Sample Schedule
The following schedule is only an example of how a typical visit unfolds. The exact timing of appointments may vary depending on your medical needs and preferences as well as the availability of our staff.
7:45 a.m.: Your arrival and orientation
8:00 a.m.: Lab tests
8:15 a.m.: Breakfast
8:30 a.m.: Initial meeting with your Executive Health physician
9:15 a.m.: Nutrition counseling
10:15 a.m.: Eye exam
10:45 a.m.: Hearing exam
11:30 a.m.: Lunch
12:00 p.m.: Muscular-skeletal assessment
12:30 p.m.: Consultation with personal trainer
1:30 p.m.: Electrocardiogram (EKG) and exercise stress test
2:30 p.m.: Skin exam
3:00 p.m.: Special screenings and consultations (optional)
4:00 p.m.: Follow-up meeting with your Executive Health physician
5:00 p.m.: The end of your day
Details of Your Day
Your Arrival
A program representative will meet you on the first floor of the Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine at the University of Chicago Hospitals. This person will escort you to all of your appointments during the day.
Lab Tests
Blood and urine samples are taken. We provide the following tests:
- Comprehensive metabolic panel which measures fluids and electrolytes to evaluate your body's chemical composition, glucose to test for diabetes, liver enzymes to evaluate liver function, and BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine to evaluate kidney function
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone test to evaluate thyroid function
- Highly sensitive C-reactive protein test for early detection of heart disease
- Lipid panel to measure cholesterol and triglycerides
- Blood profile--complete blood count, platelets, and differential to evaluate components of the blood
- Urinalysis
- Hemoccult test for initial colon cancer screen
- PSA test for prostate cancer for men
- Hepatitis C and HIV (optional)
Results of lab tests will generally be available by the end of your visit.
Initial Meeting with Your Executive Health Physician
During this first consultation, you and your personal Executive Health physician will have an in-depth conversation about your overall health, including your medical history, lifestyle habits, emotional health, and family life. He will also conduct a complete physical exam, which includes a breast exam and Pap smear for women.
Nutrition Counseling
You will meet one-on-one with a staff dietician to assess your eating habits. Together, you will design a personalized eating plan that can help you:
- Attain and maintain a healthy weight
- Reduce cholesterol or lower high blood pressure
- Minimize health risks, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, and hypertension
The dietician will share specific advice on how to eat healthy despite a busy lifestyle. For instance, you'll get tips on making healthy choices when dining out or when eating on the run. You'll also have plenty of time to ask about specific issues--from the effectiveness of popular diets to cancer-fighting nutrients in foods.
Eye Exam
An eye expert will perform vision testing, including a dilated retinal exam, measurements of central and peripheral vision, and a screen for glaucoma. You can also request a special consult to discuss the possibility of laser vision correction surgery.
Hearing Exam
Your hearing will be tested to determine if you have any problems detecting or discriminating among various sounds. Because hearing loss is often gradual, many people do not notice it until it becomes serious. If any hearing problems are detected, you will be referred to one of our ear, nose, and throat specialists.
Muscular-Skeletal Assessment
Several tests will reveal clues about your current level of fitness and heart health:
- Body-composition test. The skin folds at your triceps, hip, and stomach will be measured with a calipers to determine what percentage of your body is fat.
- Waist-to-hip ratio. Research reveals that the risk of heart disease is higher in people who carry excess weight around their stomachs versus their hips and thighs.
- Flexibility test. A sit-and-reach test helps reveal the flexibility in your hamstrings and lower back--an important indicator for future back troubles.
- Abdominal and upper body strength. You will be asked to perform stomach crunches and push ups to determine the strength and endurance of these muscle areas. Results of all these tests will be compared against norms for other people your same age and gender.
Consultation with Personal Trainer
You'll meet one-on-one with a master's-trained exercise physiologist and personal trainer who has extensive experience setting up fitness plans for busy people. The focus of the meeting will depend on your personal fitness goals. For instance, do you want to start exercising regularly but don't know where to begin? Our personal trainer will help you outline an exercise plan that will work with your lifestyle. This might include tips on how to exercise if you travel a lot.
Our trainer can also evaluate your current workouts to make sure they're properly balanced to include aerobic, strength-training, and flexibility exercises. She can also show you how to maximize your exercise sessions so you'll see better results--in some cases, this has actually resulted in less time exercising. If you'd like, our trainer can recommend a personal trainer in the Chicago area to work with on a regular basis.
Electrocardiogram (EKG) and Exercise Stress Test
These two tests help detect if you may have a heart problem, such as irregular heart rhythms, prior damage to the heart muscle, enlargement of the heart's chambers, and undetected heart blockage.
- EKG. This painless test allows us to obtain a graphical reading of the electrical activity of your heart as it contracts and rests. Small discs, or electrodes, are attached to your chest.
- Exercise stress test. Some heart problems can only be detected when the heart is working hard. That's why we ask you to exercise on a treadmill while attached to the EKG machine.
Skin Exam
A board-certified dermatologist will check your body for skin cancer and other abnormalities. You will also have the opportunity to ask about other skin concerns, such as rashes, age spots, acne, or wrinkles. If appropriate, prescriptions for simple, necessary medications may be obtained. Ongoing therapy and management may be scheduled for a later date.
Special Screenings and Consults
You can arrange for one of the state-of-the-art screenings available at the University of Chicago Hospitals. These include computer tomography (CT) scan to detect abnormalities in the lung or a bone density scan to evaluate your risk for fracture. Learn more about our special screenings and consults.
Follow-up Meeting with Your Executive Health Physician
Your physician will show you the results of your tests and exams. Based on this your physician will provide you with expert, in-depth insights about your health.
The End of Your Day
You and your physician will develop a plan of action that can help you achieve optimal health. After your visit, your personal Executive Health physician will give you a follow-up call to discuss your progress, answer questions, and recommend follow-up measures as appropriate.
More Information
- Sample Schedule
- Special Screenings
- Common Questions
