VUE

pushed my meetings and inter- views to the following day, traveled across town and waited 40 minutes just to be told that indeed it was a swollen lymph node and probably nothing to worry about. e following week I received a card in the mail from my primary care physician reminding me that I was due for my annual appointment and that there was a flu shot waiting for me in their office. Again, I push meetings; I reschedule interviews. Nearly the next day I swing by the pharma- cy to pick up my birth control prescription and am alerted by the pharmacist that my prescrip- tion has ended and I will have to schedule an appointment with my gynecologist in order to get a renewal. Sometimes trying to keep up with every doc- tor I need to see can feel like the worst part-time job I've ever had. Way worse than that time I was a mall cop—at least that job came with a mount- ie hat. And mind you, I still have yet to see my den- tist, my eye doctor, my dermatologist or my al- lergist before the year is up. at's why when I began researching the Braverman Family Exec- utive Wellness Program at Englewood Health, I was instantly interested in pursuing it for conve- nience sake alone. Here is the basic gist of the program: a person- al concierge contacts you to coordinate a medi- cal evaluation day just for you. On this day, you are the only patient going through the program and it is designed around your specific health- care needs. Upon your arrival, your concierge will navigate your day without interruption or delay to ensure that you experience your medi- cal testing and evaluations seamlessly. "We only have one patient go through the pro- gram on any given day so that they can receive the full attention of our doctors and staff. Before the patient comes in for their evaluation, we travel to them to draw blood for testing. eir day at Englewood Health is then tailored to meet their health needs; in other words, if the patient needs additional testing beyond what is standard, we coordinate that and bring in ad- ditional specialists just for them," said Dr. Al- exandra Gottdiener, Chief of the Department of Medicine and co-director of the Braverman Family Executive Wellness Program at Engle- wood Health. e day begins with a full-body evaluation by a dermatologist, followed by a complete physical with an internist and cardiac testing. e physicians will look for evidence of plaque in the arteries, test for bone density, screen for breast cancer in women and test for abdominal aortic disease—and that's just to name a few of possible tests. You will also meet with a nutritionist and ex- ercise physiologist to discuss potential lifestyle changes that will greatly benefit your health long-term. In addition, there is an opportunity to meet with specialists in the Graf Center for Integrative Medicine to review stress or pain management goals and receive a therapeutic massage or acupuncture treatment. "Upon comple- tion of your health evaluation, you will meet with either me, or my co-di- rector, Dr. Gerald Lee, to receive your results, get recom- mendations, and be alerted to any further treatment or testing that may need to be done. A full report is later sent and any addi- tional treatment or testing is coordinated by your personal con- cierge," Dr. Gottdiener said. e appeal of a program like this isn't just the convenience it offers by eliminating the doctor's office runaround—it's also a proactive tool that can be used in the prevention and early detection of illness and disease. V U E N J . C O M 132

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