Inlander, Charles B.
Ingram With healthcare costs spiraling out of control and over 30 million Americans lacking medical insurance, readers medical consumers. This guide tells how to save money and get quality medical care by being a smart shopper--at the doctor's office, hospital, and pharmacy.
Wyke, Alexandra
Table of Contents Introduction A Whirlwind Tour 1 One The Failures of 20th-Century Medicine 21 Two Tongue-Tied Medicine 43 Three Medicine Goes Digital 57 Four Beyond X Rays: Medicine Acquires Superman's Vision 85 Five Enter ROBODOC 105 Six Cyberspace Surgery 127 Seven Engineering Health 145 Eight Healthcare on the Brink 167 Nine The Key Is Technology 191 Ten The Year 2050 211 Eleven The Era of Self-Care: Doctors and Government Melt Away 239 Twelve The Doctor's Dilemma 255 Thirteen Against Change 279 Notes 305 Index 325 Book News, Inc. Wyke, medical correspondent for , interviews celebrated and innovative doctors, researchers, and scientists, recounting intriguing possibilities for the future of medicine such as special "cocktails" to counteract heart disease; robots that will perform surgery; and wrist-gizmos that will monitor our blood for trouble before it happens. -- Copyright © 1999 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR All rights reserved
Scott, David
Book Description Focuses on both lifestyle and medical factors to develop a risk-reducing, individualized plan.
Mann, Charles C.
From Kirkus Reviews The analogy to a military history is well fulfilled by this literate, compendious chronicle of the marketing of aspirin and its analgesic rivals, starting with the drug's final formulation in the late 1800's and ending with its current ``repositioning'' as a heart-attack preventive. According to Mann (a contributing editor to Science and The Atlantic) and Plummer, here we have a perfect history of medical hype: Aspirin's pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory effects are verifiable and even miraculous, but because its sole constituent, acetylsalicylic acid, had been known and therefore unpatentable in Germany, it became (along with heroin) one of the first drugs sold not by its chemical name but by its ``brand'': Aspirin. The company that sold it was Bayer of Elberfeld, later to become the monolith I.G. Farben. After WW I, when Germany could no longer transact business in many western nations, the brand name became a free-for- all. Among other things, the battle over market share gave rise to such institutions as the roadside billboard and the FDA. Then along came acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil)--and the plot continues to thicken. A well-told tale of greed, business acumen, and ongoing marketing genius that's also a microcosmic history of law, politics, and medical progress in the 20th century. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Ingram Mann and Plummer take us behind the scenes in the aspirin wars to penetrate the shores of capitalism and show the essence of competition at its canniest, most ruthless, most brilliant, and most fierce.ights to Atlantic. 8 pages of photographs.
Lierman, Terry L. (Editor)
Includes bibliographical references.
McKnight, John
From the Publisher An illuminating look at how the experts' best efforts to rebuild and revitalize communities are in fact destroying them.
Galanti, Geri-Ann
Includes bibliographical references (p. [121]-134) and index.
Brookes, Tim
From Publishers Weekly British-born former U.S. public radio editor Brookes's first asthmatic attack is described as a bolt of lightning that caused him to gasp and suffer painfully swollen sinuses, a flooded trachea and heart fibrillations. Self-injected epinephrine finally left him feeling as if he had been "turned inside out." Since medical science has been unable to unravel the mystery of asthma's causes, the author studied medical books, attended lectures, interviewed specialists and experimented on himself, even meeting with a psychic who suggested that "hidden emotional conflicts" might lie at the root of his illness. Brookes concluded his asthma is probably due to a synergy between physical (allergy) and psychosomatic reactions, along with exterior elements like pollution, work and economic conditions. Of interest chiefly to asthmatics. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Library Journal Brookes (creative writing and media criticism, Univ. of Vermont) provides a personal account of how he deals with a chronic condition that robs him of his ability to breathe. As he chronicles his attempts to understand a disease that even the medical community cannot explain, the terror of the asthma attack comes through. Brookes effectively illustrates the desperate feeling of having no control over the disease, and his frustrations with doctors, medications, insurance providers, and the... read more --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book Description In this engrossing and informative book, National Public Radio commentator Tim Brookes conducts a passionate inquest into the origins and treatment of asthma. His motives are both journalistic -- some 12 million Americans have asthma -- and personal: Brookes himself is asthmatic and nearly died from an attack. Catching My Breath records Brooke's mystifying and sometimes infuriating encounters with doctors, insurance companies, and homeopathic healers. He peers into a living human lung, undergoes homeopathic injections of silver and tobacco leaf in his back and neck, and even sees a psychic to ask otherworldly spirits about the causes of asthma. He surveys the dubious history of treatments (which include the use of decayed flesh and cockroach intestines) and grapples with an insurance company that agrees to cover him only if he doesn't get sick. A thoroughly unconventional exploration of illness from a patient's point of view, Catching My Breath is also the first book to give serious attention to the social roots of asthma, and raises profound questions about our attitudes toward illness in general.
Frantz, Douglas
Mendelsohn, Robert S.
Book Description Covers issues from unnecessary surgeries and prescribed drugs to preventive medicine and home births.
UH
Juliene G. Lipson
Brenneman, Richard J.
From Book News, Inc. Examining three controversial court cases, journalist Brenneman delves into the minds of those who believe that faith or magic alone can cure physical and emotional ills, addressing the personal, social, and legal issues involved. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Millenson, Michael L.
Amazon.com Michael L. Millenson's Demanding Medical Excellence is guaranteed to make you feel good about the managed care industry--especially after he gets finished chronicling the medical nightmares of the past. Prior to the days of HMOs, doctors were like the gunslingers of the Wild West, operating under their own rules, with no standards by which to measure the quality of their care and no systems to regulate consistent practices. Millenson, a science writer, shows that--until the mid-'80s, when managed health care became more in demand--medical practices varied wildly from place to place and doctor to doctor. In some areas of Minnesota, for example, cesarean births were as high as 48 percent, while in others, they only comprised 9 percent. Even worse, many doctors are still unaware of the latest discoveries in treating life-threatening conditions. For Millenson, managed care is a way of systematically assuring quality control in the health field, making sure that information about new techniques and treatments are widely disseminated, and that the caliber of care is consistently high. From The New England Journal of Medicine, March 19, 1998 Information is power, and perhaps a seed of corruption. In Michael Millenson's paean to medicine in the information age, once corporations have confiscated power from clinicians it absolutely does not corrupt. Millenson, a Chicago-based health reporter turned consultant, is a true believer in the virtue of the information revolution. His engaging account of the development of information science and quality assurance in medicine is enlivened by clinical vignettes and brief biographies of key... read more
Segala, Melanie
Product Description: Disease Prevention and Treatment, 3rd edition is a 968-page medical reference book containing "inside" information about therapies that innovative physicians are using to prevent and treat the degenerative diseases of aging. Disease Prevention and Treatment is the only book available that makes specific recommendations about combining traditional medical therapies with nutrients, hormones, and unique medications to provide patients with their best chance of preventing or gaining control over serious medical disorders. Written for the lay reader and physician alike, this innovative reference book provides guidelines for integrating FDA-approved drugs with alternative therapies for safe and effective treatment of age-related degenerative diseases. The new Disease Prevention and Treatment, 3rd edition contains innovative solutions for over 118 difficult to treat medical conditions. The book is arranged alphabetically with convenient thumb tabs and a 31-page index to quickly locate the information you need. Here are some examples of the life-saving information you will find in this book: * The missing link in depression therapy overlooked by psychiatrists * A European drug shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by 75% over a 3-year time period * A safe drug that can knock out some flu viruses in 24 to 48 hours * How to avoid liver damage when taking acetaminophen pain relievers * A cholesterol-lowering drug that stops cancer cells from dividing * A new finding that 24-hour blood pressure drugs quit before the day is over * Two controllable heart attack factors neglected by cardiologists * Why conventional hepatitis C therapies fail 80% of the time * How to use hormone-blockade therapy in the long-term control of prostate cancer * What Europeans are doing to stave off age-associated cognitive impairment * An FDA-approved drug to treat arthritis that interferes with prostate and colon cancer cell propagation * Nutrients that reduce the risk of surgical complications * Alternatives to expensive arthritis drugs * A lethal misconception among vitamin users about cardiovascular disease * Drugs that reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease * Nutrients that boost the cancer-killing effects of chemotherapy drugs * Safe estrogen replacement drug and nutrient therapies * A French drug that lowers infections associated with chronic bronchitis by 60% * A Japanese vitamin drug to treat osteoporosis * A prescription hormone that can reverse premature aging in men * Precautions one should take when supplementing with the hormone DHEA * A five-drug prostate cancer treatment regimen * The most effective treatment for fibromyalgia * A German therapy to treat liver cirrhosis
Ornish, Dr. Dean
From Library Journal Ornish, author of the popular Stress, Diet, and Your Heart ( LJ 1/1/83), bases his book on an extensive study that found his "Opening Your Heart" program resulted in the reversal of coronary artery blockage. He gives thorough background to his study, backing up his claims with scientific evidence, and provides case histories of people who have followed the program. In describing ways to reverse heart disease, he offers suggestions on how to control diet (with helpful recipes from noted chef Wolfgang Puck), as well as on how to quit smoking and how to exercise. Recommended for general collections. - Barbara Kormelink, Bay Medical Ctr. Lib., Bay City, Mich. Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. Product Description: "Dr. Ornish's landmark research validates the advice he provides." -- Alexander Leaf, M.D. Chairman, Department of Preventive Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology Harvard Medical School This is a book about healing your heart. In this breakthrough book, Dr. Dean Ornish presents the first scientific proof that it is possible to actually reverse heart disease without drugs or surgery. Dr. Ornish's internationally acclaimed scientific study, funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and based on thirteen years of research, has yielded astonishing conclusions: Heart disease can often be halted or even reversed -- without bypass surgery, angioplasty, or cholesterol-lowering drugs -- simply by changing our life-style. Participants in Dr. Ornish's study, all of whom had severe coronary heart disease, followed his extraordinary Opening Your Heart program with amazing results: their chest pain diminished or disappeared; they often were able to reduce or discontinue medications; they felt more energetic, happy, and calm; they lost weight while eating much more food; and in most cases the average blockages in their coronary arteries began to reverse. In fact, the more severely blocked arteries showed the most reversal. In contrast, the coronary blockages of most of the patients who followed their doctors' recommendations became worse instead of better. Dr. Ornish presents the dramatic evidence from his study and guides readers step-by-step through the Opening Your Heart program, which combines a special Reversal Diet (featuring over 150 delicious, all-you-can-eat recipes from such culinary stars as Mollie Katzen, Deborah Madison, Wolfgang Puck, and Alice Waters); a Prevention Diet; meditation; visualization; communication skills and other stress management techniques; and advice on how to stop smoking and how to exercise safely and moderately. More men and women die from coronary heart disease each year than from all other causes of death combined, including cancer and AIDS. Now, since heart disease can be reversed, then it may be preventable for most people. Even more prevalent than physical heart disease are the psychological and spiritual diseases of the
Ornish, Dean
From Book News, Inc. Based upon conclusions from his own research study--namely that heart disease can often be halted or even reversed simply through appropriate changes in lifestyle--Ornish presents a simple but comprehensive program involving diet (recipes included), meditation, visualization, stress management, and moderate exercise. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book Description "Whether or not you think you'll ever be concerned about your heart, this is likely to be the most useful book about health you'll read this year, maybe ever." ESQUIRE In this breakthrough book, Dr. Dean Ornish presents dramatic evidence that heart disease can be halted or even reversed simply by changing your life-style. Step-by-step he will guide you through the extraordinary Opening Your Heart program that takes you beyond the purely physical side of health care to include the psychological,... read more
Bulletin Of The ESPMH
William J. Doherty and Thomas L. Campbell
Schwartz, Alan N. (Editor)
Table of Contents Introduction Communicating Effectively CHAPTER 1 Poor Communication: The Curable Disease CHAPTER 2 Do You Like Your Doctor? CHAPTER 3 Is It Time for a Second Opinion? CHAPTER 4 The Internet Getting Organized For Your Appointment CHAPTER 5 Am I Really Sick? CHAPTER 6 Finding the Right Kind of Doctor for Your Illness CHAPTER 7 Getting Organized for Your Appointment CHAPTER 8 Preparing Your Medical History CHAPTER 9 The Appointment Obtaining Excellent Care CHAPTER 10 The Work-Up CHAPTER 11 What Is Your Diagnosis? CHAPTER 12 Treatment and Healing CHAPTER 13 Prognosis Managed Care and Medical Insurance CHAPTER 14 The Changing World of Medical Insurance and Health Care Delivery Systems CHAPTER 15 Managing with Managed Care CHAPTER 16 Choosing Your Insurance Coverage CHAPTER 17 The Medical Bill Understanding Your Medical Rights CHAPTER 18 Your Medical Record CHAPTER 19 Medicine, Law, and Ethics: An Overview EPILOGUE Becoming Your Own Best Patient Advocate References and Recommended Reading APPENDIX 1 Types of Providers and Therapies APPENDIX 2 Prevention Index To the Reader About the Author Alan M. Schwartz, M.D., specializes in diagnostic cancer radiology. He is a board-certified Pediatrician and Radiologist and a clinical faculty member at the University of Washington Medical School. Richard Jimenez, M.D., and Andrew Solomen, M.D., are associates in a private Rheumatology and pain management practice and are clinical faculty at the University of Washington Medical School. Tracy Myers, M.H.A., has a masters degree in Health Services Administration. All four authors live and work... read more --This text refers to the Mass Market Paperback edition.
Kemmis, Daniel
From Publishers Weekly In this earnest, cordial meander, Kemmis (Community and the Politics of Place) draws on his own experience?as mayor of Missoula, Montana, and visits elsewhere?to explore the notion of community. People who label themselves taxpayers, he observes trenchantly, do not see themselves as democratic citizens. Similarly, he notes that urban critics such as Jane Jacobs view politicians only as obstacles, while he considers them "entrepreneurs" of power. Citing various civic and cultural initiatives around the country, Kemmis suggests that communities can and must seek to achieve such abstractions as wholeness, grace, character and healing. He's basically right, but his not-so-deep survey fully engages neither the current debates about communitarianism nor the endemic economic and racial problems of America's large cities. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. Synopsis The author offers down-to-earth commentary on the nature of citizenship and political responsibility, as he uses personal experience to explore democrac as a human enterprise.
Gordon, R.
Book Description Man's activities have been tainted by disaster ever since the serpent first approached Eve in the garden. And the world of medicine is no exception. In this outrageous and strangely informative book, Richard Gordon explores some of history's more bizarre medical disasters. He creates a catalogue of mishaps including anthrax bombs on Gruinard Island, destroying mosquitoes in Panama, and Mary the cook who, in 1904, inadvertently spread Typhoid across New York State. As the Bible so rightly says, 'He that sinneth before his maker, let him fall into the hands of the physician.' --This text refers to the Paperback edition. About the Author Richard Gordon is best-known for his hilarious 'Doctor' books and the long-running television series they inspired. Himself a qualified doctor, he worked as an anaesthetist, ship's surgeon and then as assistant editor of the British Medical Journal before leaving medical practice in 1952 to take up writing full time. Many of his books are based on these experiences in the medical profession and are all told with the rye wit and candid humour that have become his hallmark. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Bogdanich, Walt
From Kirkus Reviews Hospital care is a crapshoot for most Americans, according to Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Bogdanich of The Wall Street Journal, who says here that the myth that all hospitals are equally good and deserving of our trust is medicine's ``great white lie.'' Bogdanich pulls no punches, naming hospitals, administrators, professional associations, doctors, nurses, technicians, and others in his thoroughly documented expos‚. The problems are manifold--reliance on unqualified temporary help; improper training and supervision of pharmacy and lab technicians; life-threatening patient-discharge policies; and fraudulent billing practices. Competition among hospitals has even pushed some to bribe doctors for patients and to offer bonuses for meeting surgery quotas. Bogdanich cites the failure of the medical establishment to regulate hospitals, and faults the government for relying on such self-regulation. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, which rarely denies a hospital accreditation, comes in for some sharp criticism, as does the US Department of Health and Human Services, which Bogdanich asserts has recently been headed by people without will or vision. Although Medicare--the nation's largest buyer of hospital services--could dramatically reform care by reimbursing only those hospitals able to demonstrate high quality, prospects for change are poor. One solution Bogdanich explores is an effort by corporations in Cleveland, concerned about rising medical-insurance costs, to direct employees to the highest-quality, low-cost hospitals. In this instance, hospitals and businesses are working together to define and measure quality and by 1992 will be distributing information on quality and costs to employees. Meanwhile, Bogdanich counsels, if there's hospital care in your future, scrutinize it as carefully as you would any other prospective purchase. Hard-hitting and fact-filled indictment of a system overdue for reform. (Includes extensive source notes.) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Pietroni, Patrick
Includes bibliographical references (p. [201]-214) and index
Higgs, Robert (Editor)
Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 -- Regulation of the Pharmaceutical Industry Chapter 2 -- FDA Advertising Restrictions Chapter 3 -- FDA Regulation of Medical Devices Afterword -- Diminishing the Harm Book Description Some have described the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a scientific bureaucracy with police powers. Does a "cult of infallibility" exist within the FDA, leading to decisions that are contrary to the best interests of patients and their physicians? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is one of the most powerful of federal regulatory agencies, if not the most powerful. It regulates over 25% of all consumer goods sold in the United States. It makes decisions on a daily basis that affect... read more
Williamson, Marianne
From AudioFile Author of the bestselling books, A Woman's Worth and A Return to Love, Marianne Williamson turns her attention here to the larger sphere of spirituality and politics. She discusses the spiritual roots that underlie the history of transcendentalism and democracy in America, and she urges a return to the holistic politics of nonviolence, community and citizen involvement. An excellent narrator of her own work, Williamson emerges as a powerful social commentator with great conscience. The technical quality and production values of this recording are superb. Readers accustomed to Williamson's interpretation of A Course in Miracles materials will find The Healing of America to be an ambitious, thoughtful and challenging outgrowth of her earlier, more personal offerings. C.S. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Ingram A lecturer shares the principles she believes are needed to reunite the country, emphasizing a return to the spiritual roots that underlie the founding of America, including the power of nonviolence and the power of community. 500,000 first printing."
Rosenthal, Raymond
Miller, Marc S. (Editor)
From Book News, Inc. Written by medical and health care experts, this guide discusses health care options in detail. A few of the topics include consumer rights; hospital stays; women, parents, and elders as consumers; alternative health care; mental health; dental care; workplace illness or injury; and death with dignity. Various resources are listed at the end of each chapter. Includes a foreword by Hillary Rodham Clinton. Lacks a bibliography. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. Midwest Book Review Confused by the modern health care system? This wide-ranging title surveys everything from HMOs and insurance options to payment plans for both personal and company coverage. Including tips for retirees and those needing special plans for dental, long-term care or mental health benefits, this provides numerous, clear facts.
Sagan, Leonard S.
Kavanagh, Terence
Rev. ed. of: Heart attack? counterattack. c1976. Bibliography: p. [313]-328. Includes index.
Roybal, Beth Ann Petro
Book Description Completely updated to address the rapidly changing status of hepatitis C, this book details advances in therapeutic strategies and the search for a cure. The author presents important — and sometimes disconcerting — information clearly and compassionately. The new edition includes updates on PEG-Rebetron and Pegasys treatments. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Ingram Potentially the biggest public health problem today, hepatitis C often attacks the body for years before being diagnosed. This book relates all aspects of this illness, which strikes 4 million Americans--four times ore than have AIDS. The author explains how it is contracted, identifies the symptoms, and shows what treatments are available.
Turkington, Carol
Table of Contents Foreword Joseph McCormick, Susan Fisher-Hoch, Acknowledgments Introduction 1 Your Healthy Liver Purification Synthesis Storage and Transformation 2 What Is Hepatitis C? What Is the Hepatitis C Virus? Who Gets HCV? Chronic Infection Complications Pregnancy and Hepatitis C How It Is Transmitted Blood Transfusions, Operations, and Infected Blood Products Drug Use Tattooing and Body Piercing Acupuncture and Vaccination Household Contact Hemodialysis Health Care Workers Mother-Child Insects Saliva Oxygen Masks Unknown Sources Sexual Intercourse Prognosis 3 Symptoms: How Do You Know if You Have Hepatitis C? Fatigue Itch Pain Appetite and Weight Loss Loss of Libido Brain Fog 4 Diagnosis HCV Antibody Detection Tests Virus Detection and Analysis Other Tests Viral Load Genotypes Liver Function Tests Ultrasound Scans Liver Biopsy The Procedure The Benefits The Risks Autoimmune Hepatitis Tests 5 Treatment How Interferon Works Who Responds? Breakthroughs Interferon and Acute Hepatitis C What the Treatment Involves Should You Take Interferon? You Shouldn't Take Interferon if...
Editors of FC&A
Kleinman, Arthur M.D.
Jaret, Peter
Bibliography: p. 229-231. Includes index.
Marti Ann Schwartz
F. Gilbert McMahon
McGoon, Michael D., M.D.
From Book News, Inc. A thorough, detailed, clear, and non-condescending presentation for the lay reader. Covers heart anatomy, discussion of various kinds of heart disease, how to reduce risk of coronary artery disease, diagnostic tests, treatment, and special issues such as the intake of aspirin, fish oil, and coffee; whether all palpitations should be treated; women; and participation in medical research. Abundantly illustrated. A superb consumer-oriented health reference (even though it lacks a bibliography). Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. Book Description Mayo Clinic Heart Book For the millions of readers with an interest in cardiac care and heart health, Mayo Clinic Heart Book serves as a comprehensive, single-volume reference that provides complete, clear information in these vital areas: General knowledge about the heart and circulatory system (see pages 1-18)Symptoms of heart disease and what they mean (see pages 20-35)Complete medical information about specific heart conditions (see pages 35-114)Diagnostic tests: what they mean, why they are... read more
McDougall, John A., M.D.
Ingram With his question-and-answer format, John McDougall leads the readers to an understanding of an approach to their health that puts them in charge of their own health and/or treatment.
McNally, William F.
From Booklist McNally had primary biliary cirrhosis and ultimately needed a liver transplant. When he finally reached physical stability, he realized he had learned a lot about managing his health insurance. Here he provides others with the opportunity to benefit from his experience. He does not tell the reader what to do, though; each reader will have to think and work hard to get full value from his advice. The text is closely argued and includes many lists, tables, and sample forms to fill out. It proceeds step-by-step through the intricacies of different types of insurance and their major variations, suggests productive questions to ask physicians about health care, and explains insurance bills and how to ascertain their accuracy. So doing, it informs about the wide range of available health insurance options and the increasing variety of HMOs. Perhaps most important, it teaches how to evaluate all those options as they pertain to current and anticipated individual needs. William Beatty Dr. Nancy Snyderman, Health and Medical Correspondent, ABC News "Every patient needs an advocate and with Bill McNally's book you have one. Managing Your Health Care is a must for every home and something you should read before you need it!"
McCue, Jack D. (Editor)
Includes bibliographies and index.
Solomon, Fredric
Based on papers presented at a Symposium on the Medical Implications of Nuclear War held at the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C., Sept. 20-22, 1985 and organized under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine. Includes bibliographies and index.
Illich, Ivan
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
Payer, Lynn
From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by FGP We have been so conditioned to believe that medical science is objective and unbiased that we rarely question decisions made by our doctors. Lynn Payer shows that medical decisions may not be as clear-cut as we think. Using case examples from France, Germany, England and the U.S., she shows that the same condition may result in different diagnoses, and that even the same diagnosis may be treated in very different ways. These differences are not due to ill-trained doctors or backward practices, but rather to differing cultural approaches to health and illness. Realizing that cultural bias does influence medical judgment makes it easier to question your doctor's decisions without questioning his motives. It also makes you realize that there are viable medical options available which are common practice in other countries and are not considered part of the lunatic fringe. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Excerpted from Medicine and Culture by Lynn Payer (as appears in The WomanSource Catalog & Review). Copyright(c) 1989. Reprinted by permission, all rights reserved When an internist I was seeing for the first time finally diagnosed as a mitral valve prolapse that heart murmur other internists had been hearing for years, he told me I should take antibiotics whenever I had any dental procedure whatsoever, including having my teeth cleaned....To make certain I was really dealing with American culture bias, I later passed this incident by a French professor of medicine to see what the practice in France would be. He explained that for the third and most... read more --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Konner, Melvin J.
Ingram An informed indictment of the modern medical establishment examines such problems as the high cost of health care, the channeling of funds to high-tech research instead of prevention programs, the medical-insurance gap, and other critical issues. 30,000 first printing. $30,000 ad/promo. Tour. From the Publisher "While we can all benefit from Konner's suggestions, it would be especially useful if those in Hillary Rodham Clinton's task force pay special attention to what [he] has to say."--The Los Angeles Times --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inlander, Charles B.
"A People's Medical Society book"--Cover. Includes bibliographical references (p. 254-281). Includes index.
Naisbitt, John
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Trudeau' Kevin
Debakey, Michael E.
Ingram Shares the latest developments and research on aspects of heart disease such as arrhythmia and artificial pacemakers, hypertension, arteriosclerosis, congenital abnormalities, and more, along with tips on preventing heart disease. Original. 100,000 first printing. IP.
Spath, Patrice L.
Book Info (Health Forum, Inc.) Discusses the questions of involving consumers in healthcare safety improvement. Chapters include such topics as the patient's role in safety, creating opportunities for patient involvement in error prevention, and the leader's role in patient safety.
American Organization of Nurse Executives
Glenmullen, Joseph
Amazon.com It seems like it was just yesterday that Prozac was a miracle pill, a medication that could not only make sick people well, but "better than well." By the end of the 1990s, Prozac and similar drugs--Paxil, Zoloft, and others--were being prescribed for everything from depression to anxiety to drug addiction to ADD. About 70 percent of prescriptions for these antidepressants were being written by family physicians, rather than psychiatrists. Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, a psychiatrist who has a private practice and also works for Harvard University Health Services, sees this antidepressant mania as dangerous, even reckless. He notes that these drugs can have severe side effects, including uncontrollable facial and body tics, which could be signs of severe and permanent brain damage. About 50 percent of patients suffer often-debilitating withdrawal symptoms from them, and about 60 percent end up with sexual dysfunction. And Prozac may make a small number of people homicidal or suicidal, or both. But there are alternatives: in Germany, for example, St. John's wort outsells Prozac 25 to 1, showing that doctors and patients there understand that the herbal remedy works as well as the synthetic ones for mild to moderate depression. [Editor's note: St. John's wort has been shown to interfere with the actions of the transplant rejection drug cyclosporin and the AIDS drug indinivir.] And diet, exercise, 12-step programs, and good old-fashioned psychotherapy can work well, too. Even for severe depression requiring medication, Dr. Glenmullen shows how the drugs can be used with other treatments and then discontinued after a year or less. Moreover, Prozac Backlash discusses exactly what depression is and isn't; Dr. Glenmullen reviews hundreds of scientific studies, and discusses numerous case studies from his practice and others. Because of that detail, medical professionals may be this book's most likely readers, but anyone who has been on an antidepressant, or is close to someone who is, will also want to give Prozac Backlash a careful read. The brain you save could be your own. --Lou Schuler From Beliefnet Joseph Glenmullen indicts the health industry for dangerous malfeasance, presenting evidence that talk therapy is actually more effective than the much-touted new drugs. Glenmullen criticizes influential "studies" of the new serotonin boosters--often tainted by the researchers' conflicts of interest ("consulting" fees and the like from the companies whose products they are supposedly evaluating). He concludes that the Prozac-type drugs do no better than older, cheaper drugs, or even cocaine,... read more
Churchill, Larry R.
Groopman, Jerome
Amazon.com Respected AIDS and cancer specialist Jerome Groopman, M.D., discussed the convergence of illness and spirituality in his first book, The Measure of Our Days. In Second Opinions: Stories of Intuition and Choice in the Changing World of Medicine, he shifts his focus to the ways intuition informs his medical decisions and enhances the quality of his patient relationships (even giving him an edge when examining a patient on referral). In eight chapters that vividly recount cases whose outcomes hinge as much on the doctor's gut feeling and empathy as on his expertise, Groopman eschews the impersonal and know-it-all role of the doctor, describing instead dire cases in which careful consideration of both the emotional and medical issues positively impacted his approach to treatment. "A clinical compass is built not only from the doctor's medical knowledge but also from joining his intuition with that of his patient," Groopman writes. "This melding of minds occurs when the physician probes not only his patient's body but also his spirit." This uniquely integrated compass is the guide that determines the safest, least traumatic treatment for people who are in advanced stages of illness or whose diagnoses are clinical conundrums. Of the eight stories here, there's Isabella, who was diagnosed with asthma but actually has acute leukemia; Peter, whose sickness is an enigma although he's clearly dying of a vicious lung-tissue disorder; and Alex, who will die from bone marrow failure unless its exact cause is identified. Groopman's narrative nimbly relates all the details of his patients' battles as well as the professional and emotional steps he takes when facing a medical challenge. In most cases, he has been sought out to provide a second opinion of the patient's diagnosis and proposed treatment. More often than not, the original diagnosis was inaccurate and Groopman's meticulous and insightful examinations yield findings that mean the difference between life and death. Second Opinions is a thoughtful, riveting book and a compelling tribute to the efficacy of medical care when handled responsibly and with empathy. It is also a cautionary collection of stories that reveal oversights inevitable in the health-care industry's rush to maximize efficiency, and as such it teaches an important lesson about the patient's role in ensuring a high quality of care. While Groopman runs the risk of seeming self-congratulatory, he proves himself a trustworthy advocate of patient empowerment and his sincere, articulate portrayal of intuition's subtle force will be inspirational for anyone confronting illness. --Rebecca Wright Product Description: The acclaimed doctor and author of the best-selling The Measure of Our Days---who writes "beautifully, tenderly, truthfully" (Oliver Sacks)--explores the art and science of decision-making in today's complex medical universe. Jerome Groopman, an eminent clinician and researcher at Harvard Medical School and a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine, explored the spiritual dimension of illness in his highly praised The Measure of Our Days. In Second Opinions, he focuses on the greatest challenge that patients and their families face--how to evaluate and act on medical advice. Told in eight gripping clinical dramas, linked by Groopman's unique insider's vantage point, Second Opinions is a book that reveals the forces at play--from the realities of medical politics to the importance of patient intuition--in making critical medical decisions. As we accompany Groopman, we witness him and his wife as anxious young parents of an infant near-fatally misdiagnosed; a family trapped by an HMO's rote plan about what seemed like routine asthma; and doctors' conflicts over a patient with no clear diagnosis--a case where non-intervention turned out to be the wise, lifesaving choice. An extraordinary reading experience, Second Opinions takes us into the complex and ever-changing world of medicine where knowledge is imperfect, no therapy is without risks, no prognosis fully predictable. Readers will come a
Felch, William Campbell
Table of Contents Preface: Medicine in the 20th Century: An Era of Transformation The Doctoring Career Choosing Medicine (Medical) School Days The Rituals of Residency Decisions, Decisions Purviews of Professionalism Patient Care: The Process Evaluating Diagnosis Treatise on Treatment A Pound of Prevention Whither the H&P? Practice Styles The Listening Skill The Humble Factor Micro World Matters House Calls Who's in Charge, Doctor or Patient? The Generalist/Specialist Dichotomy Records of Continuing Care Dealing with Death and Dying Ethics and Patient Care The Big Picture Doctoring: Science or Art? Elite or Egalitarian? Science 'n Technology Data--and Death Certificates The AQC Triad FFS versus PPC Hospitals--An Identity Crisis Afterword: Medicine in the 21st Century: Prescription for Caring Book Description One of the few practicing physicians to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine and one of a rare breed of doctors who writes with clarity and ease, Dr. Felch describes his 40-year experience in the mainstream of medical care. Both as a primary care physician making house calls and as a leader in medical professional organizations, Felch reflects on everyday matters of patient care, pointing out that they are actually complex, multifaceted, and unique. He points out... read more
Ziff, Sam
Includes bibliographies.
Lewis, John
Includes bibliographical references (p. 249-265) and index.
Henderson, Gail (Editor)
Table of Contents Preface Introduction PART I A CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE OF EXPERIENCES OF ILLNESS, DISABILITY, AND DEVIANCE Introduction Sue E. Estroff 1 Culture, Health, and Illness The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Medicine Eric J. Cassell Cancer, Control, and Causality: Talking about Cancer in a Working-Class Community Martha Balshem Coming to Terms with Advanced Breast Cancer: Black Women's Narratives from Eastern North Carolina Holly F. Mathews Donald R. Lannin James P. Mitchell 2 Illness Experiences and Illness Narratives The Deer at Providencia Annie Dillard The Cost of Appearances Arthur Frank Silver Water Amy Bloom 3 Experiences of Deviance, Chronic Illness, and Disability Self, Identity, and the Naming Question: Reflections on the Language of Disability Irving Kenneth Zola Finch the Spastic Speaks Gordon Weaver Tell Me, Tell Me Irving Kenneth Zola PART II THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL FACTORS ON HEALTH AND ILLNESS Introduction Gail E. Henderson 1 The Relationship between Social Class, Race/Ethnicity, and Health Socioeconomic Inequalities in Health: No Easy Solution Nancy E. Adler et al. "Where Crowded Humanity Suffers and Sickens": The Banes Family and Their Neighborhood Laurie K. Abraham One Drop of Blood Lawrence Wright 2 Gender and Health Women Have Headaches, Men Have Backaches: Patterns of Illness in an Appalachian Community Claire F. Horton Spence + Lila (excerpts) Bobbie Ann Mason The Mother-in-Law Doris Betts 3 Old Age Trends, Issues, Perspectives, and Values for the Aging of the Baby Boom Cohorts (excerpts) John M. Cornman Eric R. Kingson What Do Children Owe Elderly Parents? Daniel Callahan Decision Making, Responsibility, and Advocacy in Geriatric Medicine: Physician Dilemmas with Elderly in the Community Sharon R. Kaufman We Are Nighttime Travelers Ethan Canin PART III THE CULTURE OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL PRACTICE Introduction Ronald P. Strauss 1 The Socialization of Physicians Basic Clinical Skills: The First Encounters Melvin Konner Becoming a Doctor: Critical-Incident Reports from Third-Year Medical Students William Branch Richard J. Pels Robert S. Lawrence Ronald Arky Invasions Perri Klass Ethical Dilemmas for House Staff Physicians: The Care of Critically Ill and Dying Patients William Winkenwerder Jr. A Student's View of a Medical Teaching Exercise Abenaa Brewster The Libby Zion Case: One Step Forward or Two Steps Backward? David A. Asch Ruth M. Parker 2 Medical Practice in Social Context Presidential Address: The Boundaries of Medicine Donald W. Seldin The Boundaries of Medicine Gerald T. Perkoff The Changing Demography of the Medical Profession Arnold S. Relman Medicine Is No Longer a Man's Profession; Or, When the Men's Club Goes Coed It's Time to Change the Regs Carola Eisenberg The Doctors of Hoyland Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 3 Relationships between Doctors and Patients The Basic Models of the Doctor-Patient Relationship Thomas S. Szasz Marc H. Hollender Facing Our Mistakes David Hilfiker Simple Living and Hard Choices Maureen A. Flannery The Paid Nurse William Carlos Williams PART IV HEALTH CARE ETHICS AND THE PROVIDER'S ROLE Introduction Nancy M.P. King 1 The Provider-Patient Relationship Bioethics in Social Context Larry R. Churchill The Use of Force William Carlos Williams Case Study: The "Student Doctor" and a Wary Patient Marc D. Basson Gerald Dworkin Eric J. Cassell Truth Telling to the Patient Antonella Surbone Is Truth Telling to the Patient a Cultural Artifact? Edmund D. Pellegrino Offering Truth: One Ethical Approach to the Uninformed Cancer Patient Benjamin Freedman What the Doctor Said Raymond Carver Informed Consent, Cancer, and Truth in Prognosis George J. Annas Swapping Stories: A Matter of Ethics Judith Andre Case Study: Please Don't Tell! Leonard Fleck Marcia Angell 2 Interests in Conflict Cesareans and Samaritans Nancy K.
Stephenson, Larry W., Md
Detroit Free Press, April 12, 2000 Clear, concise summary of the most common heart tests and treatments, with summaries of particular advances by 16 pioneers.. --This text refers to the Paperback edition. Book Description Written by respected cardiothoracic surgeon Larry W. Stephenson, M.D. with bestselling author Jeffrey L. Rodengen, "State of the Heart: The Practical Guide to Your Heart and Heart Surgery" is the ultimate source of information for heart patients, their families, and anyone concerned with heart health. Its 47 contributors include a who's who of prominent surgeons from the world's leading cardiac care centers and advice from many pioneers of heart surgery, including Christiaan N. Barnard M.D.,... read more
Halvorson, George C.
From Kirkus Reviews Crisp, clear analysis of health care--from the perspective of a businessman who applies a systems approach and focuses on the financial incentives that drive the system. Halvorson's credentials are impressive--president of a billion-dollar health-care organization (which remains unnamed here); developer of two HMOs; a former senior executive of Blue Cross--and his approach is direct and businesslike. As he sees it, perverse market incentives inadvertently have been built into our present system. We reward medical providers for volume and complexity and our insurers for risk avoidance; consequently, health care in America is wasteful, expensive, complex, and leaves millions without coverage. Halvorson believes that the solution lies in simple common sense and economic reality. If we change the incentives, he says, we can create a high-quality, highly efficient, and continually improving system. He analyzes how the key elements of the present health-care delivery and financing system work, discussing in turn doctors, hospitals, technology, drugs, insurers, HMOs, and--last but not least--the government. Halvorson also examines some of the options currently being proposed, assessing their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, he proposes 12 objectives for America's medical system (including a truly competitive marketplace, prepayment for care, quality standards for caregivers, and universal coverage), and explains in some detail how each objective can be met by changing the incentives that drive the system. One key to success, he contends, is enlightened medical leadership, with doctors being trained in political science and management--especially in the Deming approach to quality improvement, used so successfully by Japanese industry. Persuasive, straightforward, and worthy of attention in the ongoing national debate. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. Book Description "This book is a must read. Clear and concise, it focuses complicated issues and prescribes a common-sense formula to solve America's health care crisis." -- Gaston Caperton, governor of West Virginia Americans spend $900 billion a year on health care. That's more than enough dollars to ensure high-quality care for every citizen. Why aren't we getting it? And what can we do about it? In this plainspoken book, George Halvorson cuts to the heart of our health system's failure: the incentives we offer... read more
Menzel, Paul T.
Book Description In one form or another, health care now gets rationed. Not everything beneficial is done for every patient. For the individual the consequences are sometimes tragic. Rationing decisions thus raise a classic dilemma: how can we treat with dignity and genuine respect the person who gets short-changed by an efficient policy that seems best overall? Strong Medicine argues that we can, if those policies represent the hard trade-off preferences of patients controlling resources for their larger lives. Rationing is still strong medicine to swallow, but then it becomes what patients as well as the doctor ordered. Menzel develops this central idea and applies it to major issues of health policy and economics: the notion of pricing life, the long-run cost of prevention, measuring quality of life, imperiled newborns, adequate care for the poor, containing costs by market competition, malpractice suits, procuring organs for transplant, and dying expensively in old age. He provides a hard-hitting, critical philosophical discussion of these issues, in non-technical language accessible to a wide range of readers interested in policy questions the book takes up. The issues are fascinating, the arguments are careful, and the results often surprising. Book Info Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington. Ethical considerations in health care delivery allocation. DNLM: 1. Cost Control.
James Fries and Donald Vickery
Hodge, Alice
Table of Contents Foreword: Why We Wrote This Book Chapter 1-Diagnosis and Discovery Get Ready to Face Your Situation Chapter 2-Take Charge First Things First -- The What Stage Getting It Down on Paper The Next Step A Word of Advice Forward March Chapter 3-Getting It Together Putting Together Your Medical Resume A Living Will and a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare Organizing It All Chapter 4-How to Get Information Remember: Acquiring Knowledge Takes Time Your Doctors' Offices Other Healthcare Professionals Patient Services Health Libraries and Resource Centers Some Tips for Working with Research Information Fee-for-Research Services Public Libraries Commercial and Online Bookstores Disease-Specific Organizations and Hotlines Support Groups Friends and Other Patients Health Conferences and Symposiums The Internet and Online Services -- Access to Research Data, Articles, Chat Groups, etc. Chapter 5-How to Get the Most from Your Doctors Getting Well Requires a Team Effort Help Your Doctor Help You The Doctor Visit: Fifteen Tips You Can Really Use A Doctor's Point of View If You Are Having Problems with Your Doctor Chapter 6-When and How to Get Another Opinion Reasons to Look for Other Opinions When to Consider Another Opinion Second Opinions Regarding Diagnosis Second Opinions to Explore and Review Treatment Options Second Opinions as Confirmation Choosing the Best from an Imperfect Set of Options Six Factors to Consider When Determining Your Treatment Program Things to Consider When Seeking Other Opinions How to Find Out Where to Go for Other Opinions Four Steps to Use When Getting Other Opinions Questions to Ask Second Opinion Doctors How to Evaluate Treatment Recommendations After You Have Made Your Decision Chapter 7-Putting Your Wellness Team Together Whom to Confide In Assess Your Needs Your Team of Doctors Things to Do When First Meeting with a Specialist Other Practitioners Support Groups Those Closest to You -- Your Personal Support Circle To Caregivers Chapter 8-Lifestyle Modifications Little Things Become Big This Experience Will Change Your Life Attitude Is Everything! Thirteen Effective Ways to Modify Your Behavior Chapter 9-Tests, Procedures and Your Medical Records Tests and Procedures Questions to Ask Considerations in the Selection of Tests When You Go for Your Test or Procedure Ask for a Copy of Your Report When You and Your Doctor Disagree Your Medical Records Chapter 10-How to Make the Most of Treatment Programs and Clinical Trials Help Your Treatment Program Work for You Clinical Trials Clinical Trials: Issues to Consider Chapter 11-Medications Before You Begin Taking Any Medication Keep Your Doctors Informed about Your Medications Make a Friend of Your Pharmacist Know Your Medications and When to Take Them While You Are on Medications When You Travel Chapter 12-Hospital Stays Bring Someone with You to Act as Your Advocate Familiarize Yourself with What Will Be Done Prepare Yourself' While Recuperating in the Hospital Personal Caregivers Caregivers Need to Take Care of Themselves Too Find Out How to Care for Yourself Before Going Home Chapter 13-How to Stay Sane When Dealing with Insurance Companies The Insurance Company Perspective Nine Tips to Help You Navigate the Maze Long-Term (Custodial) Care Healthcare Reform and What It Means to You Insurance Information Resources Chapter 14-Next Steps Now That Your Treatment Is Over Here We Go Again: How to Deal with Recurrences Chapter 15-Facing Death. The Time to Put Your Affairs in Order Is Now When You Know You Are Dying Hospice -- For Those Who Want the Comfort of Home and a Safe, Supportive Environment Chapter 16-Are You Taking Charge? Suggested Reading Index Worksheets and Sample Questions
Shealy, C. Norman
Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-216).
Kennedy, Ian
Wasley, Terree P.
From Book News, Inc. The author takes an insightful look at health care problems and offers a solution based on consumer choice. Her health care proposal is similar to the plan recommended by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups. She does not address the abusive tactics of insurance companies and HMOs. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.
Yudofsky, Stuart
From Publishers Weekly Each year, as the coauthors point out, close to 200 million prescriptions for psychiatric drugs are filled in the U.S. Yet many people who require them are ill-equipped or unable to ask questions about the drugs or about appropriate alternatives. Yudofsky, Hales and Ferguson here explain the types of psychiatric drugs and the conditions they assuage, while encouraging patients and their families to ask more questions. Described in detail are what the drugs do : tranquilizers, antidepressants, anti-addictives, anti-aggressives, sedatives; and pharmaceutical treatments for mania, phobias, panic disorders and Alzheimer's disease. Parents of young children may find the chapter on drugs for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders (frequently found in children) particularly helpful; just as beneficial is a chapter on the uses of sleeping pills for insomnia and other sleep-related problems. Also discussed are non-drug treatment options for several conditions. But unfortunately, the writing is stiff, as is nowhere more apparent than in the contrived, uninspiring case histories. Yudofsky is chairman of the department of psychiatry at the University of Chicago; Hales is chairman of the department of psychiatry at the Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center in San Francisco; Ferguson is president of the Center for Self-Care Studies in Austin, Tex. Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From Book News, Inc. A comprehensive consumer guide to current psychiatric medications and their uses. The format and content are clear and interesting, with general information presented on categories of drugs and specific information presented on selected individual drugs. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. Book Description Prepared by a team of nationally respected health professionals, here is the definitive consumer guide to the powerful medications that have revolutionized the treatment of psychological illness, and includes: an alphabetical listing and discussion of the most frequently utilized drugs, cross-referenced to the illness they treat AND their side effects; a review of their effects on special risk groups, such as pregnant women, and the elderly, plus guidelines for finding and evaluating psychiatrists who are knowledgeable in prescribing psychiatric drugs, and much more.
Wesbury, Stuart A.
Bast, Joseph L.
Book Description This book explodes the myths surrounding health care spending by showing that the U.S. has faced the public health challenges of AIDS, drug abuse, and teenage pregnancy with a lower rate of spending growth than most countries. The authors blame high U.S. health care costs on government spending, tax breaks for health insurance premiums, and over-regulation of the industry. They present a bold free-market plan for lowering unnecessary health care spending while retaining world-class quality and expanding access for the needy. About the Author Joseph L Bast of Chicago is author of "Rebuilding America's Schools". Richard C. Rue is author of "Mandated Public Health Insurance". Stuart A. Wesbury Jr. is CEO of the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Yale University