How to Get the Right Diagnosis: 16 Tips for Navigating the Medical System
165
How to Get the Right Diagnosis: 16 Tips for Navigating the Medical System
165eBook
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Overview
A patient’s guide to taking charge of your healthcare, building better relationships with doctors, and getting the most out of your visits.
Many know from experience that the medical system can be difficult to navigate. Randy Pherson struggled with a medical condition for five years before getting a proper diagnosis—and once he did, had to undergo a major surgery to save his life. Because of his experience, Pherson decided to help others facing similar situations. Using his background of analytics from the CIA, Pherson offers his readers precise, analytical techniques for using the system to their advantage.
As traumatic as Pherson’s situation was, it is not an isolated experience. Pherson cites a network of individuals who have tried, both successfully and unsuccessfully, to navigate the medical system. By using their stories as examples, Pherson gives value to their experiences, using the lessons learned to potentially save the lives of others.
With the sheer number of patients that doctors and medical staff see each day, it can be difficult to get the medical attention that you deserve. Learn how to better describe your pain and the specific questions to ask your doctor to get the proper medicine and treatment you need for your condition. Inside you’ll find:
· 18 informative and applicable stories from others who have struggled with navigating the medical system
· Techniques to spur a correct diagnosis and obstacles to overcome when seeking treatment
· The right questions to ask to ensure you are getting the most accurate information
· Tips for building an effective partnership with your doctor
For readers of How Doctors Think, Attending, and The Patient Will See You Now
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781642501773 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Mango Media |
| Publication date: | 07/22/2022 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 165 |
| Sales rank: | 86,880 |
| File size: | 5 MB |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Foreword Sandy Ibrahim, MD 11
Foreword John Gannon 15
Preface 19
Chapter 1 An Undiagnosed Illness 25
Chapter 2 Five Techniques to Spur a Correct Diagnosis 39
Chapter 3 Five Obstacles to Anticipate 69
Chapter 4 Six Tips for Building a Partnership 91
Chapter 5 An Unexpected Outcome 113
Epilogue: Engaging Your Doctor 121
Appendix A Multiple Hypothesis Generation 125
Appendix B Analysis of Competing Hypotheses 131
Appendix C Indicators Generation 135
Appendix D Key Assumptions Check 139
Appendix E Premortem Analysis 145
Appendix F Structured Self-Critique 147
About the Author 152
What People are Saying About This
“If you, or one of your loved ones, has a complex, chronic illness, you need to read this book. You are not alone if you fear your medical problems are misunderstood. This book, written by an analyst of the highest caliber, Randolph Pherson, teaches you how to take charge of your own healthcare in an organized, structured way. As a physician, I am happy to give my strong endorsement to Mr. Pherson’s advice that you need a doctor who will spend time with you and will look for root causes of symptoms. Follow Pherson’s advice: if both the doctor and the patient ask a lot of questions to get a complete picture, then, chances are, you will discover the true diagnosis.” —Dr. Jeanne Shiffman, Well Being–Being Well, Integrative and Family Medicine
“Doctors want to be thought of as all-knowing, but they cannot be all-knowing, since the screening testing they prescribe often leaves a large level of doubt. Physicians should offer more information to the patient specific to that level of doubt, but often, they do not take the time to explain 'false normals' that can occur at rates as high as 20 percent. Randy’s story is a great example of why all of us, as patients, need to demand full disclosure on all medical testing and insist on clear answers about tests that are not perfect.” —Doug Boyink, MD, Fellow, American College of Emergency Physicians
“Randolph Pherson’s distinguished career as a senior intelligence officer and author has had a significant impact internationally on the professionalisation of analysts working in national security and law enforcement. This time, he applies, in a novel and personal way, the critical thinking and tradecraft knowledge he has gained in the intelligence world to improving the diagnostic skills of the medical profession. The book is a must read for an increasingly time-starved and hyper-specialised medical profession and a useful resource for patients seeking better health advocacy with their doctors.” —Patrick F. Walsh, Associate Professor, Charles Sturt University, Australia
“Mr. Pherson deftly applies his decades of experience practicing, developing, and teaching the art of intelligence to the life and death issue of accurate medical diagnoses. He goes beyond the message that patients must advocate for their health to provide a practical roadmap for partnering with medical professionals to solve non-obvious medical challenges. His book is a must read for medical professionals to ensure they are challenging their assumptions and considering alternative scenarios. But more importantly, it is a must read for anyone facing a seemingly undiagnosable, but potentially life-threatening medical issue.” —Fran Moore, former Director of Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency