July 23, 2012
By Dr. William A. Gillespie, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, EmblemHealth
In keeping with EmblemHealth’s longstanding commitment to the health and well-being of New York’s working men and women, I have written Health and Wellness Tips, an article series dedicated to helping you stay healthy, get well and live better. We hope you’ll find the health information in these articles useful to you and your welfare fund members. Look for Health and Wellness Tips articles in future editions of LaborPress.
– Dr. William A. Gillespie, MD, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, EmblemHealth
Staying Healthy and Taking Care
The welcome days of summer are here! A change of seasons is always a good time to “clean house.” If you haven’t already done so, take this opportunity to take stock of your personal health — go to your doctor for your yearly checkup.
At your yearly checkup, your doctor may give you advice on dental health, vision, the benefits of exercise and physical activity, healthy diet and nutrition, smoking cessation, substance abuse, alcohol use, injury prevention and risky sexual behavior. Talk to your doctor about your risk for diseases and a screening schedule based on your risk. Risk factors may include your age, gender, family history or lifestyle.
Based on your age and gender, here is a list of tests your doctor may schedule or perform during your checkup:
• Blood pressure
• Blood sugar or A1C
• Bone density
• Breast exam and mammogram
• Cholesterol
• Colon cancer screening
• Depression screening
• Height and weight and BMI (Body Mass Index)
• Sexually transmitted disease screenings
• Vision and hearing
To learn about these and other tests and how often they should be performed, check out EmblemHealth’s 2012 Preventive Health Guidelines (www.emblemhealth.com/preventivehealthguidelines).
Wishing You a Healthy Summer
Remember, screenings can help detect disease early, when treatment is most effective. We encourage you to get regular health checkups and to speak with your doctor about what screening tests are right for you.
Let’s enjoy the warmer months in health and with peace of mind!
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EmblemHealth, through its companies GHI and HIP, has over 70 years of experience covering New Yorkers and services some 2.8 million people ranging from employees in small and large groups to individuals, retirees and unionized workers.
For more information about how EmblemHealth delivers viable health care solutions to the multiemployer market, please call Jerry Gallo, Director of Labor Market, at 1-646-447-5031. You can also visit us at www.emblemhealth.com/labor.
