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From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Surgeon and MacArthur fellow Gawande applies his gift for dulcet prose to medical and ethical dilemmas in this collection of 12 original and previously published essays adapted from the New England Journal of Medicine and the New Yorker. If his 2002 collection, Complications, addressed the unfathomable intractability of the body, this is largely about how we erect barriers to seamless and thorough care. Doctors know they should wash their hands more often to avoid bacterial transfer in the ward, but once a minute does seem extreme. Using chaperones for breast exams seems a fine idea, but it does make situations awkward. "The social dimension turns out to be as essential as the scientific," Gawande writes—a conclusion that could serve as a thumbnail summary of his entire output. The heart of the book are the chapters "What Doctors Owe," about the U.S.'s blinkered malpractice system, and "Piecework," about what doctors earn. Cheerier, paradoxically, are the chapters involving polio and cystic fibrosis, featuring Dr. Pankaj Bhatnagar and Dr. Warren Warwick, two remarkable men who have been able to catapult their humanity into their work rather than constantly stumble over it. Indeed, one suspects that once we cure the ills of the health care system, we'll look back and see that Gawande's writings were part of the story. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Booklist
Quick. What mundane practice, regularly propagated by generations of moms, could save the lives of thousands of hospital patients? To Brigham & Women's Hospital general surgeon and New Yorker staff writer Gawande, that question's answer is but one way to improve a profession where a "C+" performance rating just isn't good enough. The follow-up to Gawande's critically acclaimed Complications (2002) is a sparkling collection of essays about medical professionals and places where "better" either has or is becoming the norm, where excellence is a journey rather than a destination. While acknowledging that varying levels of achievement are inevitable in any human endeavor, Gawande believes the medical profession must assume the burden of constant diligence to do better because lives hang in the balance. Rather than preaching about improving performance, Gawande bears witness to the remarkable levels of care that can be achieved by describing some incredibly innovative, adaptive, and even mundane (e.g., conscientious hand washing) practices in hospitals from Boston to the rural Indian village of Uti, from Pittsburgh to Iraqi battlefields. Donna Chavez
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspirational,
By
This review is from: Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance (Hardcover)
Gawande writes with a certain fervor while sharing some important learning experiences in his medical career. This book leaves you wanting you to be your absolute best and gives you a small boost to inspire change. It's a must-read for all medical students, and a rather pleasant and insightful read for anyone else.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Thoughtful, inpiring, effortless,
By
This review is from: Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance (Paperback)
Gawande is a terrific storyteller and effortless writer. I'm not surprised that Malcolm Gladwell reviewed this book so favorably; these two authors have nearly the same voice. But in Gawande's case, his opinions carry more direct weight because of his direct experience and expertise in practicing medicine. The only complaint I have is that on the chapter on how much doctors make, Gawande manages to avoid naming numbers for his starting (or current) salary, thereby knee-capping the entire chapter.Highly recommended.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very informative....even for the layman...,
By Kathryn MacIntosh (Kitchener ,Ontario) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance (Paperback)
An excellent book even for the layman. Good, interesting descriptions of many medical issues within a surgeon's training. Never dull. Very informative.
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