise as I should, I wanted to know the effect my lifestyle was having on my life, and whether it was likely to significantly shorten it. Failing that, some guidance is always welcome: provided it's not from well-meaning friends or colleagues or, worst of all, a loved one. Health checks have been around for years, but my interest was recently caught by a company called iHealth – partly because it purported to be the "leading screening, prevention and well-being offering in the UK" and partly because it has a centre close to where I live, in Weybridge. Before attending, I saw that it claims to be the most integrated health-screening service available, assessing cognitive, behavioural, environmental and other non-physical influences. This sounded admirably thorough, and so I called them up. The company offers a number of check-up options ranging from the "Bronze – Essentials" package at £750 to the "Silver – Comprehensive" and an ongoing "Gold" package. After an initial discussion over the phone with iHealth it seemed that what would best suit me was a tailored health check – there is little point in having tests you don't require, or conversely a medical expert missing out on something that might be important. I was also attracted by the fact that they were willing to design a bespoke check without charging the earth for doing so. There's nothing that gets my blood pressure rising so quickly as unneccessary charges. After this initial phone conversation about my past medical history, lifestyle etc, an outline package was developed. This was amended following a comprehensive online pre-assessment questionnaire about my health, broader wellbeing and beliefs, and also the results of blood and stool samples. These samples can be taken on the day of your assessment but iHealth prefer them to be done in advance either at their clinic or elsewhere so that the results can be analysed and, if required, package changes or further tests prepared in advance. Since I work in central London, I had my blood tests at the Doctor's Laboratory in Whitfield Street in Fitzrovia a the week before my iHealth appointment. I was amazed at the sheer number of blood samples taken. While each amount was small, there were about a dozen vials lined up by the time I was finished. Before the day I also completed a series of online cognitive test to assess my memory and ability to process information. The next week I arrived at the Weybridge Diagnostics Centre, which is owned by the Medical Diagnostic and Imaging Group (MDI). At present the company has three centres (the others are in Sevenoaks and Brentwood) and new ones are due to open in Leigh on Sea and London shortly. Each is equipped with the latest diagnostic imaging modalities, such as MR, CT, nuclear medicine, ultrasound and X-ray. The centres all also have musculoskeletal clinics – in the case of the Weybridge facility this is a Sports Orthopaedics Spinal clinic (also majority-owned by MDI). As well as the equipment, there is a team of physiotherapists and osteopaths, as well as a medical team with specialists such as neurosurgeons, orthopaedic and hand surgeons. iHealth is also a majority-owned division of MDI and is in essence a purchaser of services from each of their centres. The Weybridge building was previously a rabbit warren of offices and was converted earlier this year into a modern building that feels part office, part hotel/spa. It has lots of wood and natural colours, giving it a restful and relaxing feel. On arrival I was directed to the first-floor reception and was offered a drink and shown to a room where I changed into shorts and a T-shirt. I then used this room as my base for the day. Before starting I had a range of basic tests and checks done, such as blood pressure, hearing, weight/height, ECG, lung function, body fat and urine, and then I was off to Sports Orthopaedics Spinal. As someone who has had regular back pain and equally regular visits to a physio I was not expecting the best news. My therapist (a physio) did a thorough check of my body to assess any muscular skeletal issues, as well as my gait, balance and strength. For treatment and assessment the clinic has a large "physio gym" equipped with computers and machinery to assess you in various ways, the aim being to discover any problems or potential issues now before wear and tear make them grow into major problems later in life. While checking to see how I walked I had lines drawn on my legs so the movements could be picked up on camera. That night as I scrubbed myself down in the shower I made a mental note that I should suggest to them to use washable ink in future. There are also weights, balls and other equipment, such as force plates, which test your natural balance. My centre of balance was not great, although I was amazed to find that it improved once I shut my eyes, rather like Luke Skywalker. Before any imaging or other tests were done I had a meeting with a general practioner. The purpose of this was two-fold: firstly to go through some more checks, and to review my test results and explain them in simple language, and secondly to ensure that the imaging tests that I was undertaking were still necessary, or if anything additional might be required. It was agreed that I should have an MRI scan, but did not need a CT scan or any others. Having not had an MRI scan before I found it noisy, and was relieved to be wearing headphones and listening to my choice of music. Unable to move, and having just returned from a trip overseas, I almost fell asleep before the technician roused me at the end of the test. At the completion of the tests I returned to my room, where I met a consultant oncologist. He pulled my results up on the flat screen mounted on the wall and went through the scans. As a new facility, this ability for test results to be shown immediately, along with all the other previously collated results, enables the specialist to call up and cross-reference facts. There was one final round-up meeting summarising what had happened and the next steps I should take. Feeling confident that nothing was really wrong with me, I left the facility and returned home to await the arrival of my report, which is compiled by the various specialists seen. The report arrived the next week, along with a CD of my test results should I need to use them elsewhere. The 56-page report has a handy executive summary that uses the traffic-light system to tell you where action is required. I was delighted to see that nothing was coloured red but I did have a few ambers so I focused in on those. The report is divided into four sections, reflecting the four quadrants developed by psychologist Ken Wilber: physicality (essentially your body and behaviours), inner life (beliefs, attitudes etc), physical environment (home and work environment and processes) and cultural environment (national, local, organisational and family dynamics). The reason for this is that iHealth believes that all these factors impact on an individual's health, and this is backed up by a Harvard study which concluded that 75 per cent of all doctor appointments have stress as a contributing factor. I have to admit that being happy at work and home I was not hugely bothered with environmental issues. I was however shocked to find that the questions I had answered had highlighted to them that I viewed myself as resilient and that I was willing to take risks with things that may not be helpful to my long-term health. On reflection this is true and I do need to think more about these matters. This was my first health MOT and it was a useful experience. It has made a number of recommendations for short, medium and long-term follow-up, including some things which require an immediate follow-up. Of course I know that I need to lose some weight and exercise more but, while I was naturally relieved to learn that nothing serious was wrong I did feel strangely disappointed that, after spending a reasonable sum of money, nothing major was found. To read the latest consumer guide for the medical tourism industry, visit the International Medical Travel Journal's website at imtjonline.com.

Fact file

ihealth tel +44 (0)1932 837755 ihealthltd.com Essential Package £750 Comprehensive GP examination, electrocardiogram heart test, video gait analysis, cognitive function assessment Heart Package £1,500 Essential package plus heart-specific blood protein tests, low-radiation CT score, cardiac ultrasound echo Anti-stroke Package £1,500 Essential package plus cardiac ultrasound echo, MRI scan, blood screens, consultation with radiologist
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