Kelsey-Seybold Clinic launches Executive Health Assessment Program designed to keep top-notch executives in tip-top health

Houston (April 30, 2003) - The statistics are staggering. Each year an estimated 220,000 men and women in America die from heart attacks – with no previous symptoms of heart disease. Additionally, the American Cancer Society reports that over 550,000 people die of cancer each year…more than 1,500 every day.

Although not all deaths can be prevented, studies suggest that survival rates could rise dramatically with early detection of heart disease and cancer.

With the cost of replacement for key company executives from $250,000 to $1 million, businesses understand the importance of preventive medicine, especially in a world where top-level executives often are under large amounts of stress and personal healthcare is frequently overlooked.

To ensure that vital personnel are in top-notch health, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic recently introduced its Executive Health Assessment Program. The program gives business owners the opportunity to provide executives with a comprehensive health evaluation and optimize their health through the early detection and prevention of life-threatening illness and disease.

Health assessments and recommendations for preventive care are one of the fastest growing health initiatives in the country. In addition to securing the organizational hierarchy of thriving firms, health assessments and subsequent wellness initiatives provide a healthy alternative to rising healthcare costs and an ideal prescription for protecting a corporation’s bottom line.

Executives who receive health assessments and participate in health improvement programs typically report better performance, improved stamina and an enhanced feeling of fitness and well-being, which can directly correlate to increased productivity and reduced healthcare costs.

While executive health examinations are nothing new to the medical and business industry, Kelsey-Seybold Clinic has taken calculated measures to set themselves apart from the competition. Where many health assessments require several office visits, the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Executive Health Assessment consolidates all the medical testing, medical expertise and consultations into one streamlined visit.

As the largest and only current multi-specialty group in Houston, Kelsey-Seybold Executive Health Program physicians have a wide array of specialty physicians and medical experts on their team.

“If I see something unusual in your EKG, I can quickly consult with one of my cardiology counterparts and we will work together to do everything we can to take care of everything in one visit,” said Dr. Robert Dickinson, managing physician for Kelsey-Seybold’s Executive Health Assessment Program. “If one of our competitors discovered an abnormality in your EKG results, it would then be pretty much left up to you to find an expert to address that health concern with you. With this program, if we discover something unusual, everything and everyone we need to treat you are all on the same team.”

In addition, the program is a step ahead of the competition in the follow-up care it offers. “Many of the physicians that do a lot of executive health work are not experts in longitudinal or long-term care,” said Dr. Dickinson. “We feel like we offer the best of both worlds. Not only do we provide a thorough examination, but if we do find disease processes, we can also manage them for you.” Patients enrolled in the program have the option of choosing the same physician who performs their Executive Health Assessment as their ongoing, personal physician.

A typical visit to the clinic usually takes approximately three hours, one hour of which is specifically spent with the doctor. In a traditional medical office visit, doctors will generally spend far less than one hour with each patient. With the Executive Health Assessment Program, the “focus is on a patient-centered atmosphere, where doctors spend time with their patients,” said Dr. Dickinson. “We give them the attention they deserve and truly listen to their concerns.”

Careful attention has been given to every aspect of the program to ensure service is unlike any other, down to the area of the clinic where the Executive Health Assessment Program is conducted. The Mavis and Mary Kelsey Suite, named in honor of the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic founder, Mavis Kelsey and his wife Mary, is a private environment housed in the state-of-the-art Main Campus building. The suite offers a business center, including laptop hookups, Internet access, fax services and privacy for telephone calls. The suite also offers a private dining area with meals catered by the on-campus, food service provider.

“Our mission is to give people a focused, low stress experience that leaves them feeling they have been thoroughly and attentively cared for,” said Dr. Dickinson. “The level of care throughout Kelsey-Seybold Clinic is generally excellent and I think we have a well deserved reputation for good treatment and good care.