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The Human Side of Medicine Learning What It's Like to Be a Patient and What It's Like to Be a Physician

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Laurence A. Savett

Foreword by William H. Harvey

Book Code: T318

ISBN: 0-86569-318-8

ISBN-13: 978-0-86569-318-0

DOI:

304 pages, figures, photo, tables

Auburn House

Publication: 5/30/2002

List Price: $105.00 (UK Sterling Price: £59.95)

Availability: In Stock

Media Type: Hardcover

Also Available: Paperback

Trim Size: 6 1/8 x 9 1/4

Subjects:

Endorsement From William H. Harvey, Ph.D
Professor of Biology, Earlham College
President, Central Association of Advisors for the Health Professions: The Human Side of medicine should be considered required reading for anyone considering a career in medicine...including those who are interested but unsure about medicine and those who are firmly committed....Dr. Savett's life experiences are woven into the fabric of the text giving the book credibility and warmth....So much of this book is about being a good listener.
Endorsement From Paul W. Evans, M.D.
Portland, ME: Dr. Savett beautifully articulates the intricacies of human illness, the experience of being a patient and a doctor, and the doctor-patient relationship....Few books capture as well the essence of what it means to be a physician.
Endorsement From Susan Resnik, DrPH
Facilitator, Doctor/Patient Communication Segment, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine
Author of Blood Saga: Hemophilia, AIDS, and the Survival of a Community: What a special gift this book is, not only for the general public, but also for those like me who teach, and those who have come to learn in medical school....Dr. Savett shares the process of practicing humanistic medicine by explaining how to stand in the patients' shoes and look through their eyes, while actively listening to their stories. This highly readable, useful book is a treasure.
Endorsement From Marie Manthey, M.N.A., R.N., Minneapolis, MN
Author of The Practice of Primary Nursing: Humanism in health care is not as rare a commodity as the popular rhetoric would have us believe. Larry Savett's book describes his way of practicing medicine, which I had the privelege to experience when he was my personal physician. As he teaches medical students and undergraduates, Dr. Savett is able to inspire them toward a values-based practice.
Endorsement From Gregory M. Vercellotti, M.D., F.A.C.P., Senior Associate Dean for Education and Professor of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School: I am impressed by Dr. Savett's ability to place complex ideas and emotions, and distill the essence and values of the profession, into a readable, enjoyable, and insightful book for students, residents, physicians, and patients.
Endorsement From Madgetta T. Dungy, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Faculty Affairs
University of Iowa College of Medicine: This book makes an important and unique contribution to the art of healing. It is adroitly fitted to the issues surrounding the under-attended position: that healing can be understood most effectively through patients themselves and their families.

Description: At a time of great change in the technology and delivery of medical care, the timelessness and permanence of the non-technical aspects of medicine--the human side--are of profound value to patients and physicians alike. With more than 30 years of medical practice, teaching, advising, and mentoring medical students and undergraduates, Savett champions two premises: first, that the importance of physicians mastering the human side of medicine is as critical as learning its biology and technology; and second, that this can be taught. Attending to the human side refines diagnosis and treatment by recognizing the uniqueness of each patient's experience, and it enriches the experience for all those in the caring professions. Physicians who have always put their patients' interests first and never compromised their professional values have preserved their identity, vitality, and enthusiasm as caring doctors. This is a book about what keeps the practice of medicine stimulating: not fascinating cases, but fascinating people and relationships, the best reasons to enter medicine. Learning the human side of medicine, asserts Savett, will help attract talented and compassionate people to the field. Full of stories and lessons, The Human Side of Medicine is important reading for those considering a career in medicine and related professions, those already practicing--and patients.

Table of Contents:

Introduction: Defining the Human Side of Medicine and Identifying the Audience
What It's Like to Be a Patient
Medical Care Starts with the Patients' Story
Learning from End-of-Life Stories
Time
Learning from Patients' Experiences
Learning from Students' Experiences
Learning about Uncertainty
Learning How Patients Handle Illness
What It's Like to Be a Physician
A Day in the Life of a Physician
The Medical History
Diagnosis: How Physicians Reason
Treatment and Prognosis
Medicine Is a Collaborative Profession
Rituals
Language and Communication
What Can Go Wrong
The Physician as Professional
Values and Dealing with Change
Becoming a Physician: The Evolution of a Career
The Doctor-Patient Relationship
The Qualities of the Doctor-Patient Relationship
What Can Go Wrong with the Doctor-Patient Relationship
Addressing Some of the Myths about the Doctor-Patient Relationship
The Humanism of Medicine: Bringing It All Together
Another Look at a Day in the Life of a Physician
Teaching the Human Side of Medicine
Summing Up
Fashioning the Best System of Medical Care Possible: What Would Be Ideal for the Patient, What Would Be Ideal for the Physician
Epilogue and My Personal Journey
Appendix: Outline of the "Seminar in the Human Side of Medicine" Course at Macalester College
Bibliography
Index

LC Card Number: 2001053837

LCC Class: R727

Dewey Class: 610


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