Making Informed Medical Decisions: Where to Look and How to Use What You Find

In a time of personal crisis, when you or a loved one is stricken with a serious illness, it's daunting task, both emotionally and intellectually, to inform yourself fully. There's so much to learn, and it's often so scary and confusing. It's hard to know where to go, and what information to trust. The temptation is to simply place your faith blindly in your doctor's recommendation, and hope for the best. And yet, it's clear that the best medical decisions are fully informed and made in partnership with physicians.This excellent guide is the perfect companion for patients and their families to learn how to negotiate the health care system, make the best choices, and get the best care possible. It's accessible, thorough and above all, intelligent. It makes the issues comprehensible to someone unfamiliar with the medical world, yet never condescends. It's exactly the kind of book I could have really used when I was diagnosed with cancer twelve years ago, and I'm so grateful it now exists. These are tools that everyone needs.

At some point in time, all of us will have need for this book. We no longer can count on the overworked doctor to know everything about every disease and it is up to us to question, learn and become advocates for our health and health care. This book gives you the guidance necessary to become an informed advocate for your own health care. The book guides you through doctor's visits, how to get clarification of your condition and understand the impact of the particular disease you are dealing with. Numerous resources; experts, print and the web, are discussed, with the pros and cons of each presented and tips for evaluating their reliability. The authors also present information concerning researching standard treatment options for health conditions as well as alternative treatments. Most importantly, I believe, they also encourage reaching out to others who have already been there, with information for locating people who have been through it.The book is well organized, extremely clear and very easy to read. It is a fantastic source of information for anyone who finds they need to research health issues for themselves, friends or family members. I would highly recommend it for anyone to have as a medical reference.