GPs urging people to be proactive about health checks
There is a new push by doctors encouraging everybody to be proactive about maintaining their health. GPs have long known regular health check-ups can literally save your life.
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00:00 When she turned 47, Robin Gutierrez felt it was time for a visit to her doctor.
00:06 Okay, let's see what we've got.
00:08 I just went for a routine check-up and part of that was that they discovered that I had an atrial septal defect in my heart, which was something I was born with.
00:18 She had months of medical appointments and surgery, but it was one comment from her specialist that stuck with her.
00:24 I said, "Oh, really nice to meet you, doctor." And he just said, "Well, Robin, I would have met you in 20 years' time with heart failure, so I'm glad that I've met you now and hopefully I won't see you ever again."
00:34 Early detection absolutely saves lives. It makes any sort of medical intervention much more simple and easy. And of course, that helps the overall health system as well as the individual patient.
00:45 These checks are all part of a wider plan to keep Australians living healthy longer. The National Preventative Health Strategy hopes that we will all be able to have an additional two years of life in full health by 2030.
00:58 These days, Robin Gutierrez begins every new year with a check-up, whether she feels sick or not.
01:04 I share this story with all my girlfriends. I just feel that it's just part and parcel of that maintenance that I do. Like I check my car once a year and that sort of thing. So, yeah, that's what I do.
01:17 An appointment that could save your life.
01:19 [BLANK_AUDIO]