The Truth About Big Medicine
Righting the Wrongs for Better Health Care
Cheryl L Brown editor John T James editor
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Rowman & Littlefield
Published:5th Dec '14
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
Many Americans believe that their healthcare is second to none. Most patients, therefore, fail to appreciate the flaws and dangers present while receiving medical care. In fact, the American healthcare industry is one of the great tragedies of this country, which is now being brought to its knees by the medical industry run amuck. The Truth About Big Medicine: Righting the Wrongs for Better Healthcare divulges secrets of the industry, which keep it focused on its own economic needs to the detriment of public health. The cost of American healthcare per person far exceeds other developed countries, yet it delivers life expectancies and infant mortalities that are ranked shamefully low among developed nations. Special interest groups and weak legislation created a “tapeworm” that continues to devour the American economy and shorten the lives of hundreds of thousands each year. Using true stories throughout, the authors illustrate that it is time for the public, students, educators, and legislators to recognize medical deception and secrecy, and to consider clear solutions on how they can achieve a safer healthcare system. A rich variety of authors with experience in revealing unsafe medical practices bring recommendations for changing healthcare delivery by taking an aspect of the healthcare system, identifying its shortcomings, and proposing ways to reduce harm plus correct the injustices. Included are discussions of imaging, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, hospital practices and procedures, and medical malpractice and negligence, among other topics. No consumer of health care should ignore the dangers inherent in the system; this book helps reveal them and suggests useful remedies. The authors maintain a website at http://truthaboutbigmedicine.com/
It may sound incongruous, but medical treatment can be harmful to your health. One estimate in the year 2000 ranked medical care as the third leading cause of death, trailing only heart disease and cancer! The Institute of Medicine quotes 1.5 million preventable detrimental drug events annually in the U.S., and the CDC figures that more than 700,000 hospital-acquired infections occur each year. In this multi-authored book promoting patient empowerment, legislative activism, and reform, health care in the U.S. is painted as too risky, frequently unnecessary, and way too costly. Topics include dangerous drugs and medical devices, hospital-acquired infections, lax licensing and credentialing of doctors, peer review problems, and difficulty in obtaining information about physician discipline and malpractice history from the National Practitioner Data Bank. When medical mistakes do occur, truth telling is essential; at times, an apology is necessary. Acceptance of evidence-based medical guidelines by all practicing physicians is vital. * Booklist *
An inspiring and gripping series of tragedies, heroes, and common-sense solutions to healthcare’s dilemma. -- Marty Makary, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins surgeon and New York Times best-selling author of Unaccountable
The Truth About Big Medicine exposes some of the truths about “big medicine:” the fragmentation of services, the regulatory gaps and inconsistencies, and the lapses in the provision of high quality care. Through the lens of consumer protection and patient-centeredness the authors delineate ways to “open up” and improve the U.S health care system using greater transparency and disclosure. -- Carolyn Long Engelhard, MPA, director of Health Policy Program, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of Medicine
The authors have provided a thoughtful and well documented account of many lapses occurring in America's troubled health delivery system. This is tempered with a series of common sense recommendations whereby patients and society can rightfully expect improvements and hold accountable those professionals whose practices cause untold injuries and deaths. This book is a must read for all who seek a more responsible and accountable healthcare system. -- Aaron Liberman, Ph.D., LHRM, professor of health services administration, University of Central Florida
ISBN: 9781442231603
Dimensions: 238mm x 160mm x 25mm
Weight: 522g
256 pages