The Patient's Playbook Information

A 2013 study in the Journal of Patient Safety estimated that 400,000 people die every year in the United States from medical error. That makes medical error the third leading cause of death in this country, just behind heart disease and cancer. We can only guess at the number of patients who survive but are poked, prodded, and severely harmed by unnecessary surgeries and treatments every year. When you or someone you love faces a health problem, and critical decisions about treatment must be made, it’s easy to become paralyzed. All too often, we actually don’t know how to make the best decisions—we don’t know how to collect the right information, gain access to the most capable physicians, frame our options, and ensure the best possible outcome. Leslie Michelson, a medical case management expert and advocate for patient education, has spent the past three decades advising people from all walks of life when they need medical guidance. The company he founded, Private Health Management, oversees the well being of thousands of clients. “The Patient’s Playbook” is a complete distillation of Michelson’s three decades of experience and the practical guide everyone—no matter their age or income—needs to get the best possible care from a flawed and challenging system. Using compelling, real-life stories of patients and physicians, Michelson reveals life-saving strategies and decision-making tools that will empower readers to completely rethink the way they interact with caregivers and hospitals. “The Patient’s Playbook” signals a revolution in how we manage our own health. It will not only change the way you think about medicine, it will give you back something you’ve always possessed: the power to make a real difference in the well-being of those you love.