I trained and work as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine, so I spend my time looking after patients some of whom unfortunately have presented with heart attacks, strokes, and cancers. By the time I get to see the patients, these diseases, which are the commonest killers of Irish men and women are clearly established and the clinical focus is on management rather than reversal. It struck me that if we could intervene at an earlier stage then perhaps, we could limit the burden of disease or prevent it altogether.
 

My second motivation was more personal. I turned 50 recently and with a busy work and family life I can empathise with patients who, although they might be aware of what they should be doing to improve their health, feel that they are time-starved and stressed. Under these conditions, our behaviours lead us to make poor choices. I am keenly interested in behavioural science and trying to delve a little deeper into the fabric of a patient’s life to unpick the details of why we still do what we do, when we know it may not be in the best interests of our health and well-being.
 

Finally, the standard approach to screening has traditionally leant heavily on tests, the implication being that if your tests were normal then so were you. Unfortunately, this often isn’t the case. Our focus is on cardiovascular disease and cancers. Blood tests in general are poor predictors of your risk of having or developing these conditions. I want patients to understand the nuances of testing rather than placing blind faith in any single test. This demands we educate our patients to make better and informed choices about their health and future.