The realities of American health care, 2009:
- Less personal medical attention due to cost-cutting and regulation
- A 40 percent national misdiagnosis rate, per recent surveys
- A critical need for people to take responsibility for their own care
Targeting these issues, author Lisa Hall--whose debilitating condition took nearly ten years to properly diagnose--offers a wide variety of practical resources to empower patients. Hall's experience is buttressed by the expertise of internal-medicine doctor Ronald Wyatt, a fellow of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Readers will find valuable guidance on how to
- find the right kind of doctor, check physician credentials, and increase benefits of office visits
- maximize Internet research
- navigate medical insurance, Medicare, workers' compensation, and Social Security disability
- reduce vulnerability to hospital mistakes
- organize medical records
The author encourages readers to move forward step by step--and to look back and see God's plan taking shape through the difficulties.