INDUSTRY INSIGHT: 
A Message From Dr. Block
In my prevention-focused practice, a thorough executive-type physical for an annual fee of $1,800 serves as the basis for ongoing medical care. This fee-based approach allows me to limit my practice size to less than 600 patients per the MDVIP model. I have personally elected to limit the size even further to be better able to provide elite personalized care. Ongoing care is based on fee-for-service, usually set by third party insurance providers such as Blue Cross or Medicare.
These are very personal choices that no government program or third party program can provide. Your personal physician is a valuable resource for managing illness and should be an indispensible coach for maximizing wellness during life. Your health cannot be outsourced!
Paul Block, M.D. is a personal physician with a prevention-focused practice in Thousand Oaks, California.
Recommended Resources:
“Younger Next Year” by Chris Crowley and Henry S. Lodge, M.D.
“You” series of health books by Mike Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet C. Oz, M.D.
www.realage.com
Paul Block, M.D., FACP, FCCP
227 W. Janss Rd, #305,
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805.449.4181 www.mdvip.com
Valuing Health
A Prevention Focused Strategy
By Paul Block, M.D.
It is amazing how strategic many executives are in business but then use default reasoning when it comes to their personal health. Many treat their health much like a rental car: sleep, eat, and go. Since most rental cars are essentially new and run well, we usually only check that the car is filled with gas, has air conditioning, and has a GPS. If we travel to Atlanta once a month and on each trip are given the same blue Pontiac, after a few years we may begin to question whether the car has been serviced properly. After 5, 10, or 20 years, how the Pontiac had been cared for would make a huge difference in whether it would continue to serve us well.
Our bodies are the “blue Pontiac.” We cannot replace it or choose another vehicle. The replacement parts are never as good as the original equipment. Our goal should not be to become an old heap, but instead to create a vintage vehicle that does get old, but looks and runs “like new” to the end of life. How long each of us lives is a “God thing.” How we live, and to some extent how we die, is a choice.
As defined by the World Health Organization, health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. According to the Michael Milken Institute, the cost of treatment for the seven most common chronic diseases (combined with productivity losses) results in a trillion dollar annual expense in the USA alone.
Evidence-based medicine indicates that 70% of chronic illnesses can be prevented or significantly ameliorated with significant strategic life-style changes that incorporate healthy nutrition and consistent balanced exercise.
As I approached age 60, I made a serious reassessment of my medical career as a critical care physician of 30 years. I committed to a proactive rather than reactive medical philosophy. My professional goal is to enhance people’s health. This approach starts by making a complete assessment of each individual regarding their health status. Then we set realistic goals that can be achieved and define available resources that can be applied to achieve these goals.
Nutrition should emphasize whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, and fish, while limiting salty foods, concentrated sweets, and saturated fats. Frequent small quantities distributed throughout the day supply our metabolic consumption needs. Our bodies thrive on proper nutrition delivered in a “timely efficient” manner. Moreover, consistent exercise of 30 to 60 minutes most days is essential to good health.
Fortunately for most adults, life-style choices account for about 70% of risk while genetics account for only 30%, with some very striking exceptions when a genetic trait is dominant. In my practice, we have begun to work with the firm Navagenics to help identify genetic risks prior to disease manifestation. Early detection can alert us to potential risk that can then be aggressively addressed.
Most people that invest in real estate are aware that location is a major consideration. Many of us are willing to spend time, energy and resources for our careers, but tend to not have the interest, time, or money to invest in our most important real estate investment -- our bodies. Assuming responsibility for one’s own health is something that cannot be delegated. It is too often dealt with by default and lack of any specific strategic plan. My goal is to encourage the pursuit of excellence in health just as one pursues excellence in business.
