A periodic physical examination has tremendous benefits; it allows physicians to check on their healthy patients while they remain healthy. However, the benefits of this check-up being done on an annual basis are questionable since many chronic illnesses that benefit from early detection take longer than a year to develop. Preventive health checks should instead be done at time intervals recommended by guidelines, such as those noted by the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination.
Sources:
Blais J, et al. L’évaluation médicale périodique 2014. Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal et Collège des médecins du Québec [Internet]. 2014 [cited 2014 Aug 25].
Boulware LE, et al. Systematic review: the value of the periodic health evaluation. Ann Intern Med. 2007 Feb 20;146(4):289-300. PMID: 17310053.
Krogsbøll LT, et al. General health checks in adults for reducing morbidity and mortality from disease: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2012 Nov 20;345:e7191. PMID: 23169868.
Si S, et al. Effectiveness of general practice-based health checks: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Gen Pract. 2014 Jan;64(618):e47-53. PMID: 24567582.
The periodic health examination. Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination. Can Med Assoc J. 1979 Nov 3;121(9):1193-254. PMID: 115569.
US Preventive Services Task Force Guides to Clinical Preventive Services. The Guide to Clinical Preventive Services 2012: Recommendations of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2012.
Related Resources:
Patient Pamphlet: Health Check-ups: When you need them and when you don’t
College of Family Physicians of Canada Infographic: Rethinking the Annual Physical Exam and Screening Tests