Remaking the American Patient

Starred review from December 1, 2015

With advertisements for hospitals and prescription and nonprescription drugs on display virtually everywhere, Americans are encouraged to shop for medical care. Available health and medical information, both online and in print, makes it relatively easy to learn about illnesses, drugs, and medical procedures. It would seem that American patients have it all, yet Tomes (history, Stony Brook Univ.; The Gospel of Germs) ably points out that, in some ways, things have not changed that much. In analyzing the impact of advertising on health care, the author notes that patients are caught in a dysfunctional health care system that is expensive and fragmented. New treatments are not always better than older and less expensive remedies, and the increasing cost of care doesn't always mean improved quality. The idea that doctors and patients are partners engaged in the quest for health is an ideal one; however, both parties need to communicate well and be able to separate the commercial from the objective. VERDICT This fascinating book with copious notes and an extensive bibliography will intrigue health care professionals and policymakers as well as interested lay readers.--Barbara Bibel, formerly with Oakland P.L.

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