Medically reviewed by Dr David Badov, Medical Director, MBBS FRACP
Executives most often skip health checks for two specific reasons: they feel fine, and they don’t have a spare block of time. Neither reason changes the underlying risk. Many of the conditions preventive screening looks for, including several cancers and cardiovascular disease, have no early symptoms. This isn’t a fringe pattern either: 26.6% of Australian adults delayed or did not see a GP when they needed to in 2024-25, though that’s actually an improvement on 29.2% the year before (Australian Bureau of Statistics, Patient Experiences 2024-25). For time-poor executives specifically, the barrier is rarely cost, it’s the format: fitting a multi-appointment workup into a schedule with no gaps in it.
What are the two real reasons executives delay?
- “I feel fine.” The symptom-free assumption. Absence of symptoms isn’t evidence of absence of risk, that’s the entire premise of preventive screening. HealthScreen’s own FAQ page states its MRI-based screening targets 20 common cancers, most of which are asymptomatic in early stages.
- Time scarcity. A conventional path to a full workup, GP referral, radiology booking, separate pathology, separate follow-ups, can span several weeks. Format friction, not disinterest, is often the real blocker.
What does delaying actually cost?
For individuals, the cost of delaying isn’t abstract, it’s timing. It’s being sidelined by a health issue at exactly the moment your business or team can least afford you to be out, and that’s the risk precisely because most of what a comprehensive screen looks for causes no symptoms until it’s already progressed. There’s a broader business case to: lower absenteeism, better retention, tax-effective treatment for employers, and you can read the full numbers in our Executive’s Guide to Preventative Health.
Is it time to consider a HealthScreen exam? A simple check.
- It’s been over 12 months since your last comprehensive health screen
- There is a family history of cancer or heart disease
- Annual/biennial health checks keep you ahead of any potential issues
- You have neglected your health due to many reasons and now want to prioritise it.
If two or more of these apply, the scheduling excuse is solvable, not permanent.
What actually removes the excuse?
HealthScreen’s format exists specifically to answer the time objection: one on-site session, 3 to 4 hours, at a Melbourne or Sydney clinic, no GP referral required. The follow-up physician review, 14 days later, and any further optional care through month 12, is delivered via telehealth.
“Most executives who skip screening aren’t in denial, they’re just time-poor. They work hard, they put in long hours, and their own health ends up at the bottom of the list. What we’ve built at HealthScreen removes that excuse: cardiac investigations, bloods, targeted MRI, microbiome and genetic testing, all done in one place in three to four hours. It’s a genuine one-stop shop, not another appointment to find time for.”
– Dr David Badov, HealthScreen founder, Medical Director, MBBS FRACP.
[Read Dr Badov’s full profile →]
FAQs
What if I already feel healthy?
That’s precisely the population preventive screening is designed for. Most conditions it looks for have no early symptoms.
How much time does this actually take?
One on-site session of 3 to 4 hours, plus a single follow-up consultation around two weeks later. No referral needed.
Is this different from what my employer might already offer?
Standard workplace health checks are typically a routine screening (blood pressure, height/weight), not a comprehensive diagnostic program with imaging and a 100+ biomarker panel.
See the full inclusions, pricing and structural comparison in our executive medicine vs standard health check guide, or go straight to our executive health page to book.