Are you as healthy as you'd like to feel? Despite what popular podcasts would have you believe, founders aren't the most healthy and fit population on the planet. Even if you believe in all of the supplements, cold plunges, ketogenic diets, and morning routines, running a business takes a toll on physical and mental health. You don't need to hear about our deficiencies in posture, blood pressure, and stress levels because you already know. And, yes, we're all aging, too.

Founders work hard, but let's be real: They usually don't play or eat healthy hard. You need help—we all need help—to stay healthy.

Part of my routine to stay healthy is an annual visit to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, for their executive physical. It sounds fancy, and it is, but it isn't as out of reach or exclusive as you might think. Mayo isn't a country club or resort; it's a college. For a few thousand dollars out of pocket (depending on insurance coverage), you get a comprehensive look at your health from expert specialists over two or three days.

The Executive Physical Pitch

The Mayo Clinic Executive Health program provides a comprehensive look into patients' health for those who don’t like wasting time. As one of Mayo's nurses said, the program compresses what otherwise might be 15 visits to different health providers into one visit over two or three days. And—big bonus—you’re attended to by one of the best health organizations in the world.

The Cost

In addition to any medical expenses your insurance might not cover, the executive program costs around $1400 and is directly paid to Mayo (check Mayo for the exact pricing, which changes). You get an optimized schedule, access to their executive lounges, a concierge, a separate finance office, and other perks.

The Environment

An entire floor of a Mayo Clinic building is dedicated to the executive health program. There, you’ll find the executive lounges and a dedicated space to meet your lead physician, collect blood, and so on. Pagers additionally optimize appointments on this floor; you can find a comfortable spot in the lounge instead of needing to remain in earshot.

Specialist visits will be scattered around the Mayo campus. The Mayo and Gonda buildings are connected on every floor, and the other buildings are usually accessible through the subway levels.

Scheduling

Scheduling an executive physical starts about six months out. You pick your first appointment day, pay, and then answer several questionnaires. First, you choose from a menu of options. Do you want a complete eye exam? Would you like a spa treatment? Do you want to talk to somebody about resiliency? Some possibilities are ordinary preventative health items, and others (like a trip to the spa) are paid out of pocket.

A few weeks before your visit, you will receive a small avalanche of questions about your health history, current health concerns, family health history, habits and behavior, and so on. Based on these selections, the executive health team adds to your schedule of activities.

The Stay

Since your appointments will almost certainly last more than one day, you will need a place to stay. Several hotels, like the Marriott Residence Inn, have direct access to the pedestrian subway, which connects to the main Mayo buildings (note that the St. Marys campus is not attached to the subway, although I doubt you will have an appointment there). Many hotels are within walking distance of the main Mayo campus, and some offer free shuttles to, e.g., the Gonda Building.

If you enjoy walking and are staying west of the Gonda building, note that the Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center has the westmost entrance to the pedestrian subway.

Parking

The Mayo Clinic has two parking garages that connect to the pedestrian subway. However, parking at your hotel and walking or taking a shuttle to your first appointments makes more sense than using their garages. The garages charge for parking, and there is a significant morning rush as they fill.

The Experience

Consultations with your lead physician bookend visits to the Executive Health program. They review your health history and concerns as well as any lab results. As you progress through your physical, the Mayo Clinic app periodically notifies you of new results—many of which you can read in their app. After you run the gauntlet of visits with specialists, you return to your lead physician to review what you’ve learned and ask questions.

Among the things I've experienced at Mayo:

• Comprehensive blood and urine tests
• ECG
• Cardiovascular treadmill stress test with ECG
• Complete eye exam
• Shopped for new prescription glasses
• X-rays
• Flu shot
• Personal training
• Looked at art
• Physical therapy
• Vaccines and medical advice for travel to Kenya
• Skin cancer screening
• Stress management counseling
• Listened to a piano concert
• Picked up prescriptions at their on-campus pharmacy

My days started as early as 6:50 am and ended as late as 5 pm. When I wasn’t otherwise occupied, I sat in the executive lounges or walked around the campus for exercise. The Mayo Clinic campus isn’t like any hospital I’ve ever been to. The public spaces of their buildings display a fortune in original artwork and historical artifacts. The main buildings of their campus connect via a pedestrian subway, which comes in handy during the Minnesota winters. There are various activities on campus, too: art tours, concerts, and presentations.

The executive lounges are an excellent place to get work done. One lounge is stocked like a Silicon Valley startup but with less junk food: automated espresso machines, cereal, soups, fresh fruit, crackers, baked goods, sodas, water, juice, and tea are all on hand. They had boxed lunches for lunch: sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Concierges were available to help with technical questions, scheduling questions, and figuring out where to eat and sleep. Behind the concierge desk was a place to hang your coat (it was -1 degrees Fahrenheit during one morning walk from my hotel) and a bank of lockers with digital combination locks. The second lounge was much quieter and was mostly stocked with reclining chairs. Small offices were also available to those who needed to take private calls or Zoom meetings.

Overall, I enjoyed the executive physical. I don’t care for shots, getting my blood drawn, or having my eyes poked, but the Mayo team has much skill in making those activities go quickly and with as little discomfort as possible. On the other hand, some things were fun. The cardio stress test was interesting, challenging, and educational. The eye exam used lots of fascinating equipment.

As someone who historically avoided going to the doctor's office, it says a lot that I have returned for my executive physical many years in a row. Maybe it’s the placebo effect, but I feel like the folks at Mayo are more universally kind and caring than the folks you might experience in other healthcare settings. They listen and try to make you feel at ease, and I never felt guilty for not being the ideal patient.