Give the gift of health
‘Many organizations have identified the benefits of routine, comprehensive medical assessments for their employees’
The holidays are a time for care and generosity. As many people wrap up treats for their loved ones, it’s easy to overlook the best gift of all: good health. An Executive Health Assessment from False Creek Healthcare is a potentially life-saving investment in the health and wellbeing of friends, family and colleagues. An increasing number of organizations also understand the benefits of ensuring their employees are healthy and active. Since 2013, Canucks Sports & Entertainment has partnered with False Creek Healthcare as its official executive healthcare provider. The arrangement gives Vancouver Canucks leadership access to this worldclass medical facility and a team of over 120 physicians and surgeons. “Many organizations have identified the benefits of routine, comprehensive medical assessments for their employees,” says Dr. Lauren Fineman, medical director of the family practice, executive health and women’s wellness programs at False Creek Healthcare. “We’re keeping their employees healthier, more active and energetic, and hopefully living longer lives through early detection of disease and primary prevention through healthy lifestyle recommendations.” Despite the name, the Executive Health Assessment is not just for business leaders. It’s a four-hour, comprehensive health assessment with a focus on preventative health. Adult patients of all ages and backgrounds begin by filling in an online medical history questionnaire prior to their appointment. The assessment itself includes vital signs analysis, vision testing, an electrocardiogram, exercise stress test, comprehensive fasting bloodwork, and a head-to-toe examination and one-hour medical history review with a physician. Patients will also have ultrasounds that may include the abdomen, carotid artery and pelvis, depending on their age and gender. Some programs also include a consultation with a registered dietitian. About a week later, patients return to review the results with their physician, who will provide a long-term plan with personalized recommendations for exercise, diet, sleep and healthy lifestyle choices. “Our focus is preventative health,” says Fineman. “But, we do regularly identify diseases that people were not aware of, such as diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol. We have often diagnosed cancers based on a thyroid or kidney ultrasounds, and we’ve identified aneurysms and significant heart disease in patients who were not symptomatic.” Ideally, the medical team doesn’t identify any problems and can help patients make healthy lifestyle choices and prevent disease in the future, says Fineman. Anyone who undergoes the assessment is also welcome to join False Creek Healthcare’s Family Practice. This membership program offers direct access to on-site physicians, long appointments, 24/7 phone access, and the opportunity to develop a longterm, trusting relationship with an individual doctor. “We’re a full-scale family practice, so we see babies as young as a few months and our oldest patients are deep in their 90s,” says Dr. Jan Venter, a board-certified family physician at False Creek Healthcare, and a certified member of the Institute for Functional Medicine. “It can be anything from acute care concerns, like upper respiratory health issues to men having problems with chest pain to people having trouble with falls, so we see a really, really wide spectrum.” As the Executive Health Assessment program continues to grow, False Creek Healthcare has added more physicians, including Dr. Jennifer Kirker and Dr. Gerhard Strydom. Many patients choose to return within three to six months for follow-up evaluations, or annually for another full assessment. The facility’s unique infrastructure also includes state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging, a surgical centre, and private specialist appointments, so the medical team can expedite further tests or investigations deemed necessary during the assessment. “In my opinion, good health is the key to a full and enjoyable life,” says Fineman. “Investing in your health through primary prevention and early detection will help people to live longer, happier, healthier lives.” This holiday season, skip the socks and sweaters and give the gift of good health. Learn more about the Executive Health and Family Practice programs at www. falsecreekexecutivehealth.com