When it comes to our health, understanding what the future holds is a powerful tool in maintaining a long and healthy life. Preventative health assessments play a crucial role in identifying health issues and potential risks before they become serious, allowing individuals to take control of their well-being. However, not all health assessments are created equal. Choosing a trusted and experienced provider is essential to ensure you receive the most accurate and comprehensive insights into your health status and take preventive measures, if necessary.
At Echelon Health, we are proud to be the world’s leading provider of preventative health assessments, setting the gold standard in the industry. Our advanced technology and approach can detect up to 95% of the leading causes of premature death in the UK, offering unmatched accuracy. In our Harley Street Clinic in London, we offer unparalleled expertise, cutting-edge technology and a holistic wrap-around service that has been independently verified as the best in the world. Our comprehensive health assessments go beyond traditional check-ups. We provide our clients with a detailed view of their overall health, allowing them to take proactive steps to maintain optimal health.
In this article, we will explore the key factors to consider when choosing a preventative health assessment provider, or private health check, to ensure you receive the highest possible standard of care and insight into your health.
Not All Health Screenings Are Equal
Despite the adage, ‘prevention is better than cure’, its widespread application in healthcare is often hampered by limited resources and ingrained practices within both public and private sectors. While annual check-ups are common, they mostly rely on surface-level, probabilistic tests that do not provide a comprehensive picture of a patient’s health. This can lead to both false positives and false negatives, allowing critical conditions such as heart disease or even cancer to go undetected until it is too late.
The Hidden Risks of Silent Diseases
For instance, while heart disease is typically associated with certain risk factors, many people with coronary heart disease show no symptoms or health concerns at all – a condition known as silent coronary heart disease. As a result, they may not realise they have heart issues until a serious event occurs. Likewise, emerging research indicates that lung cancer, while often associated with smoking, is increasingly diagnosed in non-smokers, particularly women. This underscores the limitations of traditional health screenings and the need for a more comprehensive approach.
Echelon Health: A Revolution in Preventive Healthcare
Motivated by his concern for young patients developing preventable serious illnesses, Dr Paul Jenkins, Chairman and Medical Director of Echelon Health, founded the company to address this problem and detect health issues early. In his role as an endocrinology consultant and medical researcher, with over 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers, he saw firsthand the limitations of conventional medical screenings. He believes that true preventative medical screening must involve thorough, specialised testing, paired with advanced technology and first-class client care to catch diseases before symptoms and serious concerns arise.
The Importance of Early Detection
At Echelon Health, we have successfully identified and treated life-threatening conditions, including early-stage lung cancer, coronary heart disease and nascent brain fistulas, in countless patients who exhibited no symptoms at the time. These early detections have been pivotal in preventive care, as diseases such as lung cancer, for instance, have low survival rates (a 10-year survival rate of just 5%) when diagnosed in later stages.
By leveraging cutting-edge diagnostic technology and specialist medical expertise, our health assessments go far beyond the superficial screening typical of many healthcare providers and private health checks. We offer the world’s first truly preventative approach, ensuring that even the most insidious diseases are detected early when preventive interventions and treatments are most effective.
More details of the scans we perform and diseases we detect can be seen on our Body Map.
So what are the most important factors to consider when looking for a preventative health assessment provider?
1. Expert Medical Team
When it comes to preventative health assessments, choosing a provider with specialist medical expertise is paramount. Comprehensive assessments require more than just standard tests and a quick review of medical history – they should be conducted by experts who can leverage advanced diagnostic tools to uncover potential health risks.
At Echelon Health, our team of doctors are specialists in their respective fields, bringing over 30 years of clinical expertise to every assessment. Each assessment is carefully reviewed by seven or eight top consultants, including hand-picked radiologists who are the best in the country. Our team includes leading cardiac radiologists, a lung specialist and the head of gastro imaging at Hammersmith Hospital. We also employ highly skilled technicians and radiographers who tweak and optimise the performance of our equipment to ensure the right images are captured.
This level of expertise guarantees that all data is precisely reported and interpreted by the appropriate specialists.
2. State-of-the-Art Technology and Diagnostic Equipment
Advanced diagnostic tools are crucial for effective preventative health assessments, allowing potential health risks to be identified long before symptoms appear. At Echelon Health, we harness cutting-edge technology, including full-body MRI and low-dose CT scans, to deliver the most precise and comprehensive insights into your health. Our advanced imaging equipment ensures highly accurate results, minimising the chances of false positives or negatives. With these sophisticated imaging techniques, our expert medical team can detect even the smallest anomalies, offering you unmatched clarity and confidence in your health evaluation, and the best opportunity for early intervention.
Here’s a breakdown of the diagnostic tools and tests we use:
- Blood Test: We take blood samples that are analysed by one of the leading Blood Analysis laboratories on Harley Street. Depending on the scope of your health assessment, we carry out tests for over 40 parameters and a range of blood tests tailored to your specific needs.
- MRI of the Brain and Cerebral Angiogram: Detects brain tumours, aneurysms and other neurological conditions.
- MRI Carotid Artery: Assesses blood flow and detects narrowing of the carotid arteries, which can indicate the risk of stroke.
- CT of the Chest: Detects lung cancer, coronary artery calcification and other thoracic conditions.
- CT Coronary Angiogram: Visualises the coronary arteries to detect coronary heart disease.
- CT of the abdomen: Detects abnormalities in the liver, kidneys, pancreas and other abdominal organs.
- CT of the Pelvis: Identifies any abnormalities in the reproductive organs and bladder.
- CT Virtual Colonoscopy: This scan is looking for colonic polyps and early indications of possible cancer. Almost all colon cancers develop over a period of 10 – 15 years from tiny polyps which gradually increase in size and eventually turn into a cancer.
- MRI of the prostate: The 3T (Tesla) MRI scan of your prostate combined with the PSA blood test, is the most accurate means of screening for prostate cancer.
- Ultrasound Thyroid: An ultrasound of the thyroid performed by one of our Consultant Radiologists will look at the overall texture, blood flow and appearance of the thyroid gland.Attention will be given to the presence of any cysts or nodules and their detailed characterisation which might indicate a possible malignancy.
- Ultrasound Testes: The testicular ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the scrotal contents – testes, epididymis, arteries and veins supplying blood to the testes.
- TVS: The pelvic ultrasound scan uses sound waves to create images of the female pelvic organs – ovaries, cervix, fallopian tubes and uterus.
- Digital Mammogram (for women): Screens for breast cancer.
- BMD: Measures bone mineral density to assess osteoporosis risk.
- Electrocardiogram: Assesses heart function and structure to detect any cardiac abnormalities.
These scans are integral to our commitment to delivering the most thorough and accurate preventative health assessments in the world.
3. Comprehensive Range of Health Assessments
At Echelon Health, we understand that no two people have the same health risks or concerns, which is why we offer a wide range of health assessments tailored to meet individual needs.
Our flagship Platinum Assessment provides a comprehensive full-body evaluation, covering all major health concerns. For those specifically looking to monitor cardiovascular health, our Healthy Heart Assessment focuses on identifying potential risks associated with heart disease. We also offer specialised packages such as the Core Cancer Assessment, designed to detect early signs of various cancers, the Cullinan Assessment, specifically designed to address the health challenges that arise during hormonal fluctuations in women over the age of 40, and our pioneering Dementia Assessment, which is currently the only definitive assessment in the world to identify this disease long before symptoms become evident.
If you have a specific health concern, we also offer customised packages specifically designed to meet your individual needs.
4. Personalised Care and Attention
At Echelon Health, we pride ourselves on offering a truly personalised, wraparound service that extends far beyond the typical healthcare experience. From the moment you walk through our doors, our trained and experienced team is with you every step of the way, ensuring you feel comfortable and supported throughout your visit.
We understand that visiting a medical facility can be a nervous experience, no matter how calming the environment. That is why we are committed to making your visit as relaxing and hassle-free as possible. Each client receives tailored, practical advice and a detailed report based on their unique health profile. We offer comprehensive post-assessment follow-ups to ensure you fully understand your results, and we work with you to develop bespoke treatment plans, if needed.
This individualised service guarantees that you are fully supported throughout your health journey, ensuring both your physical and mental well-being are cared for in a smooth and stress-free manner.
5. Independently Verified Excellence
We are committed to delivering the highest standard of excellence in preventative health assessments. We continually benchmark our services against UK and global alternatives to ensure we remain at the cutting edge of health screening.
We are proud that our commitment to excellence has been recognised and endorsed by leading medical experts in their field, such as Dr David Wilson, ‘The service they are providing at present is, in my opinion, the best that can be achieved in current practice with existing knowledge.’
This independent validation highlights our position as a leader in preventative health, offering a superior level of care that is truly unmatched.
6. Client Testimonials
Don’t just take our word for it – our proven track record and client testimonials speak volumes about the impact of the preventative health assessments we offer. Many of our clients have seen life-changing results from early detection and timely intervention. As one satisfied client shared, ‘I truly believe that Echelon Health saved my life by identifying a very early stage of cancer that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.’
Our dedication to excellence is further recognised through various industry awards and accolades, solidifying our reputation as a leading provider of preventative health assessments.
Invest in a Healthy Future Today
Investing in your health is one of the wisest decisions you can make, and it shouldn’t be something only a select few can afford. While, at first glance, the cost of a comprehensive health assessment may seem unfeasible for some, it is important to view it as an investment in your long-term health.
At Echelon Health, our health assessment packages offer exceptional value by combining in-depth assessments, advanced technology and expert medical care. This thorough approach ensures the early detection of potential health issues, giving you the best chance for timely interventions and peace of mind.
The benefit doesn’t end there – thanks to the comprehensive nature of our assessments, you won’t need a repeat for at least three years, making it a long-term investment in your health.
Don’t Let Finances Stand in the Way of Your Health
We believe that preventative healthcare should be accessible to everyone. To make this a reality, we are pleased to offer flexible finance options allowing you to spread the cost of your health assessment.
We recognise that financial concerns can sometimes stand in the way of accessing top-tier healthcare, which is why we are committed to making it easier for you to take charge of your health without the added financial strain.
To Schedule Your Appointment:
Scheduling an appointment with us couldn’t be easier.
- Visit Our Website: Explore our comprehensive Health Assessment Packages online.
- Request a Callback: For further information and a confidential conversation with our Head of Private Clients request a callback today.
- WhatsApp: Start a confidential chat with us on WhatsApp.
Our dedicated team is here to answer your questions, guide you smoothly through the booking process, and show you just how straightforward it is to take control of your health.
Sources:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1899206
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180625-why-the-rate-of-women-getting-lung-cancer-is-rising
https://thehedgefundjournal.com/echelon-health-preventative-medical-screening/