Undressing No Longer Part of Physical?

@JJM I agree with you. I don’t like being treated like a piece of meat. That and I had so many physical exams in the distant past (I only do wellness exams now) where they missed the simple stuff a physical is supposed to catch. To me it is a waste of time.

Last physical consisted of talking about health issues. Was actually told to leave my shirt on for check of lungs. Have been diagnosed as having an enlarged prostate by a urologist. The diagnosis was made by a cystoscopy. I have been having trouble urinating for over a year. Diagnosed with an enlarged bladder with decreased bladder sensitivity. The last urologist appointment that I had, the urologist told me that the only thing that they could do that might help the problems that I am having is what they call the Rezum procedure. That is a lot of pain in recovering from for a "might". I get the impression that a lot of the doctors out there practicing now are just trying to make as much money as they can as quickly as possible.

The real story here is that science has intervened. The simple truth is that if a patient has NO COMPLAINTS (a vital part of the equation), has normal vital signs and stable weight, is in normal sinus rhythm on auscultation and has normal basic lab work then you've examined and ruled out 95% of all likely problems. Include a PSA for males over 40, mammogram and PAP for women and periodic colonoscopy and you're done. You're still missing the 5% you'd catch with a traditional more thorough physical but doing one routinely ain't cost effective. This is all predicated on the assumption that most conditions cause some symptoms and you'll tell the doctor about them

In my instance, I won't get a rectal exam since I no longer have a prostate. I won't get a genital check since un seeing a uro and he will do that (don't know if he will give me the finger). That doesn't leave much but vitals and I don't need to pay for a physical for that. What's the use even going in.

Depends on whether you have a plan or see any value in having a primary care provider. Plus someone to order things like your colonoscopy and lab

You're still missing the 5% you'd catch with a traditional more thorough physical but doing one routinely ain't cost effective.

Winner winner chicken dinner. It’s all about the profit potential and they can get more people (cattle) through the system with half-effort “well exams” than they can with proper physicals.

Interesting about the trend to less detailed exams and especially with younger doctors.

I wonder if the age of the patient has something to do with it too. And whether the patient volunteers to undress.

I have an annual physical because of being diabetic for 45 years. I'm in my early sixties.

I've had my current doctor for 4 years. He's not 30 yet (from his bio on the surgery's website).

First time I saw him, I specifically said I would prefer to 'get undressed like in the old days'. It's true. I want to go home feeling thoroughly checked and re-assured.

On that first occasion, I was asked to strip just to underwear. And was asked to take that off for hernia check, genital exam and DRE etc. Been the case since and I'm expecting so for this year's exam next week.

Perhaps he feels older patients are less likely to be embarrassed and that the patient volunteering puts the responsibility on the patient if they complain they did feel embarrassed.

Physical exams have disappeared--they are basically wellness checks now. I don't even undress anymore for my annual appt--fully clothed while the PA listens to my heart, lungs (with my shirt on), blood work and a boatload of questions. That's it.