How to Be a Patient audiobook

This book brought my confidence in my ability to navigate the medical world from a zero to a 75, out of 100 that is. It is clearly written and simple enough for a layperson unaccustomed to doctor/hospital visits to comprehend and follow. I’m grateful for this minimally biased, information-packed practical guide. I feel empowered not only to be my own advocate in these settings but also advocate for my loved ones and to work with medical providers better to find the best solutions posible.

I had the opportunity to get a copy of this book from the publisher because the author is an alumnus of the school where I work. We invited Sana to do two book readings. I enjoyed this book for its ease of use. It's meant to be a guide and for the reader to skip around in it. I liked her practical and no-nonsense approach on ways to optimize the care you receive and it prompted me to start figuring out who to add as my PCP. I recommended the book to my Mom as well.I feel fortunate to have met the author, who is a humble and thoughtful individual. I hear she will soon have a series on NPR and I'll be tuning in to that.Good read!

This book should be required reading for everyone that has or will be taking on the wild morass that is the healthcare system. Reading that line, that probably is all of us. Sana Goldberg RN has put together a guidance system to help us through in this book. Her vast knowledge as a practicing nurse on the front-lines is valuable information that will save money in determining what is really necessary and at what cost. Taken one step further it may even save lives by the practical advice on avoiding the dangers one is exposed to in the hospital environment that is supposed to fix us.Every topic imaginable is dealt with here, and it is vast. From understanding symptoms to taking on big pharma, and big insurance. Each topic opens up many subtopics to contend with, and all are explained insight-fully and proactively. Much attention is paid to communication which seems to be key to understanding the whys and wherefores of complex treatments and procedures. What to ask and when. Being assertive without being obnoxious. It is the type of book that might take several readings to soak in all that is necessary to understand. It will also serve as a go to reference as medical needs arise and in tackling the many aspects of health that will come with ageing. In essence a useful book that will benefit anyone concerned about their healthcare and well being. And that anyone should be everyone.

Treat a patient, with a disease, in the context of their life. Start thinking of health care as preventive rather than reactive.Advocate for yourself during appointments to ensure you're getting useful information.When giving symptoms, include answers to the following questions: when did it start, how frequent is it, what aggravates it, how long does it typically last, what alleviates it, what remedies have you tired that didn't work?Lists when some symptoms can be serious and when they can not as in examples of headaches and lower back pain.Gives words to describe pain: sharp, stabbing, tender. burning, aching, stabbing, dull, throbbing, intense, intermittent, unrelentingLists symptoms that should prompt one to when to call 911 and when to go to urgent care.Prudent Layperson Standard as codified in federal law with the Affordable Care Act that reimbursement must be based on symptoms a patient is experiencing when they go the the emergency room or to urgent care and NOT the diagnosis received.

Interesting book that answers a wide variety of questions, including bacterial vs viral, or when to go to your primary care doctor vs an Urgent Care center vs the hospital, etc.There are lists of things, like ways to describe pain, factors to consider if you think a person is delirious, things to take when you have to go and stay in a hospital, etc.There are also appendices for things like a CDC Pediatric Vaccination Schedule, Routine Exam Schedule, a list of the titles of Common Hospital Staff, Medical Jargon, Free Screenings and Services, Useless Tests (this was most interesting), and more!At the end of this book are notes and an index.

Useful, probably, but leaves me feeling a bit hopeless at being able to navigate the U.S. healthcare system if I'm aging alone. It seems like even being in the hospital requires taking an active role in your healthcare. My overall takeaway is: you need to recruit someone to be your healthcare advocate, so that they can be there to ask questions and guide treatment when you're too sick to.This book could be used as a reference, but I think it'd be easier to print out Goldberg's lists of questions for specific situations (i.e. interviewing a new PCP, discussing a potential operation with your provider, or developing your elevator pitch for an office visit) and keep those handy instead.

Reading and discussing this book with my husband and a sick friend or two, has already changed several decisions in my life and there will surely be a ripple effect. One in particular: always take someone else with you to visit a doctor. I've been taking notes for a sick friend and we listen differently. I'm not interacting with the doctor - I'm taking notes and this changes what I hear and what she hears. I've also decided to change doctors, based on her recommendations. That could have far-reaching consequences. The websites are not as helpful as I had hoped. Possibly things change too quickly to keep up, but we did find a few of them worth the price of admission.

This is an essential guide to navigating the U.S. Healthcare System successfully in spite of all the barriers, flaws, and challenges. From finding the right provider (with a run down with different types and models), to resources to help find affordable options, to navigating the even more complex world of mental health care, to the importance of not neglecting eye and dental care, this book is an amazing resource everyone needs. As a breast cancer survivor, I'm glad to have it at my side to help me navigate my ongoing care. Definitely recommend!

A definite must read for anyone going to the doctor or into the hospital. As someone who’s chronically ill myself and who’s learned to navigate the healthcare system, even I learned many new facts and tricks to navigate today’s murky, messy healthcare system. This and Maya Dusenbery’s Doing Harm are absolutely must reads for those who are chronically ill.

Very dense but comprehensive book on how to navigate medicine from a non-medical perspective. I liked it, but there was a lot of emphasis on the patient having to do extra work to ensure proper medical care.

This book was very informative and insightful, not just on how to be a patient but how to communicate with a patient as a provider. This book is loaded with information and useful “on the go-knows” that I know I’m going to need in the future (ex:insurance)

Great reference book. Lead you thru many medical situations from the nurses view point. Gives you many tips on how to navigate the healthcare system.

Definitely a really informative book that gives lots of insight over various topics!

ESSENTIAL read for anyone involved in the American health system. I finished this book feeling tremendously empowered and with a wealth of resources to take my health and put it in my own hands.

Took several notes in the margins and planning to use this book as a medical Bible for a pep talk before every doctor visit