The Successful Physician: A Productivity Handbook for Practitioners

This book really "works"-it's getting rid of the stress in my medical practice. The text is fast reading, no-balony, actually entertaining-loaded with great examples, quotes, and vignettes that drive home the many pearls (and a fair scattering of diamonds) or practical wisdom. I was immediately able to tell this book was written by practicing docs just like me: no wheezy absrtractions, no boring theory-mongoring, and no long lists of desirable (but impossible-to -achieve) "ideal" practices. Instead this is smart, practical stuff I have been able to use immediately to save myself hassles and wasted time/motion/effort. I highly recommend to all physicians the section on how to leverage your relationships to produce more, and also the section on continuing education, which was an eye-opener for me. I personally feel that every practicing physician should have a copy of this book,and use what's in it. Get this book today-it will work for you.

I was quickly overwhelmed after starting a practice straight out of training. This book has helped me manage my practice, my patients and my continuing education without feeling overwhelmed. I continually refer back to it. He quickly gets to the heart of the problem (too much to do/too little time to do it in) and helps you prioritize your goals. He then gives you very specific tools to help you control your practice and not have it control you. This book is for any physician who feels they are approaching burnout and resents the ever increasing demands on our time. Straightforward and to the point. Some of the time-saving tips seem obvious, but organizing the 'tips' into an overall game plan is what makes this book successful.

How wonderful to read a physician who has a writing style that doesn't cause nausea, retching, or confusion. My wife, also a physician in a by-gone era, and I laughed and laughed and laughed at this psychiatrist's insights into what is wrong with doctors. I particularly liked the concept of NIH (not invented here) because I was the Assistant Chief of Medical Neurology at NIH (The National Institutes of Health) and knew exactly what the author meant. If a certain group didn't think of a great idea first they would have nothing to do with it. The main trouble with most doctors is, of course, that they went to medical school. There they learned to do what they were told and not spend much time thinking about it. Consequently, they have become the easy prey of business interests whose general effect has been to transform and some say injure the profession by telling Doctors what to do. Doctor Zaslove's little gem of a book has the way out of this embattled situation for those physicians smart enough to read and take its advice to heart.

A recent article in the Archives of Internal Medicine concluded that American physicians believe the advent of managed care (HMOs) has had a serious negative impact on the quality of patient care and on the physician-patient relationship in general. The time available for each patient has also declined and much of it is taken up in discussing insurance issues rather than the patient's medical problems. Dr. Marshall Zaslove, a practising physician and renowned lecturer and seminar leader, has tackled these problems head-on in his new book The Successful Physician. Dr. Zaslove strongly believes that physicians must become more productive if they are to serve their patients well. His highly readable book clearly defines the problems facing today's physician and provides concrete, practical solutions for dealing with them. Dr. Zaslove starts with the premise that a doctor's three tools are time, knowledge and skills, and quality relationships. He goes on to critically examine all the things a doctor does and then gives sound and tested advice on how to become more efficient in doing them. I particularly liked his discussion of the relationship between physicians and computers and his down-to-earth advice about introducing "the monster" into the office and optimizing its usage. His comments about the relationships with patients and other professionals are also illuminating. The Successful Physician is required reading for any physician who feels that too many extraneous pressures are interfering with his or her primary mission of providing quality care to patients. The book is not only for physicians though. I personally found it a fascinating "peek behind the curtain" into the problems and pressures facing today's physician. So read it yourself and if your doctor seems to be drowning in paper and red tape give it to him for Christmas!

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to edit one of theWorld's most popular medical texts - the Washington University Manualof Medical Therapeutics. This book, I felt, had tremendous impact on the lives of health care professionals because it "cut to the chase" and told experienced pracitioners how to care for their patients.Marshall Zaslove has written a wonderful book of a similar flavor that tells pracitioners how to care for themselves. It is an easy read that carries themes one will find in Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, and many other works. This is a book that tells a busy practitioner how to stay engaged in both professional a private life. In many instances, the people who need this book will be too busy to order it. Spouses and friends of heroic but overworked health care professionals are urged to consider this a gift that will yield both great peace and "return on investment."Short books that make sense and get to the heart of matters are hard to find. Dr. Zaslove has written such a book.