Dignitary Medicine: A Novel Area of Medical Training

Abstract

Dignitary medicine (DM) involves the provision of healthcare to government leaders and other high-profile individuals collectively referred to as “dignitaries.” Due to the unique circumstances around their lifestyle, dignitaries often receive suboptimal healthcare. We define the requisite skills needed to practice DM based on the available literature and provide a framework for training providers in these skills.A review of the English language medical literature focussing on adult subjects was performed, searching for terms such as “dignitary medicine,” “VIP medicine,” and “protective medicine.” Literature was gathered from CINAHL, Google Scholar, PubMed, EBSCOHost, and San Bernardino County Library databases and then analyzed by experienced DM providers.A total of 23 relevant articles were eligible for review. No meta-analyses on the subject exist. We found that existing studies highlight skills in wellness, executive health, and protective medicine, which form the backbone of DM.The burgeoning field of DM encompasses several disciplines and skills. We strongly recommend a structured curriculum for the field of DM, focused on dignitary wellness, executive health, and protective medicine.

The Very Important Person (VIP) and the Headache Medicine Physician

“…Dignitary medicine (the provision of healthcare to government leaders and other high-profile individuals) presents a unique set of challenges and the individuals may receive suboptimal care. 9 On plus side, for many VIPs, the cost of evaluation and services will not be a barrier to care and many will be highly motivated to get better. You may also feel a sense of professional satisfaction from treating VIPs who may be more memorable than your usual patient.…”

Do VIP medical services damage efficiency? New evidence of medical institutions’ total factor productivity using Chinese panel data

“…One difficulty in identifying the causal relationship between VIP medicine and medical institutions’ operational efficiency is potential reverse causality. For example, medical institutions with higher numbers of professional doctors or departments have more advantages in conducting VIP medical practices given their reputation ( 28 ). Private specialty hospitals not covered by basic social medical insurance does not cover, such as those for cosmetic medicine and orthodontic dentistry, are more likely to provide VIP medical services for profit ( 29 ).…”