Having a regular, some say yearly, health check-up makes good sense, and from the increasing numbers of patients using Phuket’s hospitals to see where they stand, it’s becoming a very popular thing to do, even for tourists.

In Phuket, most hospitals offer quick and very reliable health check-ups. One advantage of doing this in Phuket is that you'll usually experience that renowned Thai service, while the prices are extremely reasonable, sometimes costing a fraction of the price paid in some western countries.

Check-ups in Phuket hospitals come in many forms, from basic packages to executive programmes, which include full laboratory and cardiovascular investigations, exercise stress tests and x-rays. Some programmes are even more extensive, including CT scans and complete dental services. Most can be completed in a few hours and results are available within a few days. Because most of Phuket’s better hospitals have all the facilities at the same location, the need to travel to different clinics, laboratories and x-ray facilities is not a factor.

The main aim of any check-up is to detect illness at an early stage, or better still, prevent illness occurring in the first place. Having a regular check-up also promotes wellness and facilitates prompt, expert and (hopefully) compassionate treatment of injuries and diseases. It's surprising how many conditions are picked up on routine medical check-ups. Diabetes, breast lumps, elevated blood pressure, and skin cancers to name a few.

About 20% of people coming for health check-ups have high blood pressure. This increases to more than 50% in adults over the age of 65. The role of high blood pressure in strokes and heart disease is very clear. Only half of the people with high blood pressure have had the condition diagnosed, and it takes only minutes to check. Also Around 3% of adults are diabetic and, again, only half are aware that they have the condition.

Health check-ups also screen for cancers, such as pap smears for cancer of the cervix and PSA testing for prostate cancer. Cholesterol levels can also be checked, as this also has been linked to your chances of having a heart attack

But, with all these tests, and a range of hospitals and clinics providing them, how do we choose which is best for us?

Firstly, using cost and discounted prices as a guide to selecting a check-up is not advisable. A cheap programme has fewer tests, whilst an expensive programme can include a range of tests that you don't need. For example, if you're under 30, there's little benefit in having an exercise stress test unless you have a history of heart disease. The best way forward is to know what type of tests you need. If you don’t know, do some research, or ask the hospitals and providers what is best suited for you. Once you know what tests you actually need, shop around for the programme that fits your needs. If you can't find a programme, just request the tests that you want, and make up your own personalised check-up programme.

Having a regular health check-up is inexpensive and makes good sense. Consider it the same as making an investment in your body. Finding out the state of your health now could save you lots of money in the future. It could also save your life.

Peter Davison is the Manager International Services
at Phuket International Hospital.
Tel: +66 (0)76 249400. Email: info@phuketinternationalhospital.com.