As an author, speaker and news contributor, I try to read as much as I can about the world of medicine and the world beyond it. I find the two are often intimately entwined and open interesting new doors to each other.
Nothing compares to feeling of getting immersed in a good book, embarking on a journey of discovery. I’m especially fond of authors who (a) possess deep subject-matter expertise and (b) show mastery in the art of storytelling.
Here are four books I finished this month, a combination of new releases and old favorites, along with my thoughts on each:
(Knopf | May 2018)
Subtitled “Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup,” this book tells the now-infamous tale of the disgraced blood-testing company Theranos. Carreyou, a Wall Street Journal reporter since 1999, put his investigative skills on full display, filling the book with rich detail and explosive findings. Although an excellent read, I take exception to the increasingly popular depiction of Elizabeth Holmes and her boyfriend Sonny Balwani as vampiric and villainous grifters working alone – I plan to explore this misconception further in a future article. Stay tuned.
The Passion Paradox by Brad Stulberg
(Rodale Books | March 2019)
As an expert on human performance and well-being, Brad believes passion can be either a gift or a curse. He explains that “harmonious passion” is a gift because it absorbs you in an activity you love. The curse lies in “obsessive passion” to which you grow dependent because of the external rewards and recognition you receive. This type of passion is associated with burnout, depression and unethical conduct. This lesson, along with this book, offers valuable insights for everyone in the healthcare industry.
Reframing Healthcare by Zeev Neuwirth
(Advantage Media Group | available April 23)
Available for pre-order, this book offers a roadmap for a superior consumer experience in healthcare, one that focuses on the needs of people, not the medical-industrial complex. Based on his experience as a primary care physician and medical group leader, Zeev Neuwirth combines marketing lessons from business school with proven methods to implement innovative operational change. Anyone dissatisfied with the current system will enjoy this book. Head’s up: Zeev will be my next guest on the Fixing Healthcare podcast.
(Metropolitan Books | 2002)
I recently reread Dr. Gawande’s first book “Complications,” wanting to “revisit” a time in healthcare that seems both long ago and alarmingly current. The turn of the twenty-first century ushered in great clinical and technological advancements, along with an even greater resistance to change. Seven years before he wrote “A Checklist Manifesto,” Gawande painted a portrait of an imperfect science within an imperfect medical culture—a portrait that resonates just as powerfully today.
What Are You Reading?
I’m always on the lookout for the next great book to read, so I welcome your suggestions.
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Thank you in advance for your suggestions. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Dr. Robert Pearl is the former CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, the nation’s largest physician group. He’s the bestselling author of “Mistreated: Why We Think We’re Getting Good Health Care–And Why We’re Usually Wrong” and a Stanford University professor. Follow him on Twitter @RobertPearlMD.
