Getting the Best From Your Doctor

James Metz, MD
Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania
Last Modified: November 1, 2001

Authors: Alan N. Schwartz, MD, Richard Jiminez, MD, Tracy Myers, MHA, and Andrew Solomon, MD
Publisher: Chronimed Publishing
Price: $23.95 ($33.95 CAN)
ISBN: 1-56561-155-1
OncoLink Rating:

Recent changes in the health care marketplace make it imperative that patients understand and critically analyze their health care provider and insurance carrier. Although this book was written for a general patient population, some cancer patients may benefit from its recommendations. The book is written from the perspective of three physicians and a health care finance analyst.

Getting the Best From Your Doctor deals with a wide range of topics related to health care. There is a good section on choosing your health care provider that is targeted at finding a primary physician. Cancer patients may find the chapters addressing effective communication skills, dealing with insurance companies, and taking charge of medical decision making very helpful. The book empowers the reader to take charge of the decisions regarding their health care.

The chapters on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment and healing are targeted to an audience with general medical conditions. Most cancer patients will not find these sections helpful for their specific condition. Books specifically dealing with cancer are more helpful on these topics.

The authors utilize patient vignettes to make the book more personal. There are exercises at the completion of each chapter to help solidify the main points of each section. Medical terms are well defined throughout the book.

Getting the Best From Your Doctor is a worthwhile book for the cancer patient who is interested in enhancing their communication skills, understanding the current health care marketplace, and getting the most out of their interactions with health care providers.