The Concept Of Executive Health
More executives are taking care of their health in a single chunk of time, with no waiting and immediate results. But it doesn't come cheap.
Matt Bolch
December 1, 2007
Joe Snyder credits his late father, God and the executive health program at Emory Healthcare for
getting him past his 40th birthday. Snyder was a partner at Alston & Bird when his father died
suddenly in 2004. The family requested an autopsy, and results showed the cause of death was a
dissecting aneurysm of the ascending aorta, which is hard to detect and even harder to treat. But
the results also showed hardening of the arteries, which can be hereditary in males.
At about the same time, Snyder's wife became pregnant with their third child. The death of
Snyder's father and his desire to be there for his growing family prompted the attorney to forgo
the physical he normally received from his primary care physician and visit Emory Executive Health
for a more comprehensive, same-day evaluation, which was paid for by his employer.
The staff had seen the autopsy results and recommended a heart/lung CT scan and stress test
in addition to the normal lab tests and exams. Synder had normal cholesterol levels and normal
blood pressure, so he figured the physicians were merely being cautious in ordering the extra
tests.
The CT scan and an angiogram the next day showed a 100 percent blockage in two heart arteries
and an 80 percent blockage in the third, which resulted in Snyder undergoing a triple bypass to
repair the damage. His cardiologist said it was unlikely he would have seen his 40th birthday if
the CT scan had not been performed.
Today, Snyder feels better than ever. Although a hamstring injury has limited his physical
activity somewhat, he exercises regularly, eats well and enjoys spending time with his three
children and his wife. In February 2006, he moved from Alston & Bird to First American Title
Insurance Co., where he's a VP and director of strategic development.
Admittedly, having an executive physical isn't likely to uncover a life-threatening malady
like Snyder's did, but more executives are recognizing the value of taking care of their health in
a single chunk of time, with no waiting and immediate results.
Most executive health clinics do not accept insurance for such exams, which can run three to
10 times (or more) the cost of the annual physical one gets from a family practitioner. The basic
exam at Emory Executive Health is about $1,400. Optional tests and services can be scheduled during
the same half-day visit, which can push the cost significantly higher.
Reid Willingham, health center administrator, says the center sees about 1,200 executive
health patients a year, a number that's been growing 15 percent annually over the past few years.
The center can handle six executive physicals during a morning session, but some executives have
been opting for afternoon appointment times.
Nine Emory physicians rotate through the center, each seeing two patients apiece during a
session. Since the physicians also work at the Emory Clinic next door, the executive can choose the
same physician who performed the executive exam as his primary care physician. The exam itself can
take an hour, and doctors spend at least a half-hour with the patient at the end of the morning to
go over test results, formulate action plans (if necessary) and answer any questions. Two weeks
following the visit, the patient receives a bound document with all test results included.
"We generally see patients at the vice president level and above," says Carole Johnson,
manager. "Some companies will bring in the warehouse manager, and smaller companies might cover all
of their executives." During her six years at Emory Executive Health, Johnson notes the number of
women who undergo the exams has increased to about 25 percent of the patient population.
While the center does have a waiting room, little waiting occurs there. As soon as an
executive arrives, Sharon Osby, who Johnson refers to as "the cruise director," greets the patient
and directs him to the appropriate place. Osby keeps track of the master plan for each patient,
making sure he's in the right place at the right time. If a test needs to be performed outside the
center, someone escorts the patient to that area, where he is seen next.
The concept of executive health services sounds appealing, but it's not often found among the
perks executives receive, says Brian Drum, CEO at Drum Associates, an executive search firm based
in New York. "After compensation, perquisites and benefits, health and wellness programs may be
something [executives] ask for and get," says Drum, who's been in the business for 40 years. "But
we don't see a lot of people ask for it."
On a personal note, Drum says he can see the benefit of executive wellness programs. Just 15
years ago, executives often retired at age 50 or 55.
Today, it's common to find executives putting in full-time hours at age 70 or beyond, so
keeping aging workers healthy benefits everyone. And even given the high cost of executive health
exams, the price is small when compared with keeping high-paid executives on the job, Drum says.
Offering top-notch health care services in a rural setting may sound odd, but Dr. Robert
Cowles III has built a 13-acre, eight-building, 56-physician practice in Greensboro, about 80 miles
southeast of Atlanta along I-20, just south of Oconee National Forest. The Cowles Clinic has been
offering executive health services since last year but recently opened its executive health
building.
"The clinic is like a puzzle. All the pieces have to fit together," says Cowles, who is
following in the footsteps of his grandfather by bringing health care to a rural area. "I couldn't
do executive health without high-powered technology and specialty physicians to deal with specialty
issues. But without executive health, I couldn't afford the technology to bring to this part of the
state. We look after indigent patients, too, as well as insured patients and executives."
Each executive physical is highly personalized and can cost between $6,000 and $12,000.
Testing generally takes place over two or three days. Each patient receives ample face time with
Dr. John M. McCurley, medical director of Cowles Clinic. McCurley joined the clinic in March after
retiring from the U.S. Navy with 24 years' service. McCurley was a staff physician in the Office of
the Attending Physician, where he provided care to members of the House of Representatives, Senate
and the Supreme Court.
Cowles says his past executive health patients have included past Master's golf champions,
NASCAR drivers, best-selling authors and politicians.