If you're a busy professional in Boca Raton, your annual physical probably looks like this: 10 minutes with a doctor you barely know, a few checkboxes on a clipboard, and a "you're fine" on the way out the door.
That's not a physical. That's a formality.
An executive physical is different. It's a longer, more thorough health evaluation with enough time to actually look at your cardiovascular risk, metabolic status, cancer screening, and lifestyle. Done through a concierge practice where the physician carries 50 patients instead of 2,500, it's a different product entirely.
TL;DR, At a Glance
- 60 to 90 minutes of one-on-one time with the physician, not 10
- 30+ targeted lab markers (ApoB, Lp(a), hs-CRP, advanced lipid fractionation) calibrated to your risk
- Real head-to-toe physical exam, not a stethoscope-and-out
- Cardiovascular, cancer, lifestyle, and mental-health screening in one visit
- 50-patient practice cap means real follow-up, not chasing the front desk
- Available at the office or as a house call across Boca Raton and Palm Beach County
What my executive physical includes
60 to 90 minutes of one-on-one time, not a conveyor belt. Here's what it covers:
Comprehensive lab panel
- Complete metabolic panel (CMP)
- Complete blood count (CBC)
- Lipid panel with particle size analysis
- Hemoglobin A1C for diabetes risk
- Thyroid function (TSH, Free T4)
- Vitamin D, B12, and iron studies
- Inflammatory markers (hs-CRP, homocysteine)
- Liver and kidney function
- PSA for men over 40 after a shared-decision conversation
For patients with specific risk factors, additional targeted testing: ApoB, Lp(a), advanced lipid fractionation, or genetic risk assessment when the clinical picture calls for it.
Detailed physical exam
A head-to-toe exam that actually takes the time a head-to-toe exam requires.
Vitals. Blood pressure (ideally with multiple readings), heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature, weight, BMI, oxygen saturation. Trends matter more than single numbers.
Head and neck. Eyes including fundoscopy, ears, nose, throat, thyroid, lymph nodes.
Cardiovascular. Heart sounds, rhythm, murmurs, peripheral pulses, carotid arteries, signs of vascular disease.
Respiratory. Lung sounds, breathing patterns.
Abdomen. Liver, spleen, masses, tenderness, hernia assessment.
Musculoskeletal. Joints, range of motion, strength, mobility. Grip strength for older patients.
Neurologic. Mental status, cranial nerves, reflexes, sensation, strength.
Skin. Moles, lesions, suspicious changes, full-body visual exam.
Cardiovascular assessment
Resting blood pressure, heart rate, and EKG. ASCVD risk calculation based on your labs, blood pressure trends, and family history. For patients where the standard risk calculator undershoots, coronary artery calcium scoring is a useful next step. Exercise stress testing or carotid ultrasound when indicated. (For executives in particular, see Chronic Stress and Heart Disease: What Every Executive Should Know.)
Cancer screening
Calibrated to age, sex, and risk profile. Full-body skin exam, colonoscopy coordination, mammography scheduling, prostate workup after a real conversation about the tradeoffs, lung screening for eligible current or former smokers. (Full age-by-age preventive screening framework.)
Lifestyle and mental health
Sleep quality evaluation, stress and burnout screening, nutrition and exercise review, weight and body composition assessment, cognitive baseline. These aren't optional extras; they're where most long-term risk actually lives. (For one of the most-missed diagnoses in this group, see Sleep Apnea in Executives: Why It's Being Missed and What to Do.)
What the extra time actually produces
Some of my most useful diagnostic insights don't come from lab results. They come from patients finally having time to mention things they'd been brushing off: the intermittent chest tightness under stress, the fatigue they assumed was just getting older, the family-history detail they'd forgotten to mention in prior rushed visits. A 15-minute primary care visit almost never surfaces that kind of material. A 90-minute physical usually does.
The lab panel matters. The conversation matters more. Both require time.
The other piece is clinical judgment. A good executive physical isn't ordering every test in the catalog; it's deciding which evaluations matter for your specific situation. A 45-year-old former smoker with a family history of coronary disease needs different screening than a 55-year-old marathon runner with a family history of colon cancer. The phrase that does the work is "when indicated."
How this differs from a standard physical
| Standard physical | Executive physical | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 7 to 10 minutes | 60 to 90 minutes |
| Labs | Basic panel | 30+ markers, targeted by risk |
| Opening question | "Any concerns?" | Proactive risk assessment |
| Follow-up | Referral if something's wrong | Prevention before something goes wrong |
| Cadence | See you next year | Ongoing monitoring |
The difference isn't just time. It's philosophy. A standard physical is reactive. An executive physical is proactive.
Who this fits
The patients who benefit most:
- Executives and business owners whose companies depend on their health
- Entrepreneurs and founders who are the product
- Attorneys, surgeons, and financial professionals with high-stakes careers
- Retirees who want to stay ahead of age-related conditions rather than wait for them
- Snowbirds who want a thorough evaluation during their Florida months (see Snowbird Healthcare in Boca Raton)
Why the concierge setting matters
A traditional primary care physician carries 2,500 patients. The math doesn't allow for a 90-minute physical; the practice can't afford it. In my practice I cap at 50 patients, which is what makes an executive-level physical the default rather than a premium add-on.
That same structure pays off year-round: same-day visits when you're sick, direct access to my cell phone for questions about symptoms or results, specialist coordination I handle directly, and follow-up that doesn't require chasing down a front desk. The executive physical is the baseline; the relationship is the product.
What to ask before committing to any executive health program
Most one-day executive physical packages at large hospital systems are a single annual event. You get the workup, you get the report, and then you're on your own until next year. That model has clear limits. Before committing to any executive health program (mine or someone else's), the questions worth asking:
- What's actually included in the workup, and how is it tailored to your risk profile? A maximalist checklist run on every patient isn't sophisticated; it's lazy.
- Who is the physician, what's their training, and will you see the same physician year over year? Continuity drives most of the value.
- How is follow-up handled between annual visits? A great workup is wasted if there's no infrastructure to act on what it finds.
- What's the cost structure, including whether insurance is billed for any part of it? Hidden facility fees and downstream charges are common; ask before you commit.
- If something needs specialist care, does the physician coordinate it, or hand you a list? Coordination is where most fragmented care fails.
A serious program will have clear answers to all five.
What happens after the exam
Within 48 hours, I review your results and call you personally to discuss findings. Not a nurse. Not a portal message. A phone call from me. Every patient also gets a written summary of the findings with specific, prioritized recommendations based on their results.
If anything needs follow-up, I coordinate the specialist referral directly, give the specialist the relevant history, and stay in the loop on what they find. You don't get handed a referral slip and wished good luck. South Florida has excellent specialists and imaging facilities; the job of your primary care doctor is to help you navigate that efficiently, get the right care from the right people, and avoid duplicate or unnecessary testing.
How to prepare for your physical
A few things make the visit meaningfully more useful:
Bring your medication list. Names, doses, frequency. Supplements too. If it's complicated, bring the bottles.
Bring recent test results from other providers, especially labs and imaging from the last year or two.
Write down your questions before the visit. The things you meant to ask and forget are the things worth asking.
Know your family history updates. New diagnoses in parents, siblings, or children since your last visit.
Track what you can. Blood pressure readings at home, blood sugar logs if you have diabetes, symptom timelines for anything that's recent.
When to call between annuals
Don't wait a year for anything new or significant. Persistent new symptoms, unexplained weight change, ongoing fatigue, sleep disruption, mood shifts, pain that doesn't resolve. That's why I give patients my cell. The annual physical is the baseline; the year between visits is where most of the actual medicine happens.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an executive physical actually take?
60 to 90 minutes of one-on-one time with the physician, plus lab time the same day or the day before. The visit covers a comprehensive history, a focused physical exam, results review, and a personalized prevention plan, all in a single appointment rather than spread across multiple referrals.
What labs are included in an executive physical?
A standard panel of 30+ markers including complete metabolic panel, CBC, lipid panel with particle size, hemoglobin A1C, thyroid function, vitamin D, B12, iron studies, hs-CRP, homocysteine, liver and kidney function, and PSA for men over 40 after a shared-decision conversation. Targeted additions like ApoB, Lp(a), or genetic risk assessment are added when the clinical picture justifies them.
How is an executive physical different from an annual physical covered by insurance?
Insurance-covered annual physicals are reimbursed for 7 to 15 minutes of physician time, which constrains what can actually be done. An executive physical is structured as a proactive, in-depth health evaluation with longer time, broader labs, calibrated screening, and a follow-up call from the physician. The membership pays for the time and depth that fee-for-service Medicare and commercial insurance never reimbursed.
Is an executive physical worth it for someone in their 40s or 50s?
For most professionals in this age bracket, yes. The 40s and 50s are when undiagnosed cardiovascular risk, metabolic dysfunction, and sleep apnea most commonly progress silently. A proactive baseline at 45 with annual updates lets a physician catch trends 5 to 10 years before a standard 7-minute visit would.
Can I do an executive physical as a house call in Boca Raton?
Yes. House calls are included in the membership at this practice. Lab draws can be coordinated at home, and the consultation, exam, and results review happen wherever is most convenient for you, including your office, home, or a hotel during a snowbird stay.
How should I prepare for the visit?
A medication list (names, doses, frequency, plus any supplements), recent labs and imaging from other providers, an updated family history, written-down questions, and any home tracking data (BP readings, glucose logs, symptom timelines). The more complete the picture you bring, the more useful the visit.
What if something comes up between annual visits?
Call. The annual physical is the baseline; the year between visits is where most of the actual medicine happens. Persistent new symptoms, unexplained weight change, ongoing fatigue, sleep disruption, mood shifts, pain that doesn't resolve, all warrant a same-day or next-day check-in rather than waiting twelve months.
About the Author
Dr. Ben Soffer, DO is a board-certified physician practicing concierge primary care in Boca Raton, Florida. He caps his practice at 50 patients, which makes the executive-level physical the baseline of care rather than a premium add-on. He cares for patients across South Florida and snowbird residents from across the country.
Schedule an executive physical
If you're in Boca Raton or elsewhere in Palm Beach County, executive physicals are available at the office or as house calls. House calls are included in the membership.
- Call: 561-468-6981
- Email: info@drbensoffer.com
- Or schedule a consultation
