The Patient's Playbook: Find the "No-Mistake Zone"

America's medical resources are without a doubt the best in the world. But tapping into all that excellence without professional guidance is, at best, daunting and at worst, life threatening. Most people believe their personal physician is "great." But what if he or she isn't? And when serious issues arise, knowing how to get the best answers to questions such as "Have I been correctly diagnosed," "What are my best options," and "How do I know if I'm being directed to the best specialist or sub-specialist for my condition?" is critical.Leslie Michelson, whose business is to "quarterback" care for seriously ill individuals, subscribes to the belief that "good enough is not good enough" when it comes to healthcare. As its title suggests, "The Patient's Playbook" is a guidebook that, if closely followed, will teach you how to knowledgeably take charge of your medical care (or the care of a loved one). Mr. Michelson, through the use of stories about tough cases he's personally managed as well as advice from many of America's top physicians and surgeons, explains how to select a REALLY great personal physician, how to use the internet as he does to identify "best-in-class" specialists and sub-specialists and even how to get an appointment with a world-class expert expedited. Perhaps most importantly, he explains how to take steps well before a serious medical issue arises that will make you a smarter and more effective "healthcare consumer.""The Patient's Playbook" is, thankfully, not filled with technical mumbo-jumbo; it's an easy read. And since each chapter concludes with a very helpful summary, actually putting the information in the book to practical use is easy. Who should read it? In my opinion, anyone who ever has or ever will need to navigate the healthcare system. In other words, just about everyone.

Simply the best and indespensible. Mr. Michelson is a gifted writer, enjoyable to read. But packed with really healpful content, organized logically and presented clearly. Frankly, I considered myself toward the sophisticated part of the patient population, but this book put things into a logical framework. A diagnosis of severe spinal stenosis led me to purchase this book and half a dozen others. Little did I know then that I was already implementing step one of this book's process, "immersion". But that is what I do anyway with a new puzzle. It is a bit different, though, when it is your own body, spinal surgery seems in the near future, and one is deathly afraid of being in any hospital. Although trite, this book was "empowering" and got me into a more detached state. Specific suggestions for researching nationally ranked hospitals and providers guided me. The quest ended well with a hospital facility with an excellent quality control system and friendly, caring staff. The surgeon is one of the smartest people on the planet, with fellowships at top-ranked facilities in both neurosurgery AND orthopedic surgery. He listens carefully, explains things well, very patient, and has my complete trust. I think so much of this book that I have loaned it to three different friends. Each one of them decided to buy their own copy. One person even bought two additional copies to give to her friends. If you or a loved one faces a serious medical condition, this book is highly recommended.

I bought the Kindle version last week and just ordered a hard cover of the book for my wife. This is a reference book that every family should own. Leslie Michelson is an excellent communicator of information and process. The book does a very good job of suggesting multiple ways for a person to empower themselves in finding and getting good medical treatment.His concept is to use research, build a team of experts, and be involved in managing your health. The book is filled with useful ways to approach finding the best professionals to satisfy a patient's individual needs, obtaining knowledge surrounding any set of medical circumstances, and making sure that the patient is prepared and protected when dealing with even the most life threatening diseases.The questions that he suggests the reader ask their doctors alone is worth the price of the book. I really think that this book will help anyone to navigate through our very complex health care system with more confidence and success.Alan Gelband 9/24/15

A very informative and useful guide to improving the medical management of your health needs or the needs of someone who depends on you for help. I have been a caregiver and care organizer for my mother and for other people, and his pointers are right on the mark for getting good care and decreasing the risks of complications and errors in the medical care system. The author has a business model that is way too expensive for most of us 99% to benefit from. It is great that he has shared his strategies with the rest of us. Unfortunately, I know it is very difficult to find a primary care doctor who will take the time and effort to go the extra mile for our care, and most of us are not going to follow his strategy of finding the best specialists in the world for our health issues. So be prepared to figure out how to scale down his ideas to the practical level of what most people can find and afford without paying him call and write and advocate for us.