San Antonio College Library

This text examines the concept of "medical narcissism" and how error disclosure to patients and families is often compromised by the health professional's need to preserve his or her self-esteem at the cost of honoring the patient's right to the unvarnished truth about what has happened. It explores common psychological reactions of healthcare professionals to the commission of a serious harm-causing error and the variety of obstacles that can compromise...

For decades, medical professionals have betrayed the public's trust by accepting various benefits from the pharmaceutical industry. Both drug company representatives and doctors employ artful spin to portray this behavior positively to the public, and to themselves. In Hooked, Howard Brody argues that we can neither understand the problem, nor propose helpful solutions until we identify the many levels of activity connecting these purportedly noble...

Collecting anecdotes from interviews with health-care providers across the U.S., this book is a shocking firsthand account of the current U.S. health-care industry crisis--a crisis distinguished by its astronomical costs and limited quality care--that affects virtually every person in the country. The stories reveal the greed, egotism, malpractice, sex, power and suffering, but also include remarkable portraits of hope, miracles, and a deep desire...