Doctor / patient relationship Books

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Book SynopsisThis is a book for every one – doctors, patients and healthcare providers. Through THE ME IN MEDICINE: REVIVING THE LOST ART OF HEALING, the author reveals the approach that is critical for both the doctor and the patient to improve treatment, the healthcare system, reduce misdirection (and possible cost) as well as overtreatment by doctors.Trade Review"A passionate, incisive, fascinating behind-the-scenes exposé of today's flawed healthcare, The Me in Medicine reveals how doctors and patients have automatically bought into a 'system' that appears sound and yet disappoints. This is a must-read for doctors and patients alikeand everyone who cares about getting back to the heart of good medicine today." Alan R. Cohen, MD , Professor of Neurosurgery, Oncology and Pediatrics Chief of Pediatric Neurosurgery, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

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Book SynopsisWhen women agitated to join the medical profession in Britain during the 1860s, the practice of surgery proved both a help (women were neat, patient and used to needlework) and a hindrance (surgery was brutal, bloody and distinctly unfeminine). In this major new study, Claire Brock examines the cultural, social and self-representation of the woman surgeon from the second half of the nineteenth century until the end of the Great War. Drawing on a rich archive of British hospital records, she investigates precisely what surgery women performed and how these procedures affected their personal and professional reputation, as well as the reactions of their patients to these new phenomena. Essential reading for those interested in the history of medicine, British Women Surgeons and their Patients, 1860â1918 provides wide-ranging new perspectives on patient narratives and women's participation in surgery between 1860 and 1918. This title is also available as Open Access.Trade Review'This book reconstructs the experience of both women surgeons as well as women patients - a unique combination of perspectives that is highly relevant for the history of surgery, but also for present day discussions.' Thomas Schlich, McGill University, Montréal'Claire Brock provides a fascinating and pioneering study of early women surgeons and their intersections with the changing practice of surgery. This is an important addition to the literature on women doctors, and a must read for all those interested in women's complex relationships with medicine.' Hilary Marland, University of Warwick'With the entry of women into Victorian surgery in Britain, gender roles and occupational identities were reshaped. In this important work Claire Brock shows how women variously adopted the masculine culture of nineteenth-century surgeons and feminised a traditional male practice. Sensitivity to nuance is the key to what was happening here and Brock displays it in abundance.' Christopher Lawrence, Emeritus Professor of the History of Medicine, University College London'… what an impressive story Brock has to tell. It is important to know what these early women surgeons did and the obstacles they overcame. I was especially taken by Brock's portrait of the eagerness of these women to cut open bodies, to try to solve the problems that major surgery promised to solve.' Marjorie Levine-Clark, The American Historical ReviewTable of ContentsAcknowledgments; List of charts and tables; List of illustrations; Introduction: disapproval, curiosity, amusement, obstinate hostility? Women and surgery, 1860–1918; 1. From controversy to consolidation: surgery at the New Hospital for Women, 1872–1902; 2. The experiences of female surgical patients at the Royal Free Hospital, 1903–13; 3. Women surgeons and the treatment of malignant disease; 4. Inside the theatre of war; 5. Operating on the Home Front, 1914–18; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsHow to Use This BookPrologueChapter 1. The First Signs of IllnessChapter 2. Moving from Symptoms to a DiagnosisChapter 3. Meeting with Your Doctor about Your DiagnosisChapter 4. Receiving a DiagnosisChapter 5. Deciding on TreatmentChapter 6. MedicationsChapter 7. SurgeryChapter 8. Lifestyle Treatment OptionsChapter 9. Complementary and Alternative TreatmentsChapter 10. Making Tough DecisionsAfterwordNotesIndex

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Book SynopsisThis text starts with the history of transgender science and provides current, evidence-based information on theories and treatment procedures, concluding with projections of future scientific developments. A transgender person is one whose congruent gender behavior (e.g., masculine, feminine, genderqueer) does not match the culturally assigned gender category based on their sex at birth. For example, a transgender person may behave and present as a woman despite being born with male genitalia.This book provides background on transgender history, needs, assessment, and procedures; side effects of procedures; and outcomes that all providers need to understand to treat transgender patients and relate to their particular expectations. The current etiquette basis for establishing an effective provider-patient relationship is highlighted. Pathological terms are no longer acceptable and new non-pathological terms are rapidly replacing them, because being transgender is now recognized as Table of ContentsSeries Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Part One: Overview Chapter 1 History and Impetus Chapter 2 Perspectives on Causation and Treatment Chapter 3 Theories Chapter 4 Relationships to Other Health Care Fields Chapter 5 Profiles in the Field Part Two: Practice Chapter 6 Applications in the Field: Clientele, Presentation, and Screening Chapter 7 Applications in the Field: Procedures, Side Effects, and Outcomes Chapter 8 Applications in the Field: Associated Treatments and Resources Chapter 9 Case Studies: Understanding Their Struggle Chapter 10 Obstacles and Controversies Part Three: Research and Looking Ahead Chapter 11 Classic Research Chapter 12 New and Emerging Research Chapter 13 The Future Glossary Resources Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewBravo Dr. Richard Klein for exposing the dangers patients face due to negligent hospital and physician care. -- Alfred DelBello, attorney and Former Yonkers mayor, Westchester County Executive, and New York State Lieutenant GovernorThis is a courageous expose of negligent practices in his own profession and serves as an important guide for people in need of medical care. -- Dee DelBello, CEO and Publisher, Westchester Business PublicationsDr. Kleins' book hits the nail on the head. The lack of quality care and the danger in many of our hospitals is a timely issue as our nation considers health care reform. It's important that everyone take control of their own health care and protect themselves against careless practitioners. His examples and advice on taking more control of one's own health care will go a long way to creating a better and safer system. -- Andrew J. Spano, County Executive, Westchester County, NYDr. Klein provides a practical and detailed analysis of what patients should know about the health care system, so they can become more informed health care consumers. -- William H. Frishman M.D., New York Medical College and Westchester Medical CenterThis passionate and smart book is by someone who both deeply understands how sick our health care system is and what the best remedies are to make it well. The state and country need more doctor-advocates like Richard Klein. -- Mark Green, president, Air America Media, and Former NYC Public AdvocateKlein is a practicing physician who has often testified as an expert witness in cases alleging medical malpractice. From his two perspectives, he offers an insightful look at all the things that can—and often do—go wrong in medicine, from doctors inducing infection to mix-ups in patient records and prescriptions....A very valuable resource, particularly as the nation considers overhauling the health-care system. * Booklist *With at least 100,000 hospital patients dying each year, associate professor and practicing internist Klein calls medical malpractice in the U.S. a “pandemic,” with mortality numbers comparable to “smoking, auto accidents, and pollution,” placing the U.S. behind most of Europe....Klein offers anecdotes and examples from his own career with internal and infectious medicine, as well as his experience as an expert witness in malpractice litigation, in this useful...resource. * Publishers Weekly *Klein writes in a breezy, conversational style and includes personal stories that make it easy to understand the types of medical errors under discussion. Patients will appreciate the useful advice, and those interested in health-care policy reform will find timely information, too. * Library Journal, Starred Review *Surviving Your Doctors: Why the Medical System is Dangerous to Your Health and How to Get Through it Alive describes details of various illnesses as well as what happens or can happen during an emergency room or doctor's office visit. There's plenty of information here that you won't find anywhere else. Dr. Klein tells us what we should know ahead of time and steps we should take to help insure the safety and health of our loved ones and ourselves.... This is a well written informative health book that should be on everyone's bookshelves. It might save your life. * Midwest Book Review *This book is a timely and much-needed guide to getting the best care possible out of a flawed system, offering patients a prescription for maneuvering their way through the healthcare maze.... From emergency rooms to pharmacies; from surgery to doctor's office, this book reveals how things really work, what medical workers really think and how to take back control of your health and the care you receive. * The Sunday Republican *The advice given to patients is appropriate….The central theme that patients need to do the work to keep themselves safe within the system deserves attention. * Family Medicine *Filled with real stories of medical mishaps, anecdotes and checklists, this book will walk readers through major areas of the medical world - from the doctor's office to the pharmacy, from the laboratory to the emergency room - giving them a clearer picture of how things really work, what health care workers really think, and how to take back control of your health and the care you receive. * Vicksburg Post *Table of ContentsIntroduction Part I: Everday Medical and Health Concerns Chapter 1. Taking Control of Your Healthcare: Or, the Wisdom of Second and Third Opinions Chapter 2. Insurance Companies: Organized Crime or Just Bad Policies? Chapter 3. An Apple A Day: And Other Things to Protect Your Health When Visiting the Doctor's Office Chapter 4. Does Your Kid Really Need That Shot?: Protecting Your Children in the System Chapter 5. The Pharmacy and Prescription Drugs: Or Beware, the Spoonful of Sugar That Helps the 'Bad Medicine' Go Down Chapter 6. Visiting the ER without Feeling Like a Bit Player on a TV Drama Part II: Major Diseases and Long-Term Issues Chapter 7. A Real Heart-to-Heart about Cardiac Care Chapter 8. How to Handle the Big C from A to Z Chapter 9. Baby Boom or Bust: How to Stroll through Maternity, Neonatal, and Fertiltiy Issues Chapter 10. You Give Me Fever: Infection and Communicable Diseases Chapter 11. How to Maintain Some Sanity in the Mental Health System Part III: The Hospital and Major Procedures Chapter 12. Hospital Out-Patient Visits and How to Make Sure that You Actually Get Out Chapter 13. Hosptial Stays: As Dangerous as a War Zone? Chapter 14. Medical Test and How to Avodi Becomding a Lab Rat Chapter 15. Major Surgeries: Or, How to Make Sure You Still Have a Leg to Stand on Afterward Part IV: The Future of Medicine Chapter 16. A Cure for the Medical System

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Book SynopsisThe problems faced by medical doctors and automobile mechanics are in some ways quite similarsomething isn''t working right and must be fixed. They must both figure out the cause of malfunctions and determine the appropriate treatments. Yet, the mechanic has no need to worry about an automobile''s psyche; the specific mechanical factors are the only ones that come into play. In health care, however, the factors influencing outcomes are broader, more complicated, and colored by the underlying psychological factors of those involved. These factors have profound effects. Doctors are often influenced by patients'' description of symptoms, yet information is often incomplete or inaccurate or colored by the patient''s own experiences. The doctor''s own demeanor may greatly affect outcomes, as can the doctor''s ability to interpret the ever-expanding medical literature. These underlying influences are often not acknowledged, and yet they can have far-reaching consequences. Acknowledging theseTrade ReviewJessica Leavitt (member, California Board of Vocational Nursing & Psychiatric Technicians) and Fred Leavitt (psychology, California State Univ.; Evaluating Scientific Research) outline the psychological aspects of doctor-patient relationships and how they affect medical care. While aimed mostly at health-care providers and medical students, the book is accessible to consumers and can be a source of valuable information. It covers major areas of doctor-patient communication, including interpretation of medical information, decision making and bias, medical diagnosis and reducing diagnostic errors, prescribing drugs, the placebo effect, complementary and alternative medicine, and patient social-connectedness. The Leavitts show some of the pitfalls in communicating effectively with patients, making diagnostic decisions, interpreting medical information, and prescribing medication. Throughout, they alert physicians to these hazards and offer tips to help avoid them. Each chapter also concludes with a short list of tips for the patient. VERDICT Recommended for health-care providers, medical students, and doctors—this may be a source of interest to general readers with upcoming doctor’s appointments. * Library Journal *Jessica and Fred Leavitt's book, Improving Medical Outcomes, is an ambitious and far-reaching effort to suggest ways of delivering better health outcomes in a wide variety of areas....The Leavitts... identify physicians as well as patients as their target audience....Meticulously researched....Improving Medical Outcomes offers a pragmatic and useful approach for physicians as well as patients interested in doing exactly what its title proposes. Implementing even some of its suggestions will likely have this effect and, by extension, will likely increase the value of care provided, benefiting not only individuals but society as well. * JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association *In a succinct organized fashion the authors aim to improve medical outcomes by highlighting common errors made by clinicians and offering solutions. . . .I loved this book! This well-written, well-researched book will be required reading for my faculty development fellows. I believe it truly will improve medical outcomes for your patients and for your learners’ patients. * Family Medicine *Improving Medical Outcomes will open your eyes to a side of medicine that's seldom revealed. This isn't about the science of medicine, it's about the art, and the art of healing. Providing unique insights on the underlying psychology of how doctors think and patients react, the Leavitts take a fresh and revealing look at the doctor-patient relationship, the nuances and pitfalls of medical diagnosis, pharma, and non-traditional approaches to health and illness. Extensively researched and clearly presented, this book is rich reading for medical professionals and patients alike. -- Mark L. Graber, M.D., Professor of Medicine, SUNY Stony Brook, NYEvery day, more and more research shows that effective physician-patient communication is essential to patients' health care outcomes. As Improving Medical Outcomes makes clear, the open exchange of information in the medical visit, patient participation in their medical decisions, and physician-patient trust are essential to effective health maintenance and disease management. This book shows that physicians and other health professionals can learn effective strategies for communicating and managing the process of decision making and the role of expectations and psychological factors in healing. -- M. Robin DiMatteo, Ph.D., distinguished professor of psychology, University of California, Riverside, and author of Health Behavior Change and TreatmentI found this book an excellent guide for all those health professionals who believe that the sick must be both cured and cared for. This old dichotomy, which dates back to the very origin of medicine and psychology, is here addressed with a variety of approaches which range from classical psychology to biomedical sciences. I think everyone should follow the authors' suggestions. -- Fabrizio Benedetti, University of Turin Medical School; National Institute of Neuroscience, Turin, ItalyThis highly readable book aims at making patients smarter on a highly relevant range of health issues, including placebo effects, therapy outcomes, and the art of diagnostic thinking. A great resource for bolstering patient-doctor interaction. -- Gerd Gigerenzer, director, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, BerlinThis is an excellent book addressing a wide array of important psychological factors that can make medical science work or fail when applied to real-life patients. The intricacies of patient-doctor communication, expectations, errors and biases, misinterpretations, conflicts of interest, marketing, and placebos, to name only a few of the major players, often get ignored by both medical textbooks and medical practice, despite their pivotal influence on patient outcomes. The authors make a most welcome contribution towards a better understanding of this very complex field. -- John P.A. Ioannidis, M.D., DSc, Stanford UniversityTable of ContentsIntroduction 1. Doctor-Patient Communication 2. Interpreting Medical Information 3. Decisions Overview 4. Biases 5. Medical Diagnosis: The Problems 6. Reducing Diagnostic Errors 7. Prescription for Prescribing 8. Expectation Effects 9. Complementary and Alternative Medicine 10. Patient Outlook and Social Connectedness 11. Healing Environments Appendix 1: Psychiatric Diagnosis Appendix 2: Darwinian Medicine Appendix 3: Wellness Strategies

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewPrimers on how to get the best possible medical care can be boring. This one is not. It opens dramatically, with a teenage driver crashing into the author’s car, which ended his 30 years in clinical practice as a doctor and turned him into a patient. This experience, not just his status as a physician, gives Kussin automatic credibility before he launches into how to choose a doctor and a hospital (the best physician is more important than a big-name medical center) and how to prevent disasters (constant vigilance). Kussin can be scary: 'From the moment you arrive until the second you leave, your hospital, any hospital, is the most unsafe environment most of you will ever enter.' Kussin’s list of possible errors is a long one: accidental punctures during surgery, infections, identity mistakes, and medication errors (six percent of in hospital deaths are, in part, drug-related). He offers advice about how to prevent each horror and reminds us that doctors and insurance companies make mistakes. Kussin’s advice: 'Be nice, be courteous, but be persistent.' This book can save lives. * Booklist, Starred Review *After a traumatic automobile accident put an end to his career, Dr. Kussin, once a successful gastroenterologist, took on the role of patient, undergoing several surgeries, was confined to a wheelchair and faced prolonged rehabilitation. Although he was regarded as a medical professional by the doctors and nurses who treated him, his long stay in the hospital gave him a new perspective on the problems faced by ordinary patients and their families who are frequently out of the loop on important decisions. He became a close observer of medical errors in his own treatment but more so in that of others patients. According to Kussin's findings, hundreds of thousands die, or are injured each year from preventable error and infection. High on the list is the failure of medical professionals simply to wash their hands and maintain a sanitary environment. As a solution, Kussin recommends a number of low-cost sites where useful medical information can be found. He also discusses criteria for choosing a doctor and a hospital and he reviews the problem of pharmaceutical over-kill. Aimed at those who are well covered by insurance, Kussin offers invaluable advice to help patients and their families be proactive and become their own medical advocates. * Publishers Weekly *The American medical system is a vast, sprawling, complicated thing. It is barely understandable to the physicians who work in it, and totally bewildering to the majority of patients who must use it. Dr. Kussin's book is a hard-headed, practical user's guide for people who want to know how our complicated and messy system works day-to-day in doctors' offices and hospitals. It shows readers how to be savvy, how to be their own best advocate in getting good care and avoiding bad care-in short, how to become proficient in the art of what Dr. Kussin aptly calls "patienthood." -- Christopher M. Johnson M.D., author of How Your Child Heals: An Inside Look at Common Childhood AilmentsDr. Kussin writes a riveting story of the stark reality when a doctor becomes a patient. He offers advice from both sides of the bedrails on how to navigate a complex system and get the care you need. -- Rosemary GibsonWe're often told these days that we need to advocate for ourselves in the health care arena, but those of us who have tried know that we're likely to end up feeling like David (without his sling). In Doctor, Your Patient Will See You Now, Dr. Steven Z. Kussin has given us scores of valuable tools we can use to protect our own health as we encounter the complex health care system. In the bargain, he has also given us a passionate, articulate, and often laugh-out-loud funny book. Doctors as well as patients should read this. -- Tom Cathcart, author of Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar and Heidegger and a Hippo Walk through Those Pearly GatesSo many "smart patient" books are penned by physicians, intending to teach patients what doctors prefer patients do in order to make their doctor jobs easier. But this book is different. Instead it reveals behind-the-scenes, and sometimes unsettling inside information allowing us patients a glimpse at why the system operates the way it does so we can learn to overcome obstacles to the care we truly deserve. * About.Com *Table of ContentsEpigraph Section I:War: The Battle of Medical Epistemologies Section II: A Medical Day Chapter 1. The Office Chapter 2. The Hospital Chapter 3. Medical On Call Chapter 4. The Emergency Room Section III: Choosing Your Doctor Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Medical School Experience Chapter 3. Brains Chapter 4. Communication Chapter 5. Empathy Chapter 6. Style Chapter 7. Second Opinions Section IV: Choosing Your Hospital Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Staying local Chapter 3. Abandon Ship! Chapter 4. Searching for solutions Section V: Hospital Dangers and How To Prevent Them Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Medication errors Chapter 3. Hospital acquired infections Chapter 4. Isolation Appendix: Best Medical Websites

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Book SynopsisThe Cancer Experience instructs doctors, medical students, and health care workers involved in cancer care on the proper role of medicine, the role of doctors, and the opportunities for connecting with patients as they make treatment and end of life decisions. It helps patients understand the issues facing doctors as they assist and care for them.Trade ReviewGoing through cancer treatment experience is difficult not only for patients but also for doctors. In a new book, titled The Cancer Experience: The Doctor, The Patient, The Journey, Dr. Roy Sessions deals with a variety of emotion-related and ethics issues that encompass much of the basis of the cancer treatment experience....Sessions aims to stimulate a dialogue about matters related to cancer treatment as well as the spiritual aspects of hope and other factors relating to the plight of cancer patients and their families. * EMaxHealth: Daily Health News *This is a book much needed, and no one is more qualified than Roy Sessions—by vast experience and personal character—to have written it. -- Sherwin B. Nuland M.D., clinical professor of surgery, Yale University School of Medicine; fellow, Yale Institute for Social and Policy Studies; author of the National Book Award-winning, How We Die: Reflections on Life's Final ChapterDr. Sessions, a seasoned, highly respected surgeon, presents an informative, personalized tour through the frightening, often mysterious world of the cancer experience. The self-revelatory tone of the book, particularly in terms of explicating the overriding importance of the relationship between physician and patient, and the central bioethical principles guiding that collaboration, provides invaluable information and support to cancer patients and the people with whom they share their lives. -- Stephen A. Green, M.D., M.A., clinical professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine and co-editor of Psychiatric EthicsFrom the foreword: This is a book replete with clinical wisdom earned through the author’s dedication to the care of some of medicine’s most desperately ill patients. It will be of interest and instructional value to medical students, aspiring and practicing oncologists—medical, surgical, radiation—as well as physicians generally. But Sessions intends his book for the general public as well. Importantly, he makes the case that a better understanding of doctors by patients and their families is beneficial for all concerned. The cases Sessions describe will resonate with our own experiences or those of our families and friends. His thoughts extend well beyond the cancer experience to include other serious life-threatening trauma and illness.Table of ContentsAuthor’s Note on Terminology Foreword Acknowledgments Part I: Intellectual Considerations Prologue 1- Influences on My Development 2- Why the Book? 3- Protecting What’s Good through the Educational Process: Capitalizing on the Gene Pool 4- Oncology Is Not for the Emotionally Stingy 5- Hope 6- Finding New Purpose after Enduring the Cancer Olympics 7- Changing Times, Changing Methods, Unchanging Mission 8- Seeking Functionality within a Moral Framework 9- A Practical Adaptation of the Original Oath in Search for Modern Relevance 10- Death and Dying: Natural and Otherwise 11- Suicide: Patient Conceived, Planned, and Consummated Part II: Interacting with Cancer Patients and Their Families 12- Informal Physician-Patient Communication 13- Patient Confidentiality and Special Patient Circumstances 14- Essentials of Communication Skills: Listening, Hearing, Reading Body Language 15- Gaining the Patient’s Confidence 16- The Cancer Specialist as a Teacher of the Patient and Family: The Lead-Up to Treatment 17- The Physician as an Educator after Treatment: Using the Cancer as a Tool 18- The Journey from the Referring Doctor to the Oncologist: Uncertainty, Anxiety, and Hope along the Way 125 19- More on Physician Leadership: Being in Charge 20- Influences on Cancer Patients’ Attitudes and Receptiveness 21- Communication When There Is Still Optimism for Cure 22- Communication Once Treatment Failure Is Obvious 23- Hospice Care 24- Facing Death and Dying with the Patient Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisThe last time you went to your doctor, you might have emerged feeling dissatisfied and disoriented. Nothing was clear after you left the office, and you don't know whether it's your fault or the doctor's. But that's beside the point: the important thing is to identify the problem at the root of this experience and take steps to change it. Talking to Your Doctor helps readers navigate the new, more promising waters of doctor-patient collaboration, starting at the simplest and most human interactionthe conversation between two people in a roomand ending with the benefits that can be obtained by cultivating an effective partnership. While patients need to take control of the visit and set their agenda, the latest research shows that doctors and patients need to connect on a more emotional level as well. In Talking to Your Doctor, readers will:Learn how to talk to your doctorand get your doctor to talk to youDiscover the science of doctor-patient communication and its relevance to the lay Trade ReviewWhat is the most commonly performed procedure done by a doctor? The answer is surprisingly simple: interviewing patients. The medical interview has four major purposes: building rapport, collecting information, educating, and proposing possible treatments. Berger, an internal-medicine specialist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, dissects the dynamics and studies the flow of doctor-patient encounters. He offers suggestions for effectively communicating with your doctor (even when you are nervous, embarrassed, and intimidated). Some of the most frequent emotions surfacing during a doctor’s visit are fear, anger, sadness, and frustration. Yet good physicians can help patients plot a course through difficult times by expressing empathy and exercising “emotional nimbleness.” Berger writes, “Healing depends on sensitive emotional navigation as much as objective truth.” Every visit to the doctor’s office is an opportunity for a new beginning and an important dialogue about remaining healthy or feeling better. Patients should feel comfortable about expressing their concerns, and physicians need to listen carefully. Berger’s book lays a strong foundation. * Booklist *Dr. Berger provides practical, effective advice for how to better communicate with your doctor. By following this book's advice, patients can more effectively communicate, better understand what they should do, and ultimately be more likely to get and stay well. -- Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, Director of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, Johns Hopkins Medicine ; author of Safe Patients, Smart Hospitals: How One Doctor's Checklist Can Help Us Change Health Care from the Inside OutI have read a great many books written by patients that focus on how to survive a hospital stay or contain guidance to help the reader get the most out of their doctor’s appointment. I have also read a great deal of such books written by doctors. These tomes are often written in an earnest manner but can be hard for the layman to follow. I was so excited when I heard Zackary Berger would be writing this book, Talking to Your Doctor. I was familiar with his lyrical writing style from articles and blogs. I am pleased to see his talent on full display in this long form narrative. “Talking to Your Doctor” is humorous and insightful. I got a real kick out of his decision to focus on embarrassing questions in Chapter 11. Not many authors have the subtle wit to make such comparisons. Please read this lovely conversation that is wrapped within the pages of a book. You will not regret it. -- Regina Holliday, Patient Rights Artist and Activist, The Walking GalleryThere are many reasons that poorer people are sicker people, but one that's often overlooked is miscommunication between doctors and their poorest, most marginalized patients. While it's usually the case that doctors are from Mars and patients from Venus, this is especially the case when there are gaps in language, culture, education and class. In Talking to Your Doctor, Zackary Berger shows us how to turn those all-too-brief and awkward exchanges into a foundation for getting better. -- Tina Rosenberg, author of Children of Cain: Violence and the Violent in Latin AmericaIn Talking to Your Doctor, Zackary Berger provides an invaluable lesson to patients—regardless of being in a chronic disease state or suffering a single bout of illness, patients must take responsibility for clearly communicating their symptoms and desired outcomes of care to their doctors. Clinical findings cannot do what the patient voice can do in defining what sickness means to the individual patient. With Berger’s guidance, patients can empower themselves to better explain their concerns and work with their doctors to achieve meaningful solutions. Berger also encourages his fellow physicians to engage in redefining the doctor-patient relationship to be one of mutual respect and open dialogue so that both doctor and patient find greater satisfaction in their clinical interactions. -- Sarah E. Kucharski, Patient Advocate, Health Blogger (AfternoonNapper), CEO/Chairman and Founder of FMD ChatDr. Berger rigorously reviews the ins and outs of doctor-patient communication to find what you need to do to get the best healthcare: better conversations with your doctor. -- Victor Montori, MD, MSc, professor of Medicine, Mayo ClinicTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Dedications Chapter 1: The Most Frequent Procedure Chapter 2: Visit Time and Clock Time Chapter 3: What We Want as Patients: Lessons from Communication Science Chapter 4: The Doctor as a Professional - in Our Eyes Chapter 5: Measuring How Good Our Doctors Are Chapter 6: Telling Our Story: Taking the Time to Express Our Health Concerns to Ourselves and Others Chapter 7: Make The Most of the Visit Through Mindfulness Chapter 8: How To Communicate Even While Intimidated, Limited, Uncomfortable, or Under-Educated Chapter 9: What We’re Talking About: Negotiating The Agenda With the Doctor Chapter 10: Acknowledge - and Use - Emotion and Motivation Chapter 11: How To Talk to the Doctor About What Makes You Nervous, Embarrassed, or Grossed Out Chapter 12: Making Healthy Communities with Healthy Communication Chapter 13: Learning How to Want Less: Creating a Resource-Sparing Medical Culture Together with Our Doctors Chapter 14: Transforming Our Health Care System Through Communication and Collaboration Bibliography

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Book SynopsisDosage: A Guiding Principle for Health Communicators uses dosage as a metaphor to help all healthcare professionals apply basic communication principles to their work. After a general overview of communication and its paramount importance in the health care setting, J. David Johnson, a professor of communications and former media research analyst for the U.S. Information Agency and author of five previous books, outlines the best practices forInterpersonal communication in health care relationships, including that between physician and patient. He answers questions such as How Much Do I Reveal and When?;Interprofessional teams, including teamwork, interdependence, stress and burnout, and communication in decision-making;Mass Media, including searching for information and gaps in knowledge;Knowledge diffusion and dissemination;Change in communication, including social media;Health information technology and how to handle the flood of communications we receive today. Johnson effectivelTrade ReviewDosage is an important reframing of how we think about the challenges of communicating about health. Johnson thoughtfully uses the metaphor of pharmacological dose and demonstrates its applicability across a range of contexts, from the doctor breaking bad news to a patient, to distributed teams seeking to coordinate activity, to health promotion campaigns for behavior change. Health communicators -- whether marketing professionals, nurses and social workers, marketing practitioners, or social media bloggers -- can easily pick up lessons here from a wealth of scholarship about message development, channel selection, timing and frequency, and how to avoid the negative consequences of too much communication about a health issue. Here is a top-flight scholar offering us a new way to re-vision the challenges of professional communication. -- James W. Dearing, Michigan State UniversityThis textbook is long overdue and unprecedented in the social scientific literature. The question of how much is enough is seldom addressed in research and Johnson's book takes a critical and empirically-based examination of this question in health communication. -- Thomas Feeley, Professor and Chair of Communication, University at Buffalo, The State University of New YorkCiting a dearth of information available to the physician for guidance in imparting medical information to patients, Johnson presents the "dosage metaphor." With a focus on amount, frequency, sequencing, delivery system, interaction with other agents, and contraindications he provides answers to fundamental problems that all health communicators face. There are nine chapters: introduction and overview; definition and the use of metaphor; interpersonal communication; inter-professional teams; mass media; diffusion and dissemination; change; health information technology; and final analysis. Inter alia, he describes communication campaigns, new health information technologies, social media, the wisdom of crowds, and discusses the policy issues raised by the dosage metaphor. This concise and interesting book is for doctors, nurses, social workers, and marketers. There are figures, tables boxes, and a bibliography. * Book News, Inc. *

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Book SynopsisLung cancer is a disease long associated with smokers, but, the fact of the matter is, it can strike anyone. This book describes how this cancer develops, what the warning signs are, and how it can be treated. It serves as an excellent introduction for both patients and their loved ones.Trade ReviewDr. Ali's Understanding Lung Cancer is an incredibly well-organized guidebook possessing an ability to discuss virtually everything there is to know about lung cancer in a single volume. The author emphasizes how lung cancer can affect both patients and caregivers in all walks of life, and his ideas are suggestive of a multipronged approach that’s much needed in light of our rapidly changing health care system. As someone who has lost family members to lung cancer, I have no hesitation in recommending this book. -- Meredith Patterson, Broadway and Television ActressDr. Ali has taken on a huge and complicated subject, and successfully given an overview that will benefit lay and professional readerships alike. Most of all, he has clearly defined the monstrous nature of this killer - lung cancer - and correctly pointed out that while there are many factors in its development, the single most consistent stimulus is WHAT WE BREATH. The data for that cause and effect is irrefutable. For those that seek knowledge regarding this cancer, this work is rich in data sources. -- Roy B. Sessions, M.D., author of The Cancer ExperienceTable of ContentsPreface I: GROUNDWORK 1 Introduction to the Lung Cell 2 Lung Cell Health versus Lung Cell Disorder 3 Real Meaning and Anatomy of Lung Cancer 4 History of Lung Cancer II: CLINICAL PICTURE 5 Causes and Risk Factors of Lung Cancer 6 Pathology of Lung Cancer 7 Lung Cancer Screening and Diagnostics 8 Outpatient and Inpatient Experiences III: MANY FACES OF LUNG CANCER 9 Squamous Cell Carcinomas and Bronchioalveolar Carcinomas 10 Undifferentiated Carcinomas and Adenocarcinomas of the Lung 11 Oat Cell Carcinomas and Combined Small Cell Carcinomas 12 Other Manifestations of Lung Cancer IV: RESOLUTIONS 13 Initial Approaches to Lung Cancer 14 Natural and Nonpharmacological Lung Cancer Approaches 15 Pharmacological Lung Cancer Approaches 16 Addressing the Mental Aspects of Lung Cancer V: HOMESTRETCH 17 Lung Cancer at Home 18 Finding Motivation as a Lung Cancer Patient 19 Prevention and Collective Efforts 20 Conclusion Appendix A: Lung Cancer-Related Links Appendix B: Research and Training Appendix C: Lung Cancer-Related Organizations Appendix D: Nationally Recognized Lung Cancer Clinics Appendix E: For Further Reading Notes Glossary Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisAmerican medicine is under serious attack. The health care system is falling short of its major goal, improving the health of the population. The United States ranks only 35th in world life expectancy. But where American medicine arguably remains at a pinnacle in the world in the status, wealth and power of the profession of medicine -- physicians are in danger of losing first rank. As other professions close the gap, their top economic position is threatened. Slippage may be measured also by other, less quantifiable factors, such as the highest prestige of physicians among all learned occupations.Queen of the Professions: The Rise and Decline of Medical Prestige and Power in America is a colorful yet authoritative work of social history offering readers a sturdy platform from which to confront looming issues about the future of American medical care. Its unique perspective brings crucial context to current debates about modern medicine, exploring in entertaining detail its historicTrade ReviewMedicine as a profession has a protracted ancestry with origins located deep in antiquity. Tracing the ancestry of the profession to inform the present is the motivation behind this work. In this context, social historian McClelland provides a broad historical overview of the rise of professional medicine within the context of social theory. He begins the four-part work with a discussion of the origins of the profession from the time of the early Greeks through 1850. In later sections, he focuses on the evolution of medical education, ethics, and the future of the profession. One of the more interesting observations the author makes is that with the rise of so many mid-level medical, nursing, and health professionals, the current environment appears similar to the environment prior to the release of the Flexner Report in the early 20th century. How this came about and the implications for the profession's future are well addressed. Written in an academic style, the book is supported by ten pages of chapter notes and a four-page bibliography. Valuable for all academic audiences and an important resource for professionals in the health field, especially those in medicine. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above. * CHOICE *It took millennia for the practice of medicine to escape a dangerous swamp of ignorance, superstition and quackery to become a profession. Now, a University of New Mexico historian sees signs that economic and social pressures are in the process of turning that profession into a trade. UNM Prof. Emeritus Charles E. McClelland outlines his argument in a new book, Queen of the Professions. Its subtitle summarizes the book pretty well: The Rise and Decline of Medical Prestige and Power in America. * Albuquerque Journal *Charles McClelland, an internationally recognized authority on the history of modern professionalization, here offers a highly readable account of the creation of a medical profession in the United States in terms of both scientific and socio-legal history. McClelland also locates the American medical profession in the comparative context of medical professions in Europe. But McClelland’s account is not only that of a “rise” in accordance with conventional ideas of “American exceptionalism,” but also of a decline of the status of American physicians in the wake of the creation of a vast health industry in which they no longer possess autonomy, control, authority, or economic dominance in a greatly transformed marketplace of technologies and services. -- Edward Peters, Professor Emeritus, University of PennsylvaniaMcClelland offers a sweeping history of Western Medicine and a social historian's perspective on why medicine's "professionalization project" - the drive to secure monopology, power, and prestige - seems to be failing as social forces undermine doctor's autonomy. This nicely-organized survey will appeal to anyone interested in the paradox that while the future of medicine is bright indeed, the future of the medical profession is uncertain at best. -- Charles S. Bryan, M.D., MACP, Heyward Gibbes Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine Emeritus, University of South CarolinaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments and Preface Introduction: What Makes a Profession a Profession? Part I: From Healing Art to Scientific Profession: Medicine 500 B.C.E. to 1850 C.E. 1: Swearing by Apollo 2: The Levant: Saving Grace of the Middle Ages 3: Physicians, Barbers and “Old Wives” 4: Hospitals or Hospices? 5: Gifts from the Sister Sciences Part II:The Making of a Doctor: The Evolution of Medical Education 6: Acolytes and Apprentices 7: Starting with Salerno: Europe’s First Medical Schools 8: From Sacrilege to Science: Dissection and Observation 9: Three Paths Leading to Modern Medical Education 10: Money Talks: Abraham Flexner’s Reforms 11: High Tech, Low Touch? Part III: Changing Concepts of Medical Ethics: When Values Collide 12: A Sacred Trust: Roots of MedicalEthics 13: First, Do No Harm: The Introduction of Humanistic Values 14: The Physician as Gentle-man 15: Balancing Individual and Public Benefit: Experimental Abuses 16: Gods No More: The Rise of Patients’ Rights 17: Collisions of Cultures Part IV: The Future of Medicine as a Profession: From Hippocrates to Dr. House 18: Cures, at Last! 19: The Conundrum of Insurance: Raising Income, Threatening Autonomy 20: Expanding Access to the Physician’s Role 21: What It All Means Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisThis book offers readers an insider’s assessment of doctor-patient communication and provides patients with strategies for making the most of their doctor’s visits.Trade ReviewWhat is the most commonly performed procedure done by a doctor? The answer is surprisingly simple: interviewing patients. The medical interview has four major purposes: building rapport, collecting information, educating, and proposing possible treatments. Berger, an internal-medicine specialist at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, dissects the dynamics and studies the flow of doctor-patient encounters. He offers suggestions for effectively communicating with your doctor (even when you are nervous, embarrassed, and intimidated). Some of the most frequent emotions surfacing during a doctor’s visit are fear, anger, sadness, and frustration. Yet good physicians can help patients plot a course through difficult times by expressing empathy and exercising “emotional nimbleness.” Berger writes, “Healing depends on sensitive emotional navigation as much as objective truth.” Every visit to the doctor’s office is an opportunity for a new beginning and an important dialogue about remaining healthy or feeling better. Patients should feel comfortable about expressing their concerns, and physicians need to listen carefully. Berger’s book lays a strong foundation. * Booklist *Dr. Berger provides practical, effective advice for how to better communicate with your doctor. By following this book's advice, patients can more effectively communicate, better understand what they should do, and ultimately be more likely to get and stay well. -- Peter Pronovost, MD, PhD, Director of the Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality, Johns Hopkins Medicine ; author of Safe Patients, Smart Hospitals: How One Doctor's Checklist Can Help Us Change Health Care from the Inside OutI have read a great many books written by patients that focus on how to survive a hospital stay or contain guidance to help the reader get the most out of their doctor’s appointment. I have also read a great deal of such books written by doctors. These tomes are often written in an earnest manner but can be hard for the layman to follow. I was so excited when I heard Zackary Berger would be writing this book, Talking to Your Doctor. I was familiar with his lyrical writing style from articles and blogs. I am pleased to see his talent on full display in this long form narrative. “Talking to Your Doctor” is humorous and insightful. I got a real kick out of his decision to focus on embarrassing questions in Chapter 11. Not many authors have the subtle wit to make such comparisons. Please read this lovely conversation that is wrapped within the pages of a book. You will not regret it. -- Regina Holliday, Patient Rights Artist and Activist, The Walking GalleryThere are many reasons that poorer people are sicker people, but one that's often overlooked is miscommunication between doctors and their poorest, most marginalized patients. While it's usually the case that doctors are from Mars and patients from Venus, this is especially the case when there are gaps in language, culture, education and class. In Talking to Your Doctor, Zackary Berger shows us how to turn those all-too-brief and awkward exchanges into a foundation for getting better. -- Tina Rosenberg, author of Children of Cain: Violence and the Violent in Latin AmericaIn Talking to Your Doctor, Zackary Berger provides an invaluable lesson to patients—regardless of being in a chronic disease state or suffering a single bout of illness, patients must take responsibility for clearly communicating their symptoms and desired outcomes of care to their doctors. Clinical findings cannot do what the patient voice can do in defining what sickness means to the individual patient. With Berger’s guidance, patients can empower themselves to better explain their concerns and work with their doctors to achieve meaningful solutions. Berger also encourages his fellow physicians to engage in redefining the doctor-patient relationship to be one of mutual respect and open dialogue so that both doctor and patient find greater satisfaction in their clinical interactions. -- Sarah E. Kucharski, Patient Advocate, Health Blogger (AfternoonNapper), CEO/Chairman and Founder of FMD ChatDr. Berger rigorously reviews the ins and outs of doctor-patient communication to find what you need to do to get the best healthcare: better conversations with your doctor. -- Victor Montori, MD, MSc, professor of Medicine, Mayo ClinicTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Dedications Chapter 1: The Most Frequent Procedure Chapter 2: Visit Time and Clock Time Chapter 3: What We Want as Patients: Lessons from Communication Science Chapter 4: The Doctor as a Professional - in Our Eyes Chapter 5: Measuring How Good Our Doctors Are Chapter 6: Telling Our Story: Taking the Time to Express Our Health Concerns to Ourselves and Others Chapter 7: Make The Most of the Visit Through Mindfulness Chapter 8: How To Communicate Even While Intimidated, Limited, Uncomfortable, or Under-Educated Chapter 9: What We’re Talking About: Negotiating The Agenda With the Doctor Chapter 10: Acknowledge - and Use - Emotion and Motivation Chapter 11: How To Talk to the Doctor About What Makes You Nervous, Embarrassed, or Grossed Out Chapter 12: Making Healthy Communities with Healthy Communication Chapter 13: Learning How to Want Less: Creating a Resource-Sparing Medical Culture Together with Our Doctors Chapter 14: Transforming Our Health Care System Through Communication and Collaboration Bibliography

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAs if the decision to see a therapist isn’t stressful enough, the very next decision—how to choose a stranger with the qualifications and effectiveness to really help—is even more so. Romanovsky, a registered marriage and family therapy intern, helps readers navigate the process, from finding a therapist to handling insurance issues, from coping with the stigma of seeing a therapist to measuring results. She begins with an overview of several major theories of psychotherapy, from venerable names ranging from Freud to Adler to Jung, and explores therapeutic approaches, including Gestalt, transpersonal, and integrative. Romanovsky details the suitability of therapies to personality, situation, and expectations, noting that all treatment methods are effective if practiced by a therapist who believes in and is committed to them. She offers perspective on individual versus group therapy and the incorporation of other practices, including meditation. Romanovsky also includes case studies to help readers grasp how patients interact with therapists and achieve awareness of inner struggles. An insightful resource that answers questions many are reluctant to ask. * Booklist *I recently read the book Choosing Therapy by Ilyana Romanovsky. I can honestly say it is the most thorough book on psychotherapy that I have ever read. And while I haven’t read every book about going into therapy, choosing a therapy (and therapist), and getting the most out of therapy – I think it is a safe bet to say that Choosing Therapy is one of the most thorough books ever written on the subject. In fact, the book is so darn thorough, that I felt like I was back in graduate school reading about various theoretical orientations, transference, counter transference, and the many modalities of treatment. * drstephaniesmith.com *The decision to enter into psychotherapy is rarely taken easily and frequently it is made at a time of great distress. But as if this isn't stressful enough, the would-be patient is then faced with a bewildering choice of therapies and therapists and no easy way to unpick baffling and inconsistent therapist training standards. Written in an accessible style, enhanced by helpful case vignettes and rooted firmly in the perspective of the patient, Ilyana Romanovsky guides us through the main choices and anticipates the questions users of therapy should ask but sadly often don't. This book empowers the reader, enabling, and indeed, encouraging them to make informed choices as wise consumers of what may well turn out to be the most important thing they ever bought. I always recommend that patients shop around before choosing a therapist. This book serves as an invaluable guide in that process. -- Alan Priest, MA, DPsych, UKCP Registered Integrative PsychotherapistIlyana Romanovsky puts the client at the center of the psychotherapeutic journey, describing how patients find the best fit with a therapist and a therapeutic approach driven by evidence-based methods. A worthwhile read for anyone considering psychotherapy. -- Petra Steinbuchel, MD, psychiatristFinally, a book that provides well-written, informative content in an easy to read and understandable format to an underserved audience, the general public, on a topic of significant importance, psychotherapy. Ilyana Romanovsky has gone to great lengths to provide her readers with important and useful information for those who are considering doing therapy for the first time, or for those who have done therapy but still feel overwhelmed about making choices around this work going forward. This is a rich resource for consumers wishing to understand what this form of self-improvement is all about. -- Carol Wood, MA, LMFTTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Part One: WALKING THROUGH 1: Psychotherapy explained 2: Theories of psychotherapy 3: Interventions in psychotherapy 4: Asking the “right” questions 5: The vulnerable patient 6: Behind psychiatric drugs 7: Individual versus group therapy 8: Measuring therapeutic outcomes 9: Advantages and disadvantages of insurance 10: Family therapy 11: Projections and resistance 12: The end of treatment Part Two: BEING IN THE ROOM 13: A few cases 14: Conclusion Bibliography

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Book SynopsisParkinsonâs disease is on the rise throughout the U.S., and this book offers readers an introduction to its causes, symptoms, and treatments. It is for anyone who suffers from Parkinsonâs, or knows and loves someone who does.Trade ReviewAs both authors and patients, we enthusiastically recommend Naheed Ali's book, Understanding Parkinson's Disease. This is a wonderfully detailed resource about Parkinson's from the earliest of documentation of the "Shaking Palsy" to the effects & treatments currently available. -- Michael J. Church and Gretchen Garie-Church, authors of Living Well With Parkinson's Disease, co-founders of Movers & ShakersDr. Ali's book provides a well-rounded, solid base of knowledge on Parkinson's disease, and should encourage patients to be strong advocates for their health. When people with Parkinson's are empowered with information and insight into their disease, not only can they better manage their symptoms, they also can better educate friends, family, and others about why research toward better treatments and a cure is so very important. -- Amy Comstock Rick, CEO, Parkinson's Action NetworkTable of ContentsPreface Part 1: Groundwork 1 History of Parkinson’s 2 Fame and Parkinson’s 3 Anatomy and Physiology of Parkinson’s Part 2: Clinical Picture 4 Causes of Parkinson’s 5 Symptoms in General 6 Stage-Based Symptoms 7 Inpatient Diagnostics and Approaches 8 Outpatient Diagnostics and Approaches Part 3: Other Manifestations 9 Disorders Associated with Parkinson’s 10 Pain and Parkinson’s Part 4: Team-Oriented Resolutions 11 Allopathic Treatment 12 Osteopathic Treatment 13 Naturopathic Treatment 14 Non-prescription Treatment Part 5: Personal Resolutions 15 Prevention of Parkinson’s 16 Diet and Parkinson’s 17 Parkinson’s and Exercise 18 Motivation in Parkinson’s 19 Parkinson’s at Home 20 Conclusion Appendix A: Parkinson’s-related Links Appendix B: Research and Training Appendix C: Parkinson’s Organizations Appendix D: Nationally Recognized Parkinson’s Appendix E: For Further Reading Notes Glossary Bibliography Index About the Author

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Book SynopsisCompassion draws physicians into medicine, but then they believe they must jettison that compassion to survive. Paradoxically, science has now shown that losing that compassion not only harms the patient, it also harms the doctor. How Doctors Care: The Science of Compassionate and Balanced Caring in Medicine explains what physicians and other clinicians can do to provide balanced and compassionate caring for patients without becoming emotionally detached or overwhelmed.The text provides a research-informed and non-sentimental description of physician/clinician compassion. Bringing together cutting-edge scientific research for practicing physicians and those in training, How Doctors Care provides the first full articulation of what constitutes optimal compassionate mental performance in the practice of medicine. It argues how maintaining this internal state is the key to physician resilience and fulfillment in a dysfunctional healthcare system. Rather than blaming clinicians for burnout, How Doctors Care argues that healthcare organizations must provide organizational protection and support to clinicians so that they are able to maintain the compassionate internal state they desire so much and that benefits patients the most.

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