Non-fiction, medical. A well-written overview of medical biases in practice. Most of these are unconscious on the part of the doctor. Most can be corrected by a doctor’s studying his cases and the results of their diagnosis and treatment. The doctor must always be aware of the results of their treatment. The patient and their family and friends must also be aware of results and must be willing to keep asking questions. The successful treatment results from the active collaboration between doctors and their patients communicating freely, openly, and honestly. . ( )

Worth reading for insights to how doctors think and make decisions and how a patient can use this to advocate for themselves. But there are many anecdotes and some parts dragged. ( )

While this book uniformly receives "5's" my curmudgeonly side gives it a "4." The book was overall excellent but some parts dragged from a bit too much detail. But it is worth the read.

The main premise was defective communication by doctors. The minor premise though was equally scary; the number of botched diagnoses but top doctors at top hospitals. On the other hand I recognize that sick people are inherently damaged goods. Perfection is impossible since medicine is an art, not a science. ( )

It makes perfect sense when you reflect on it, but Groopman's description of the Bayesian indoctrination of doctor training provides a lot of insight into the common conflicts or deficits of medical interaction. The takeaways aren't simplistic so much as simply reinforcing that patients and peers should remember that doctors are human. Cognitive errors are common, no matter how elite and trained a professional is. Patient advocacy and a deeper engagement with a specialist's rationale is not easy to appreciate or apply until you realize just how often common medical conventions prevent them from even being considered. ( )

Great for those of us who have to deal with doctors on a regular basis and need to stay informed to get the best care possible.

I'll be interested in seeing how Watson the computer does as a doctor. ( )