Given our society's litigious culture when it comes to poor outcomes in medicine, this is a most unexpected book from any medical doctor, let alone a practicing surgeon. We know medical procedures can be less than perfect and yet it is seldom discussed in other than adversarial language. All of us interact with doctors over time and should view them rationally, yet part of the doctor's ability to heal rests with our faith in expecting a positive outcome from whatever it is they do. I'm in a book club of retirees, and some have had serious health issues over the years. I thought I'd recommend this book as one of our monthly selections, then changed my mind. Not because it's not very good (it is quite good) but because it may be a little too good when discussing a topic most of us would just as soon not think about too much. Having said that, I'd still recommend it to everyone. You will still trust your doctor, you'll just do it with eyes more open.
Tuesday, November 04, 2014
Complications A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande
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