Malpractice Books

Using the label of malpractice to describe the management practice of saying one thing and doing another, Hickman segregates his condemnation of leadership hypocrisy into five areas:
1. Innovation and Creative Imaginings
2. Individuals and Employees
3. Corporate Culture and Structure
4. Interpersonal Relationships and Teams, and
5. Visionary Leadership and Strategy.

For each of these areas, the author identifies 5 failures of management and then writes a prescription for the malpractice - in all, giving more than 125 actions to cure 25 unhealthy management practices that disable organizations. As an example, in the area of Corporate Culture and Structure he describes "Malpracticed Principle #11"; "Create an Environment Where People Fell Free to Raise Concerns" as the lie, and describes the truth as: "Raise concerns at your own risk...." The prescription for this malpractice is:
1. Make raising concerns part of your management practice
2. Admit that organizational hierarchies naturally generate opposition between those on top and those at lower levels,..
3. Obtain information on GE's workout session...
4. Challenge your people to find holes and hidden obstacles...
5. Eliminate any behavior or practice that squelches open feedback....

The book is structured so that the reader can turn to any area and find a malpractice of their choosing and thus are not required to read the entire book. This is a good thing, as the malpractices are often repeated with minor distinctions and the prescriptions are much the same. The malpractices are all failures to act consistent with espoused policies, principles, or value statements. The prescriptions are often, "Do what you say" or, "Look in the mirror". While the organizational and leadership errors noted are common occurrences in many organizations, telling leaders to, "Just Stop it!" may not be all that helpful.

Dennis DeWilde, author of
"The Performance Connection"

From all the points covered in the book, "Management Malpractice How to Cure Unhealthy Management Practices That Disable Your Organization" is a very informative book. All individual in any organization should be introduced to these common practices. Knowing and learning how to identify these practices will be beneficial to an employee in understanding the various intricate communications and practices taking place in an organization' environment.

The basic message of this book, which is that most management teams actively and repeatedly abuse their power, needs to be broadcast and discussed openly by people in organizations everywhere. The fact that it's not, disturbs me greatly!

I enjoyed this book a lot. At the end of each chapter, the author lists 4 or 5 best practices for avoiding/ending the malpractice of whichever management principle is being discussed in that chapter. These best practices are some of the best suggestions/ideas I have come across. This book is an important read for executives and managers, but equally useful for line staff.

This book is extremely relevant to today's business environment. I thought Craig Hickman's take was very unique; not at all the usual fare. He argues that the biggest problem facing organizations is the devolvement of noble management principles. Every corporation woud likely claim that they abide by the 25 management principles Hickman discusses (i.e. Respect Others, Challenge Assumptions, Create Trust, Eliminate Organizational Barriers, etc.), but how many of them actually do? The biggest problem isn't a lack of noble management principles, it is the rampant abuse of already existing ones. This devolvement, if left unchecked, could be what we pass on to the next generation.

After reading this book I was sure to send a copy off to my family members. My mom and aunt are caring for my grandparents, and the book helped them make a lot of choices when faced with hospital visits. Attending to an elder is a lot of energy, and to have a plan for action can really help one with the day to day tasks hospital care requires. I got my copy from Schroder's web site: [...] where Jack answers questions you may have. An amazing resource for anyone providing care for a loved one.

Genre: Medical/Non Fiction
Title: Then Why does it Still Hurt?
AUTHOR: Jack Schroder
This book will frighten you! Author, Jack Schroder explains the extent of Medical Malpractice in such a descriptive way, readers will be horrified. Learn what to expect, how to protect yourself and how to get the care and attention you deserve.

Readers learn of unintentional but incompetent hospital care, misadministration of medicines and accidents in care facilities. Is your HMO protecting you or placing you in jeopardy? Is your doctor over tired, over worked or medicated? Are you being cared for by a registered nurse or an inexperienced nursing assistant? All of these questions and more are answered in this book.

Jack Schroder has worked in the medical field for many years and has written a very successful book for lawyers, Identifying Medical Malpractice. He attempts to bring some of this knowledge to the general public in Then why does it Still Hurt.

You will never simply accept what you are told with blind faith after reading this book. You will be able to ask questions and have confidence that you are receiving the best care possible. This book is an eye opener.

Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Reviews.

I found this book useful and fascinating. Because I had recruited older Americans to lobby at the state legislture level in more than 35 states and taught them about health care issues, I had always judged myself to be a fairly well informed about the health care industry and about being a consumer of health care. But I now know that was wrong. I knew too little. Schroeder's book accurately portrays the facts about America's health care system and how to be a better customer/patient.

OK the descriptions of the various ways that your doctor, HMO, or hospital can harm you are very well presented. However, potential readers should know that he rants and raves throughout the book continually implying that the health-care industry is only a group of greedy, uncaring people. The book takes a purely political swing in the last chapter where jumps into a promotion of very liberal universal health care coverage (a very different subject) as if this will solve all of our problems - ". . . all people in this country would share one level of medical care. No one would get an inferior level of care because he had no money . . ." Give me a break! None of the universal care countries have achieved this utopia. Karl Marx was wrong - equality does not create happiness. Productivity creates happiness.

What a book! That said let me explain. Author, Jack Schroder, treads in water that would be way over most people's heads in this outstanding read. What is it about? Your survival; your very life!
All of us will experience times of sickness and possible hospitalization and with that truth comes the real dangers. In this work, our author gives a concise explanation of what we ought to expect from those that we are entrusting our very lives to, and what we need to fear.

He explains the dangers that await you in the hospital, the dangers that lurk in different medicines you take and the dangers of your doctors very care of you.
Scary? Maybe so, but this information could well save your life or the lives of those you love.
He does not write this in a condemning way to our medical care people, but as in all things there are always dangers, accidents, neglect and this is so concerning your medical care. However, some of these can be avoided and being informed is a safeguard; knowledge is a weapon that you can use. And in this work that is what you are given, information and knowledge, so you can see the pitfalls before you fall in them.

I really liked this book and plan to keep it on hand because I know, as with all of us, there will be a time when I will need to refer to the knowledge it holds. It is said that being forewarned is being forearmed; this book will help you to protect yourself.
I highly recommend it; it will be well worth your time and money. Trust me on this one.

About three weeks ago, in the middle of the night, my wife and I decided enough was enough and so we went to our local ER. She had developed a stomach ache that had turned into heartburn and throwing up. The on-call doc diagnosed her with some sort of blockage and sent us home with a sleeping potion and a prescription for Miralax. She slept okay and the laxative seemed to work the next day but that night at about 3 AM we found ourselves back in the ER. That night's on-call got her a CT scan and the preliminary read showed a possible for blockage or ulcer. We went home with more sleeping pills. Monday, she went to her own doctor and he referred her to a specialist for a colonoscopy. The result of the colonoscopy and an EGD found diverticulosis of the sigmoid colon, grade 1 internal hemorrhoids, a longer than usual colon, erythema in the antrum (biopsy H-pilori), and an otherwise normal second part of the duodenum and ileum. His prescription, high fiber diet, more Miralax, add Fibercon tabs, and Colace tabs, too.

My friend Laura Nathanson signed a copy of her book, What You Don't Know Can Kill You, a week ago after a dance class. I had met her and Chuck Nathanson in 2000 when they signed up for private dance lessons at my studio in Encinitas, CA. They were a quiet but exuberant couple. Since Laura had recently restarted her dancing, I knew Chuck had passed but none of the details so it was with some trepidation that I began reading. There is no way to sugar coat this kind of dying but Laura's response once she had survived the immediate trauma was to think of others in a similar situation. Thus this book which is about how to educate yourself and be prepared for the process of taking care of yourself or someone you love when trying to survive medical care.

Communication is this world of internet email and cell phone should be but is not improving. For example, my wife saw four doctors in the space of about a week. Each, after the first, knew of the next and had documentation to pass along. And yet as my wife lay on the table awaiting the effect of the anesthesia, her doctor had to pause while his nurse frantically called the ER to have the CT results faxed over. My wife was under the knife so to speak and her doctor didn't even know what she was looking for. It wasn't intentional on the doctor's part but, as you will learn as you read this book, it happens and quite often with dangerous and disastrous results. But more than that, as you read, you'll learn a strategy to employ and in Part Four of the book you will find a complete workbook to use for the purpose of understanding and controlling the process if and when it happens to you. Buy the book, possibly save your life.

Dr. Nathanson's husband was diagnosed with a deadly, but treatable, form of cancer that tragically took his life. And much of the tragedy rests in the fact that his tumor went undiagnosed for nearly a year, despite several evaluations by physicians. As a result, she has written a book for the patient designed to help people get actively involved in their own healthcare and take a role in preventing the sorts of medical errors that undoubtedly played a role in her husband's death.

She educates the reader on how to navigate their medical records. She teaches how to spot certain terms that could represent problems in their care, how to determine if their physician is certain of a diagnosis and if the "scary things" have been effectively ruled out, and how to know when they are being cared for by medical students, residents or fully qualified physicians. She encourages and instructs people to comb through their records and push aside the nearly 90% of impertinent material to find the things that play a key role in their health status. She has devised a method that any person, with or without prior medical knowledge, could use.

What Dr. Nathanson has done is made it clear to people that mistakes happen in medicine, and the diligent patient or family member can do their part to help minimize these mistakes. As a physician, I see this as a good thing. Any physician who feels threatened by Dr. Nathanson's efforts should seriously re-evaluate his ego. The patient is central in medicine and should always be, so any instrument that minimizes or potentially minimizes harmful outcomes for the patient is an instrument that should be welcomed in the medical community. Unfortunately, such instruments in the past have often been brought about by government bureaucracies that do nothing but add more paperwork and headache for healthcare workers while doing little for the patients themselves. This is not the case with Dr. Nathanson's book, and is thus a refreshing concept. I agree with her notion that patients can have a profound impact on their own care if they take an active role in that care, and I salute her for putting this book out. My only concern would be that even though her message is clear to me, some may interpret her words to mean "don't trust your doctor." I certainly hope this will not be the case as it can be very detrimental to the doctor-patient relationship, and I would caution readers to avoid slipping into this way of thinking. With that said, all in all this book is well-done and can potentially have a lasting impact in the medical world.

I have only skim read the book so far but it appears to be very informative and just what my husband and I need as we enter the retirement years.

THIS IS A "MUST READ" BOOK FOR ANYONE WHO IS EXPERIENCING ANY TYPE OF MEDICAL PROBLEM, ESPECIALLY A SERIOUS OR LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS SUCH AS MINE. I HAVE BREAST CANCER, AND THIS BOOK HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN GUIDING ME ON THE "HOW TO'S" OF GAINING THE PROPER MEDICAL RECORDS, ANALYZING THEM AND MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS ON MY CARE. I WOULD NOT HAVE ANY TYPE OF SURGERY OR UNDERGO TREATMENT EVER AGAIN WITHOUT CONSULTING THE GUIDES THIS BOOK OFFERS TO HELP ME FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE I AM GETTING THE CARE I NEED, AND THE RECORDS ARE ACCURATE AND FILED IN THE PROPER CHART. HEALTHCARE IS VERY SCARY THESE DAYS, AND THIS BOOK CAN HELP TO SAVE NOT ONLY YOUR LIFE, BUT SOME HEARTBREAKING ERRORS FROM OCCURRING WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE. I WISH I HAD READ THIS BOOK MUCH EARLIER. GREAT AUTHOR!!!!

Even if you are in good health, this is a must read book for when you or someone you love is sick.Written by a doctor who lost her husband to a mis-diagnosis,shows that it can happen even to the people on the inside!
The author will teach you how to stay calm and how to read the lingo that is swirling around above your head in the time of need! She gives you tricks in boiling down the test results to language you will understand,the red flags you should look for in any medical situation.
The author has included work sheets in the back so you can learn how to keep track of everything going on during your emergency!
This is a book to read NOW, not when you need it and are under a good deal of stress.Just read it,work with it and down the road, you will glad that you did!

Pedantic, unsupportive, casual about a serious and inflamed issue.
What about recourse?

Adverse Events, Stress & Litigation, A Physician's Guide, is the latest contribution by a pair of professionals who have spent the last three decades shedding light on a previously unmentioned subject. Sara Charles, MD and Paul Frisch, JD partnered to provide the most comprehensive and thoughtful review of this complex topic. This book explores adverse events and provides practical tips on how to disclose unexpected occurrences to the patient and/or family. The authors skillfully corroborated to provide the reader with a clear understanding of the litigation process. Numerous caveats are included that will assist defendants as they deal with the demands of litigation. To further add to this well-written text, numerous poignant case vignettes are provided.
This book provides the reader with advise, guidance and insights not found in any other resource and should not only be a part of every health-care practitioner's library, but at the fingertips of every physician dealing with the litigation process. Thanks to Sara Charles and Paul Frisch for this timely, well-written and thoughtful contribution.

As a pre-med student I found this book incredibly informative. It provides a balanced and unique perspective on a very important issue. The use of real life situations makes the book both poignant and approachable to the lay person or professional. Every pre-medical, medical student and resident should read this book in preparation for their career. It adds depth and scope to ones understanding of the importance of patient safety, quality of care, and risk management. This book not only can help one avoid liability but can also provide a guide through the difficult and often foreign legal system surrounding medical malpractice.

Adverse Events, Stress and Litigation: A Physician's Guide was recommended to me by my daughter in pre-med. As an emergency physician with 30 years of experience in healthcare, I found this book a welcome addition to my continuing medical education. The authors provide an in depth synopsis of a topic which is fraught with anxiety for all physicians, medical malpractice. The book's unique strength lies in both content and format, setting it apart from other literature on the same topic. What it is NOT, is a sterile, didactic review on medical litigation. Rather, it walks the reader through the mine field of a claim or suit. It shines a light through the fog that is the legal process (and the associated attorney jargon) inherent in this stressful situation. Further, it provides the reader with tools to successfully navigate the system. Real life examples are integrated throughout, adding interest and even comfort. Every physician and physician-to-be should include this in their mandatory reading. I was surprised to find hope and solace in a book that is thoroughly informative and relevant. I highly recommend it.

Having read a number of custody evaluation "how to" texts, I find that this book provided more of the "brass tacks" than any other book out there for someone with no experience or exposure to evaluations. Even for experienced evaluators, the suggestions to reduce risk and liability are invaluable. Dr. Benjamin has the reputation of having conducted/supervised over 800 evaluations and never having had a board complaint or lawsuit filed against him. His background as both a psychologist and an attorney, combined with his experience in the field has given him the knowledge to be able to put together a book that not only outlines how to conduct these evaluations ethically and reduce one's own risk, but still gives the simple basics - those details that only one who has done it can impart to others, for example, when and how to collect fees, forms and an example of an evaluation (valuable because evaluations are confidential and it's difficult to get a copy of one), and in essence, walks the reader step-by-step through the first evaluation. Of course, he stresses supervision and consultation to those new to the field, which is critical, but his outlay of the process helps those who have not experienced it to know what to expect and avoid the pitfalls. Out of 20+ books I read while getting started, not to mention seminars I took, this text was the most helpful.

The following review came out in the American Psychological Association's "Independent Pratitioner" when the book was first published.
Reviewed by: Jeffrey E. Barnett, Psy.D.
"Readers of the Independent Practitioner are likely well acquainted with Division 42's efforts to assist psychologists in independent practice to expand their practices into new areas. This focus has emphasized how well trained psychologists are able to utilize their existing training and skills, augment them with additional training and experience, and develop the ability to expand their competence into new areas of practice. This approach helps take independent practitioners beyond their usual outpatient psychotherapy and assessment practices. Perhaps all that is needed to make this transition is the right set of resources to guide psychologists on how to make this transition.Family Evaluation in Custody Litigation: Reducing risks of ethical infractions and malpractice, by Benjamin and Gollan is just such a great resource. This book is built on Benjamin's years of experience as the founder and Director of the University of Washington's Parenting Evaluation Treatment Program (PETP). A psychologist and attorney, Benjamin, along with co-author, Gollan, brings his expertise from both fields to provide this wonderful practical introduction to the field of child custody evaluations. The authors make it very clear that appropriately trained psychologists who follow standardized procedures are able to make valuable contributions in the often-contentious area of custody litigation. They have written this very readable and easily comprehended book so it is accessible to all psychologists, not just those with forensic backgrounds. In fact, their practical, nuts and bolts approach seems ideally suited to psychologists new to the forensic arena. The book is very well organized and set up around the evaluation process developed over many years at the PETP. Their approach focuses on conducting a comprehensive parenting evaluation that is consistent with established professional standards and guidelines. This approach emphasizes taking on the role of objective evaluator and educator; a role that seems increasingly important as one learns more about the potentially contentious nature of the forensic environment. The authors provide the reader with a step by step approach that takes us from establishing competence in custody evaluations all the way to testifying in court. In between, we are guided through each step of the evaluation process with a thorough explanation of methods and the justification for using them, specific strategies for ethical conduct and risk management, and highly useful templates for each aspect of the evaluation. Templates are provided for informed consent, tracking the progress of the evaluation, release forms, recording and investigating allegations, and communicating with the parties involved and the judge. In addition, detailed comprehensive semi-structured interviews are provided for use with both adults and adolescents. Also of great importance is the fact that readers are guided in how to use these materials in the context of a comprehensive parenting evaluation. The reader is taken step by step through the evaluation process. In addition to theory and rationale, specific strategies are provided to guide the professional in conducting these evaluations. This book goes far beyond a review of the literature and an abstract discussion of child custody issues. It is also a practical guide that takes the reader through each aspect of the evaluation, highlighting clinical and ethics issues each step along the way. Common pitfalls and commonly anticipated difficulties are described in detail and preventative strategies are shared. One great strength of this book is the highly useful Practice Tips interspersed throughout the book. These very practical and useful strategies are gems from the authors' years of experience. The book also includes two sample evaluation reports that are built upon the methods and techniques described, and that integrate clinical examples used, throughout the text. The authors repeatedly tie their practical recommendations to professional standards, highlighting how these steps help us to meet existing professional standards. They also repeatedly emphasize steps to take to minimize the risk of ethics and malpractice suits. They present a protocol designed to result in each party feeling fairly treated and thoroughly evaluated. What this book is not: A comprehensive textbook that covers every aspect of the custody evaluation process and all the reader will ever need to know about this topic. It also is not the sole resource for establishing competence or a `how to' book to be blindly followed.What this book is: A well-written, practical, and comprehensive guide to assist practitioners to enter the field of custody evaluations. It presents one model for conducting these evaluations and shares a step by step approach for doing so. The authors make very clear the need for additional formal training and in fact, make specific recommendations for the types of training and expertise needed before one begins to provide these evaluations. They also emphasize the need for supervision and ongoing consultation with experienced colleagues as competence is developed. They present an innovative strategy of videotaping all interactions throughout the evaluation and writing the report contemporaneously to ensure the most comprehensive, accurate, and unbiased evaluation possible. They further emphasize how to protect the integrity of the process involved and the goal of a process that results in the most useful possible evaluation report; one that will be perceived by all involved as objective, unbiased, and helpful.Readers of this book will be taken through each aspect of the custody evaluation process. The detailed descriptions help the reader have realistic expectations in areas such as conducting interviews, testing, and observations; participating in depositions, preparation of the written report, and testifying in court. The useful templates and practical guidelines take the reader through each step of the evaluation. The reader is guided in how to remain consistent with the role of objective evaluator at all times, how to avoid common pitfalls, and how to conduct an evaluation consistent with accepted professional standards. The emphasis on multiple methods of measurement and data collection and how to integrate data into a comprehensive report that meets the court's needs is especially helpful.This book is an excellent practical introduction to the field of performing custody evaluations. While it is not the last word on the topic (clearly more training will be needed beyond what this book provides), it is an excellent place to start and an outstanding resource for all psychologists interested in entering this exciting area of practice."

Benjamin, et al have written a helpful book for those interested in learning how to conduct a child custody evaluation. The reservation I would offer is that they have made some unconventional recommendations that are not identified as such. For example, the authors advise against interviewing children younger than teenage. This is inconsistent with the practice of most experienced, custody evaluators. Another controversial and possibly dangerous suggestion is the destruction of video taping that is made during the evaluation process prior to court proceedings. I believe these and other, unconventional procedural recommendations that the authors make should be clearly identified as such, especially in a book that is subtitled "Reducing Risks of Ethical Infractions and Malpractice". With this reservation, the book is a useful addition to the references guiding those who perform child custody evaluations.

I am using this book in my Maters program. So far it seems easy to understand and use. This is one book that I will keep and be able to use in my office. It is a good all around book for administrators as well as first time supervisors.

Pozgar's book is organized by legal topic and cites relevant case law in all instances. It is an excellent overview of American law as it applies to the health care practitioner or organization. He has taken a topic that it difficult to communicate and made it very enjoyable reading. Students will find it much easier reading than most graduate level texts.

This book was very useful to me. I am a health information management student planning to enter a graduate health administration program. I took the class and this particular book was the text. Our instructor is a lawyer and runs risk management at our university hospital. The text further explained basic legal priciples and related them to health care. The text is easy to read and gives several references to actual documents.

I found myself drawn into this novel from the very first chapter. I loved the way the various settings were portraited so well through words. I could almost 'feel' the island breeze on Solitaire, and the cool waters of Blue Bonnet Bay. Each character was well established as part of the story line, and I loved the background material. I plan to read this book again, and give it as gifts. Great reading material for a beach vacation.

A good-hearted thriller, somewhat suggesting in some odd particulars "The Da Vinci Code," which is hard to explain, in that Klontz's book came out a couple years prior: I'm thinking of the odd intervention of a female sidekick with a talent for cryptography as a key plot element. Also (as in Brown's book) a bit too bright of a halo on the main character; you like him, but his lack of a flaw of any sort makes him a little tedious. On the same token, the villain is also an unmitigated jerk; one yearns for more nuance in the characters.

I, personally, felt that the novel does not make you care enough that some greedy developers are going to destroy an unspoilt stretch of California coastline, contrary to the wishes stated in the bequest of the last owner; or that a dark conspiracy of developers would commit that kind of conspiratorial mayhem to enforce their will.

There were some odd tautologies: Klontz feels the need to introduce each character with a recital of his educational background, which does not really show penetration.

But the odd premonitions of the Da Vinci Code, both in details and in general tone, are the odd thing here. One wonders if a common source or influence is involved.

A worthwhile outing, in any case. Spend some time with it.

Clever story with interesting characters and beautifully described settings! Web of people and stories that weave together into exciting, modern-day tale of environmental intrigue. Great read for a snowy, housebound day!

If you are a healthcare consumer you can't afford not to read this book. Author Michael Townes Watson uses actual accounts from real cases to inform the reader of injustices that are being carried out in what is described as a "stealth-like" fashion. The book sends a strong message that if we as a nation do not become more aware and informed; then more and more of us are going to be adversely affected by the lawmakers that are currently attempting to pass bills that prevent victims of medical malpractice from receiving the aid of the justice system. The book is equally entertaining as it is informative, containing facts about widely publicized cases and dispelling the myths about their outcomes. A book on this topic could have the potential to be extremely boring, but this one was anything but. Definitely recommend.

One of the principle causes of death and injury in the United States today is the widespread reality of doctors who are too rushed to give proper attention to their patients. The haste is created by the pressure upon physicians by insurance companies control care decision, inadequate information about new drugs, a rigid healthcare framework, the insurance and pharmaceutical company financed corruption of the justice system from the congress to the courthouse. America's Tunnel Vision: How Insurance Companies' Propaganda Is Corrupting Medicine And Law by Michael Townes Watson (a former Adjunct Professor of Medical Malpractice law, a practitioner in Law and Medicine for more than thirty years, and the author of four law books and numerous articles on legal/medical issues) is a clarion call to make right what has gone wrong in the medical and judicial systems. In an era when hospital error kills more people than any form of cancer (except lung cancer), when you are five times ore likely to be injured in a hospital than when driving your car, when insurance companies think your life is worth less if you are hurt by a doctor than if you are hurt by a drunk driver, and when insurance companies have taken over the practice of medicine and are now in the active process of taking over the justice system, it's only men and women like Michael Watson and books like America's Tunnel Vision that can hope to awaken the general public to what is going on and to motivate them to corrective action. Simply stated, America's Tunnel Vision is "must" reading for all health care and medical reform activists, and needs to be placed in the Social Issues reference collections of every community and academic library in the country.

A comprehensive review of this book appears in the July-August 2006 issue of "Biomedical Instrumentation and Technology", Vol. 40, No. 4, p. 290. This is a reference that should be on the bookshelf of every department head and policy maker which is involved in the delivery of healthcare or its oversight.

This book came out long before the Institute of Medicine Report, "To Err is Human", and in some ways it is better. It provides a great deal of background information essential to understanding this important but long-neglected problem. As a physician, it has completely changed my understanding of how errors occur in the profession of medicine. Although some chapters are difficult to read, I believe every physician and physician in training should read the forward, Chapter 13, "Operating at the Sharp End", and chapter 14,"Fatigue, Performance and Medical Error". When our hospital board asked me about the newspaper reports of error in medicine, I used the information in this book to explain the problem to them.

Not since Erin Brokovich have I seen such determination, tenacity and spunk in a heroine. And even while she's breaking your heart and enraging you about the treatment she receives from her California HMO, somehow she still manages to make you smile and even laugh out loud along the way. I find myself somewhat bored with most memoirs; this however, is a real page turner that I would heartily recommend to anyone looking for a deeply meaningful read.

This book by Elaine Christine O' Malley takes you on a journey with a woman who is bullied by a daunting giant: a California HMO. A single mother is injured in a car accident, then over the course of a harrowing two years is subect to abuse by an HMO who refuses to treat her because she is a "complex" patient, or in plain English, just too expensive to treat. What you will read in this book about the doctors in California will surprise and infuriate you. What you will read about the other "ordinary" people who helped along the way will give you faith in the connections you have with your friends, neighbors and family. This book is cathartic to read, as it is as human as it is mythical (David and Goliath, anyone?).