By The Health Clinic Stockholm medical team. Last clinically reviewed: 27 April 2026.
The “executive health check” market in Stockholm is older than the consumer screening market — large companies have run them for senior leaders for decades. The format has gradually become standardised, mostly imitating the US executive-physical model, with predictable consequences: lots of theatre, not always lots of medicine.
This guide is honest about which parts of the standard executive health check actually move outcomes for leaders, which parts are mostly there because clients expect them, and what should be added that often isn’t. Written from the perspective of someone who runs these programmes for embassies, C-suite teams, and high-pressure professionals at our clinic.
Why executive health checks exist (and why most are theatre)
The original idea was straightforward: senior decision-makers have outsized organisational impact, are often time-poor, and tend to systematically deprioritise their own health. A structured annual screening forces the issue.
The execution often loses the plot. Common patterns at lower-tier executive checks:
- Volume over signal — 200+ biomarkers tested, with no clinical theory of which matter
- Imaging that doesn’t change management — full body MRI in a 45-year-old executive with no symptoms or risk factors. The yield is low. The anxiety from incidental findings is high.
- Generic recommendations — “exercise more, eat less” — that the patient already knew
- Single-day model — the patient leaves with a 30-page report and no structured follow-up. Within 2 weeks, life moves on, and 80% of recommendations are forgotten.
A genuinely valuable executive health check is closer to a focused cardiovascular and metabolic risk assessment plus a structured year-long programme than a one-day comprehensive scan.
Cardiac risk — the one thing that matters most
For a 40–65-year-old executive without specific symptoms, cardiovascular risk is the single highest-yield area to focus on. This is where the data actually exists (European Society of Cardiology Guidelines 2021).
The cardiac assessment that earns its place in an executive check:
- ApoB (more reliable than LDL) — see /biomarkers/apob-stockholm/
- Lp(a) — once-in-a-lifetime, identifies inherited risk
- hs-CRP — inflammation
- HbA1c + fasting insulin — metabolic state
- Blood pressure (24-hour ambulatory if borderline) — single-visit BP often misses real values
- ECG — at rest and during exercise (CPET) for functional capacity
- Echocardiogram — structural assessment
- Carotid ultrasound — early atherosclerosis
- Calcium score CT (if cardiovascular risk is moderate-high) — 50% of myocardial infarctions occur in patients without elevated LDL but with calcium deposits
For an executive without specific cardiac history, ApoB + Lp(a) + hs-CRP + echocardiogram + carotid ultrasound is a meaningful core. Adding calcium score CT makes sense when the risk profile justifies it (family history, borderline metabolic markers, age 50+).
Metabolic and longevity biomarkers — what to actually measure
Beyond cardiac, the markers that have evidence:
- HOMA-IR (insulin resistance) — silent, common in executives, predicts diabetes 10 years before it manifests
- Apolipoprotein A1 / ApoB ratio — better than HDL/LDL ratio for risk stratification
- NT-proBNP — heart resilience under stress
- Troponin T (high-sensitivity) — chronic cardiac stress baseline
- Vitamin D, B12, folate — corrected if low; affects energy and cognition
- Ferritin and transferrin saturation — iron status
- Cortisol (morning) — stress hormone baseline
- TSH + fT4 — thyroid; often subclinically off in stressed executives
- DHEA-S, IGF-1 — hormone axis; changes with chronic stress
Adding “more biomarkers” past this point starts producing noise rather than signal. We’ve seen 200-marker panels at competing clinics that added no clinical insight beyond the core 30.
Mental load and burnout — the silent risk
This is where most executive health checks completely miss the picture.
Burnout — clinically defined per Maslach Burnout Inventory — is a leading independent predictor of cardiovascular events in executives, more so than cholesterol or smoking in some studies (Toker et al. 2012, Psychosomatic Medicine). And yet most executive health protocols don’t measure it.
Our protocol includes:
- Maslach Burnout Inventory or equivalent structured assessment
- PHQ-9 / GAD-7 for depression and anxiety screening
- Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
- Cognitive load assessment — open conversation about workload, recovery time, social/family support
- Sleep study referral if symptoms warrant (often does — sleep apnea is dramatically underdiagnosed in executive populations)
The output of this isn’t a diagnosis. It’s a baseline that the executive — and their team, if they’re enrolled in a corporate programme — can track year-over-year.
Imaging — when it’s evidence-based and when it’s just expensive
The imaging questions:
Full body MRI — covered in detail at /blog/full-body-mri-stockholm-compared-2026/. Defensible for ages 45+, family history of cancer, or executives with very high cumulative stress / radiation history. Less compelling for healthy 35-year-olds.
Coronary calcium score CT — small radiation dose, high signal for cardiac risk in 50+, family history, or borderline metabolic profile. Where indicated, it’s one of the highest-value imaging investments.
DEXA body composition — straightforward, low-cost, useful for tracking lean mass + bone density over time. Recommended at 45+.
Echocardiogram + carotid ultrasound — standard. Should be included.
Lung CT — only for high-risk patients (heavy smokers, family history of lung cancer). Not for general screening.
Brain MRI — without specific neurological indication, low yield. Often produces incidental findings that drive anxiety without clinical value.
Whole-body PET-CT — virtually never indicated in screening. Significant radiation. Reserve for symptomatic / staged investigation only.
Single-day vs. structured 12-month program
The most consequential design choice in executive health.
Single-day format (the standard at most providers):
- Patient blocks 1 day, gets all imaging + bloods + consultations
- Receives a 30-page report
- Books follow-up “if needed”
- Effective only if the patient self-manages — most don’t
Structured 12-month programme:
- Quarterly check-ins after the initial assessment
- Continuous biomarker tracking (every 3–6 months for moving markers like HbA1c, ApoB)
- Specialist consultations triggered by findings
- Lifestyle intervention support — nutrition, exercise prescription, sleep
- Repeat key markers at 12 months to measure intervention effect
The 12-month programme converts the screening from a checkbox into a feedback loop. We’ve found this is the difference between “interesting report” and “actually moves health outcomes”.
This is why our Health Optimize is structured as a 12-month executive programme, not a one-day visit.
Health Optimize — our executive tier
Health Optimize at our clinic includes:
- Initial specialist consultation (60 min)
- Comprehensive biomarker panel (100+ markers including longevity panel)
- Full body MRI (3T)
- VO₂ max test (CPET)
- DEXA body composition
- Echocardiogram + carotid ultrasound
- Cardiology consultation
- Nutrition / metabolic consultation
- Burnout / cognitive load assessment
- Optional genetic risk panel
- Comprehensive report consultation
- 12-month programme with quarterly check-ins
- Repeat key markers at 12 months
Price: 52,000 SEK (single executive). Corporate programmes for leadership teams: priced per executive with team discount, custom design. Detail at /health-screenings/optimize/ and /corporate/.
How companies cover this for leadership
Three patterns common among Stockholm-headquartered companies:
1. Direct invoice to company — most common for leadership programmes. Companies expense as employee benefit. 2. Private health insurance pass-through — Skandia / Folksam / Trygg Hansa often cover specialist consultations and some screenings. Coverage depends on the specific plan; we verify before billing. 3. Personal payment with reimbursement — for executives who prefer not to involve company HR. Receipts formatted for reimbursement.
Tax treatment in Sweden depends on the structure — some elements qualify as friskvård (avdragsgill), others as förmån (skattepliktig). We provide an itemised invoice that helps your CFO categorise. More on tax treatment at /sv/blogg/sjukvardsforsakring-skattepliktig/.
FAQ
How long should the screening day take? For Health Optimize at our clinic, plan a half-day to full day for the in-person component (~6 hours including consultations). The 12-month programme then runs in the background with quarterly 30–60 minute check-ins.
Do you offer this for entire leadership teams? Yes. Corporate programmes for 5–50 executives are our specialty. Customisation includes your industry’s risk profile, coverage of spouses if part of the company benefit, and reporting to HR (anonymised, aggregate only).
My company offers a one-day executive physical at another provider — should I use yours instead? Use both, ideally — the existing programme as a baseline, ours for the structured follow-through. Or switch entirely. We don’t pretend a single-day check at any provider is enough; the value is in the follow-up.
Is this just expensive Health 360? Health 360 is the substantive “self-directed” version (34,900 SEK / 12 months). Health Optimize adds the executive-tier imaging (full body MRI, DEXA, VO2 max) and concierge support. For a non-executive who wants the medicine without the executive packaging, Health 360 may be the right choice.
Are you a medical alternative or a wellness retreat? We’re a medical clinic. Every consultation is delivered by licensed physicians and specialists. We don’t offer non-evidence-based treatments (cryotherapy, IV vitamin “drips” for general wellness, etc.). If a wellness retreat is what you want, we’re not it.
What about the spouse / family — can they be included? Yes. We offer a “executive + family” package where the spouse and dependents have access to Health Baseline or 360 tier with their own physician. Particularly common for embassy and expat executive packages.
How does direct billing work for international insurance? We’re set up for direct billing with Cigna, CARPS, Allianz, BUPA, Aetna international plans. Pre-authorisation typically required; we handle it. Detail at /cigna-members/.
What’s the difference between this and what I’d get at Karolinska or Sophiahemmet? Public-system care (Karolinska, Sophiahemmet) is excellent for symptomatic, complex, or hospital-grade cases. It is not designed for healthy executive screenings. The pathways, wait times, and time per consultation are different. We’re complementary, not competing — for high-risk findings, we may refer back to Karolinska’s specialist clinics.
Will my results be shared with my company? Never without your written consent. Your medical records are between you and your physician. Companies funding programmes receive aggregate, anonymised reporting only — never individual data.
*This article is general information about executive health programmes. Your specific assessment should be discussed with our clinical team before any commitment. Sources: European Society of Cardiology Guidelines 2021, Toker et al. 2012, Psychosomatic Medicine, Maslach Burnout Inventory framework, Socialstyrelsen guidelines on preventive cardiovascular medicine.*
Brief our team about your leadership health programme — kundservice@healthclinic.se. Or book a discovery call to discuss what an executive programme would look like for you.
