Using the travel medical kit we put together for him before his trip, the CEO followed the instructions of the physician and medicated himself. He then made an appointment with a pre-screened, British-trained neurologist at a hospital in Hong Kong for the following day. His primary care provider in New York was notified and we continued to track his progress closely. Three weeks later, the CEO was completely recovered.

The Case For Long-Term Telemedical Care
An older high-net-worth couple and their adult daughter built a successful company selling baby products. One side of the family had a history of breast cancer and dementia. Both parents were intermittent lifelong smokers and were eager to improve things.

The couple managed the company, which they founded. Their 36-year-old daughter was on track to take a leadership role, but was not yet ready to assume those duties.

The family had done virtually no health-care planning, but it was clear they needed a business-like strategy for achieving personal health goals. Our challenge was to create a detailed, actionable and trackable platform designed to maximize their health and possibly lengthen their lives.

The process we use for creating such a plan has several components:
Medical records: We gather all the client's medical records and organize the core data, including active medical conditions, allergies, medications, genetics and lifestyle. A best-practices checklist is applied to all the       information.
Physical exam: Using the medical records, we develop a detailed list of exams and lab work that will be used for a customized, baseline physical exam.
Plan creation: A long-term action plan is created based on any conditions or risks identified in the baseline physical. The patient's administrative staff is made aware of any appointments. We monitor the patient to ensure the plan is acted upon.
Keeping score: We use a 100-point scoring system based on lifestyle, clinical health and compliance with the plan. Part of the score, for example, is based on the client's diet and smoking or drinking habits. Clients were skeptical of the system at first, but they are now keenly aware of their scores.

For our executive couple and their daughter, the father's family history of breast cancer led us to include genetic testing in the daughter's baseline executive physical. Her test was positive for the BRCA gene, putting her at a heightened risk for developing breast cancer. We changed her personal longevity plan to include more frequent breast exams and mammograms.

Quitting smoking was a paramount issue for the parents. We addressed this aggressively with medication, behavior modification, relaxation techniques and non-toxic smoking proxies.

The mother was an adopted child and lacked a verifiable genetic risk history. Because of this, we included a broader panel of credible genetic biomarkers, which were all negative.

Eleven months into the personal longevity plan, the family has made significant progress and continues to improve their health.

Conclusion
Telemedicine meets the modern health-care needs of affluent families.

Smart phones with video links, Internet-enabled diagnostic tools and other technologies allow for immediate and effective medical treatment over long distances. This same technology is equally effective as part of a structured wellness plan for long-term risk prevention.

While the tools of telemedicine are based on modern technology, advisors and their clients shouldn't forget that the most important asset is the physician at the other end of the link. The physician must direct the entire care team to deliver not just critical treatment during an emergency, but the ongoing guidance that allows clients to lead long, healthy lives.