Cover image for How to be a patient : the essential guide to navigating the world of modern medicine
How to be a patient : the essential guide to navigating the world of modern medicine
Title:
How to be a patient : the essential guide to navigating the world of modern medicine
Author:
Goldberg, Sana, author.
ISBN:
9780062797186
Personal Author:
Edition:
First edition.
Physical Description:
xxvi, 432 pages ; 20 cm
Contents:
Part one: When all is well. Where to start ; Unlearn what you know about being a patient ; Appoint a team ; Gather provisions ; Drugs 101 -- Part two: When it's routine. Making your way into the system ; How to talk to providers -- Part three: Making the most of each medical encounter. When something is wrong ; Navigating touchy territory ; How to avoid a wild-goose chase -- Part four: When it's chronic : navigating long-term and ongoing medical problems. Brewing problems ; A field guide for pain ; Mastering disease -- Part five: When it's an emergency. ER vs. urgent care vs. wait until Monday ; Am I dying? (emergency preparedness, extended) ; Are they dying? (pedestrian emergencies) -- Part six: When you're having a procedure. Choosing if, where, and who -- Part seven: When you're in the hospital. Bring your own pillow ; Culture, checks, and balances ; How to be vigilant -- Part eight: When you're not the patient : family members, partners, and friends. You define family ; When it's your kid ; When you're getting older (or when it's your parent) -- Part nine: When you're not a straight white male. The female patient ; When you're having a baby ; Health advocacy for LGBTQ patients ; Implicit bias and systemic oppression -- Part ten: When you have to stand up to the industry. How to deal with insurance ; Big pharma and the FDA -- Appendices.
Abstract:
"From registered nurse and public health advocate Sana Goldberg, a timely, accessible, and comprehensive handbook to navigating common medical situations. From the routine to the unexpected, How to Be a Patient is your ultimate guide to better healthcare. Let's face it: nobody likes going to the doctor. It can be uncomfortable, nerve wracking, expensive--and that's just for routine care! When it's an emergency--how do you choose between the ER, Urgent Care, or waiting-until-Monday? And for everything in between, how do you get an accurate diagnosis and timely treatment when something is off? In How to Be a Patient, registered nurse and outspoken public health advocate Sana Goldberg provides readers with an honest guide to the complicated and often-intimidating medical landscape. At once a quick-reference pocket guide and a lifelong framework for approaching your healthcare, this invaluable resource empowers readers to take charge of their wellbeing. It lifts the veil on a complicated, fractured system, giving patients the tools communicate with its players and sidestep its most vexing realities. Warm and trustworthy, Goldberg's advice is as expert as it is easy-to-understand, as she calls on years of first-hand nursing experience to help readers confront challenges, take advantage of opportunities, and maximize insurance resources while fending off hidden fees that slip by unnoticed. From setting yourself up when all is well and making the most of routine appointments, to understanding hospital culture for a more positive experience, How to Be a Patient is relevant for readers at any age. With sections including When It's An Emergency, When It's Chronic, When You Have to Stand Up to Insurance, and When It's Your Person, Goldberg ensures patients have what they need in their hands to feel informed and confident as they move through the world of modern medicine. Containing glossaries of medical jargon, lists of free, essential screenings and unnecessary medical tests, as well as helpful appendices to assist patients in tracking their family history, prescriptions, and more, How to Be a Patient is a must-have book for anyone invested in their long-term health."-- Provided by publisher.

"From registered nurse and public health advocate Sana Goldberg, a timely, accessible, and comprehensive guide to the medical industrial complex that teaches readers how to be their own best advocate and get the care they deserve"-- Provided by publisher.