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WORK TITLE: Attending
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.ronaldepstein.com/
CITY: Rochester
STATE: NY
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/people/20374457-ronald-m-epstein * https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/family-medicine/mindful-practice/faculty.aspx * https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronald-epstein-28a54b47/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
Not found in LOC
PERSONAL
Married Deborah Fox (a musician and artistic director); children: Malka, Eli.
EDUCATION:Wesleyan University, B.A., 1976; Harvard Medical School, M.D., 1984.
ADDRESS
CAREER
University of Rochester Medical Center, professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Oncology and Nursing, 1990–.
AWARDS:Named George Engel and John Romano Dean’s Teaching Scholar, University of Rochester; Lynn Payer Award, American Academy on Communication in Healthcare; Humanism in Medicine Award, New York Academy of Medicine; Fulbright scholar.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Ronald M. Epstein earned his bachelor of arts degree from Wesleyan University in 1976, and he went on to complete his medical decree at Harvard Medical School in 1984. Since 1990, Epstein has served as professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Oncology and Nursing at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and he has been honored as the George Engel and John Romano Dean’s Teaching Scholar for his work there. Epstein has also received a Lynn Payer Award from the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare and a Humanism in Medicine Award from the New York Academy of Medicine.
Part of Epstein’s work at the University of Rochester includes teaching healthcare practitioners to manage stress and burnout through the practice of mindfulness. He shares his insights in his 2017 book, Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity. Epstein explains that healthcare practitioners are often overworked and over scheduled, while patients are often anxious or worried, and this combination of emotional states can stymie communication and efficacy. Furthermore, both workers and patients have suffered under the increased administrative and financial pressures of the healthcare system. From there, the author explains how practicing mindfulness can reduce stress and anxiety and lead to better experiences and outcomes for all parties. Epstein explains how he first became interested in mindfulness while at Harvard, and he has also studied at the San Francisco Zen Center. Epstein not only details what he’s learned, he also shares anecdotes (from his own experiences and from the experiences of colleagues and patients) illustrating the positive affects of mindfulness in a healthcare setting. In the end, the author asserts that mindfulness not only reduces stress, it also prevents burnout. Epstein explains how to become mote mindful and how to create an industry culture that promotes and supports mindfulness practice. In addition, the book includes mindfulness exercises and tips for employing compassion without feeling emotionally drained.
Reviews of Attending were largely positive, and critics noted that the book will likely be useful for any reader (regardless of their career or their health). While the volume is mostly addressed to people working in the healthcare industry, an online Healthy Cells magazine correspondent advised: “I can see where a patient might want to read this book; surely, just as doctors can improve, it’s nice to know how to be a better patient. I’m not sure the new-agey-ness will hold the average reader’s interest—that’s more physician-based—but I think there are lessons to learn.” A Kirkus Reviews columnist was even more positive, asserting that the book is “worthy reading for medical students and practitioners but also applicable to other fields: artists, writers, musicians, teachers et al. can also fall into formulaic ruts and autopilot behavior and need literally to change their minds.” Indeed, Richard Maxwell in Library Journal called the volume a “a concise guide to his [Epstein’s] view of what mindfulness is, its value, and how it is a skill that anyone can work to acquire.”
As a Publishers Weekly contributor put it, “Epstein’s treatise should be required reading for physicians, and it is also of vital interest to the patients in their care.” June Sawyers, writing in Booklist, was also impressed, and he praised Epstein for addressing “mindful self-awareness, self-monitoring, and self-regulation, which, he believes, are the foundations of ‘good judgment, compassion, and attentive care.'” Offering further applause in her Gold Foundation Website assessment, Alie Rae announced: “Written by an engaging communicator, Attending is an enjoyable foray into the mind of someone who has carefully considered the challenges to today’s practice of medicine. Epstein provides thoughtful replies to a variety of concepts using compelling narrative and engaging anecdotes.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, December 1, 2016, June Sawyers, review of Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity.
Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2016, review of Attending.
Library Journal, December 1, 2016, Richard Maxwell, review of Attending.
Publishers Weekly, December 19, 2016, review of Attending.
ONLINE
Gold Foundation, http://www.gold-foundation.org/ (January 24, 2017), Alie Rae, review of Attending.
Healthy Cells, http://www.healthycellsmagazine.com/ (April 8, 2017), review of Attending.
Ronald M. Epstein Website, http://www.ronaldepstein.com (October 15, 2017).
University of Rochester Medical Center Website, https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/ (October 15, 2017), author profile.*
Ronald Epstein's new book, Attending, is now available. Click here to learn more.
“This book is phenomenal. It is hard for me to imagine a doctor reading it and not immediately recognizing, taking to heart, and implementing its messages in any number of different ways. And it is equally hard for me to imagine that it will not energize all of us, when we find ourselves in the role of ‘the patient,’ to demand greater mindfulness from our care givers.”
—Jon Kabat-Zinn, PhD, author of Full Catastrophe Living and Mindfulness for Beginners
"The life of a physician is a journey that explores mind and heart and soul. Here, Ronald Epstein, a consummate clinician, illuminates those domains of life, finding truths for his patients and for himself. This book will educate and inspire both professionals and laymen alike."
—Jerome Groopman, author of How Doctors Think
"Ronald Epstein cuts through the cacophony and illuminates the heart of the medical enterprise—the attentive and compassionate connection between doctor and patient. In a world awash with medical error, patient dissatisfaction, and burned-out doctors, this attention to mindfulness is much needed balm. “Attending” is at once penetrating, counterintuitive, and profoundly humbling."
—Danielle Ofri, MD, PhD, author of What Patients Say, What Doctors Hear
“Attending is the book every medical caregiver needs to strengthen their minds and harness their resilience to care for others—and every patient needs to understand how doctors think. This is a work of heart and head, a beautiful synthesis of inner wisdom and hard earned scientific empirical findings. With clear explanations, and captivating stories, this book is exactly what the field of medicine needs.”
—Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., author of Mind and The Mindful Brain and Executive Director, Mindsight Institute Founding Co-Director, UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center
RonEpstein_2834v2 small filesize.jpg
Ronald Epstein is a family physician, palliative care physician, writer, researcher and teacher of communication and mindful practice in medicine.
Current Appointments
Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Oncology and Medicine
Director, Center for Communication and Disparities Research
Co-Director, Mindful Practice Programs
Co-Director, Deans Teaching Fellowship
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry
Board Certification
Family Medicine
Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Ronald Epstein
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Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Oncology and Nursing at University of Rochester Medical Center
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Ron Epstein has a new book, Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity, now available for pre-order.
It’s about mindfulness and medical practice, a groundbreaking, intimate exploration of how doctors think and what matters most—safe, effective, patient-centered, compassionate care. In Attending, Dr. Epstein uses gripping and deeply human stories to give patients a language to describe what they most value in health care and to outline a road map for health care to refocus on patients’ needs. Drawing on his clinical experiences and current research, Epstein explores four aspects of mindfulness in medicine —Attention, Curiosity, Beginner’s Mind, and Presence – and introduces a revolutionary concept: by looking inward, health care practitioners can grow their capacity to provide high-quality care and the resilience to be there when their patients need them. In an era when the commodification of health care has shifted doctors' focus away from the healing of patients to the bottom line and clinician burnout is at an all-time high, Attending is the antidote. With intelligence and compassion, Epstein offers a crucial, timely book that shows us how we can restore humanity to medicine, guides us toward a better overall quality of care, and reminds us of what matters most. Pre-order now on one of the sites below. Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Attending-Dr-Ronald-Epstein-M-D/dp/1501121715?ie=UTF8&redirect=true&tag=simonsayscom Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/attending-dr-ronald-epstein-md/1123497152?e Books-A-Million: http://www.booksamillion.com/p/9781501121715 IndieBound: http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781501121715 Director, Center for Communication and Disparities Research Director, Mindful Practice Programs Director, Deans Teaching Fellowship Program Board Certified in Family Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine
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Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness and Humanity now available for pre-order
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Experience
University of Rochester Medical Center
Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Oncology and Nursing
Company NameUniversity of Rochester Medical Center
Dates EmployedJul 1990 – Present Employment Duration27 yrs 3 mos
LocationRochester, NY
Ronald M. Epstein, M.D. is Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Oncology and Nursing at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is board-certified in Family Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. He serves as Director of the Center for Communication and Disparities Research and as Director of the Dean's Teaching Fellowship Program.
Research: Dr. Epstein's research has demonstrated the impact of patient-physician relationships. mindful practice and communication on health, the process of care and health care costs. His research and scholarship focuses on patient-family-clinician communication in the context of serious illness (AIDS, cancer), mental health in primary care (depression, somatization) and physician resilience
Education: Dr. Epstein developed the concept of mindful practice in health care, demonstrating the effect of mindful practice educational programs on clinician burnout and clinical care. He has developed innovative educational programs in mindfulness, mindful practice, communication skills, patient-physician relationships, physician self-awareness and assessment of professional competence.
Honors: Dr. Epstein is a frequent keynote speaker at major national and international conferences on primary care, medical education, communication and mindful practice. He has been awarded the George Engel and John Romano Dean's Teaching Scholar at the University of Rochester, the Lynn Payer Award from the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare for lifetime achievement and health, and the Humanism in Medicine Award from the NY Academy of Medicine.He has been a Fulbright scholar at the Institute for Health Studies in Barcelona and a visiting scholar at the University of Sydney.
Personal: Dr. Epstein is a harpsichordist, gourmet cook, cyclist and cross-country skier. His wife, Deborah Fox is a freelance lutenist and founding artistic director of Pegasus Early Music. They have two children, Malka and Eli.
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Education
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Degree NameDoctor of Medicine (MD)
Dates attended or expected graduation 1980 – 1984
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Degree NameBA Field Of StudyMusic
Dates attended or expected graduation 1972 – 1976
Biography
Ronald M. Epstein, M.D. is Professor of Family Medicine, Psychiatry & Oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, and board-certified in Family Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. Epstein is active in research and medical education. He is Director of the Center for Communication and Disparities Research, which focuses on how to improve communication between clinicians, patients and their loved ones. He also directs the Deans Teaching Fellowship program to promote excellence in medical education. He has over 200 publications.
Dr. Epstein graduated from Wesleyan University (1976) and Harvard Medical School (1984). Among his accomplishments, he was named the first George Engel and John Romano Dean's Teaching Scholar at the University of Rochester. National honors include the Lynn Payer Award from the American Academy on Communication in Healthcare for lifetime achievement in research on communication and health and the Humanism in Medicine Award from the New York Academy of Medicine. He has been a Fulbright scholar at the Institute for Health Studies in Barcelona, Spain and a visiting scholar at the University of Sydney. He is a frequent keynote speaker at major national and international conferences on medical education, communication, and mindfulness in health care. He is a accomplished harpsichordist and gourmet cook, and an avid cyclist and cross-country skier. His wife, Deborah Fox is a freelance lutenist and founding artistic director of Pegasus Early Music. They have two children, Malka and Eli.
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Print Marked Items
Epstein, Ronald: ATTENDING
Kirkus Reviews.
(Dec. 15, 2016):
COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Epstein, Ronald ATTENDING Scribner (Adult Nonfiction) $26.00 1, 24 ISBN: 978-1-5011-2171-5
Can the encounter between doctor and patient be improved? A renowned family physician thinks so, and he explains
how in this compendium of a lifetime of experience. In chapters with titles like Being Mindful, Beginner's Mind,
Curiosity, Being Present, and Responding to Suffering, Epstein (Family Medicine, Psychiatry and Oncology/Univ. of
Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry) reminds us that "attending" is shorthand for the chief physician in charge
of a specific case, but he also emphasizes how it describes a way of being present in the moment, sensitive to the
thoughts and feelings of the patient. If that patient is suffering, the doctor must show compassion but also keep in mind
the importance of avoiding burnout. Epstein contrasts this kind of attending with the hurried 15-minute encounter so
common today, in which the doctor pronounces a diagnosis and a prescription while turning away to another case or
the computer. Taking the time to truly engage can make all the difference in arriving at the correct diagnosis, gaining
trust and compliance from the patient, and, over time, becoming a master in the field. In difficult terminal cases, for
example, when the doctor hears the dreaded question, "what would you do if you were me?" it means pausing, not
saying anything right away, and then asking more questions to arrive at what Epstein calls a "shared mind." Much of
the meaning of "attending," as the author uses it, relates to the practice of meditation, and he offers some guidance on
how to concentrate attention so the mind is not distracted or wandering. But Epstein is no spiritual preacher, and this is
no New Age text. The author richly illustrates his arguments with case histories and stories of near mishaps in
surgeries. Worthy reading for medical students and practitioners but also applicable to other fields: artists, writers,
musicians, teachers et al. can also fall into formulaic ruts and autopilot behavior and need literally to change their
minds.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Epstein, Ronald: ATTENDING." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2016. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA473652200&it=r&asid=f04a2f66a35cc203606645ad0a0dbb66.
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Epstein, Ronald. Attending: Medicine,
Mindfulness, and Humanity
Richard Maxwell
Library Journal.
141.20 (Dec. 1, 2016): p113.
COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution
permitted.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
Epstein, Ronald. Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity. Scribner. Jan. 2017. 288p. notes. index. ISBN
9781501121715. $26; ebk. ISBN 9781501121739. MED
An anxious patient and a seemingly harried health-care professional sit in a small room talking, but little real
communication occurs. Epstein (family medicine, psychiatry, & oncology; codirector, mindful practice programs, Univ.
of Rochester Sch. of Medicine and Dentistry) says this scenario is all too common. Skilled professionals who avoid
this use the practice, in some cases unknowingly, of mindfulness. Epstein's fascination with the topic and its
application began in medical school and was affected by his time at the San Francisco Zen Center. He offers numerous
anecdotes, both his own and those of others, and research looking at how becoming more mindful can improve
communication and help to reduce errors, burnout, debilitating worry, and guilt. Heavily footnoted chapters include
descriptions of exercises to enhance mindfulness and describe the difficulty of dealing with another's suffering and of
showing compassion in ways that don't become overwhelming. Finally, he provides suggestions for physicians and
other caregivers to become more mindful and for health-care systems to create structures that allow for that to happen.
VERDICT While focusing primarily on health-care professionals, Epstein presents for general readers a concise guide
to his view of what mindfulness is, its value, and how it is a skill that anyone can work to acquire. [See Prepub Alert,
8/1/16.]--Richard Maxwell, Porter Adventist Hosp. Lib., Denver
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Maxwell, Richard. "Epstein, Ronald. Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity." Library Journal, 1 Dec.
2016, p. 113+. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA472371280&it=r&asid=ec5aa3aa20a89d00a0229694b6e951d2.
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Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and
Humanity
Publishers Weekly.
263.52 (Dec. 19, 2016): p114.
COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity
Ronald Epstein. Scribner, $26 (288p) ISBN 978-1-5011-2171-5
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Epstein, a family physician and professor at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, expands on
his landmark 1999 essay in the Journal of the American Medical Association, which called for "mindful practice" on
the part of physicians. Here he makes the case for using mindful practice to save both a medical profession "in crisis"
and patients who are falling victim to "the fragmentation of the health care system." Citing examples from his own
practice, Epstein shows how taking time to pay attention to patients can lead to better outcomes on both sides of the
stethoscope. He writes of one woman whose deteriorating health left him feeling helpless; after her recovery, she
confessed that his uncertainty was reassuring: "'At least,' she said, 'I knew you were being honest.'" Being mindful,
Epstein states, is "a moral choice" for physicians. He also condemns the health care system and a culture of medicine
that puts "clinicians in morally compromising situations" with electronic health record systems that are "sculpted
around billing rather than good patient care," and increased pressure on doctors "to see more patients without regard to
quality." Epstein's treatise should be required reading for physicians, and it is also of vital interest to the patients in
their care. (Feb.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity." Publishers Weekly, 19 Dec. 2016, p. 114. General OneFile,
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p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA475324327&it=r&asid=d7d74a710856e8899d3bf2bceb38c1f9.
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Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and
Humanity
June Sawyers
Booklist.
113.7 (Dec. 1, 2016): p13.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity. By Ronald Epstein. Jan. 2017. 288p. Scribner, $26
(9781501121715): e-book (97815011217391.610.69.
In 1999, Epstein published what has come to be known as a landmark article, "Mindful Practice," in the Journal of the
American Medical Association. This is a sequel of sorts, as Epstein discusses the qualities and habits that define truly
great doctors. The secret, he has concluded, is mindfulness. "Awareness of my own mind might be one of the most
important tools I could have in addressing patients' needs," he explains. He learned on the job how to turn inward in
order to help himself help his patients. He now shares his personal manifesto, defining and emphasizing the practice of
mindful self-awareness, self-monitoring, and self-regulation, which, he believes, are the foundations of "good
judgment, compassion, and attentive care." Epstein discusses such topics as curiosity, intuition, and how to respond to
suffering. He also addresses that most common of doctor complaints, burnout, which he contends is a national
epidemic. Epstein concludes with thoughts on how to create a mindful health-care system, in this caring and optimistic
view of medicine.--June Sawyers
Sawyers, June
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Sawyers, June. "Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity." Booklist, 1 Dec. 2016, p. 13. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA474717091&it=r&asid=464c226f36b7c6c4818bcb584f74cc29.
Accessed 26 Sept. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A474717091
Review of “Attending” by Ronald Epstein
JANUARY 24, 2017
BY ALI RAE
attendingDr. Ronald Epstein’s recently published book Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity is among the best books about how to teach the humanistic aspects of doctoring. Epstein weaves together an insightful collection of experiences that examine the clinician’s situation starting from inside her own mind and ending at the system in which she practices.
“Attending” is both a term for the senior physician on a care team as well as a state of attentiveness. Both definitions are important here – the book draws from theories of mindfulness, which Epstein brought to the attention of medical practitioners in a 1999 JAMA article. This book explains the difference between being attentive and being present and how both are involved in the makings of an excellent physician. Epstein also explores more abstract concepts like curiosity and intuition, explaining with engaging examples how these characteristics are invaluable to the best clinicians.
The book reads like an eloquent explanation of the modern challenges to good doctoring. He addresses a variety of issues, from the breakdowns in communication between physician and patient to the challenges of providing empathic care in systems that are built for financial optimization rather than for healing. He also addresses important contemporary topics such as burnout and medical errors, devoting careful thought to these hotly debated problems.
Epstein does not just explain the relevant issues; he also writes about ways these problems can be curtailed or avoided. He uses anecdotes from his own experience in medical school and training as well as experiences and lessons he has learned about from colleagues, friends, and patients. He draws also from his extensive reading, including quotes and concepts from various scholars, including the philosopher Michel Foucault and the poet Jalal ad-Din Rumi. The result is an enjoyable amalgamation of human experience, applied to the complicated challenges faced by humanistic clinicians in today’s era of healthcare.
Epstein highlights the importance of a sound mind throughout the book. He explains many aspects of mindfulness practice, citing specific characteristics that can be improved using mindfulness techniques. He also provides an opportunity for clinicians and other healthcare providers to sharpen these skills by teaching specific exercises in the book.
Written by an engaging communicator, Attending is an enjoyable foray into the mind of someone who has carefully considered the challenges to today’s practice of medicine. Epstein provides thoughtful replies to a variety of concepts using compelling narrative and engaging anecdotes. This book is an important read for anyone who wants to critically engage with the humanistic practice of medicine.
Ali Rae
Health Communications Fellow at the Gold Foundation Research Institute
Ali I. Rae is in his fourth year of pursuing an MD/MPH at Brown and Columbia Universities respectively, with a concentration in Medical Humanities and Ethics. He writes poetry and fiction, as well as nonfiction on research topics with special interest in medical education, health policy, and the neurosciences.
arae@gold-foundation.org
ATTENDING MEDICINE, MINDFULNESS, AND HUMANITY
April 08, 2017
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Book Review by The Bookworm Sez
The appointment will probably be brief.
That’s okay, though; you’re informed. You know that when it comes to your health these days, it’s important to make every minute with your doctor count and you’re hoping to be thorough, so you don’t waste her time. The new book Attending by Ronald Epstein, M.D. might help by revealing how a good practitioner thinks.
Years ago, as a young medical student, Ronald Epstein witnessed a near-catastrophe in an operating room that almost led to a patient’s death. Shaken, he began to think about what makes a good doctor, and he “came to three conclusions — good doctors need to be self-aware… in the moment… and no one had a road map.”
Thus the reason for this book: patients and physicians are both frustrated at what has become of the healthcare system today. On the part of the practitioner, “it is possible to do better” by becoming more mindful.
With ever-shrinking appointment times, it’s especially important for a practitioner to pay attention to a patient, but in different ways. Medical school teaches physicians to deal with the “unexpected and complex,” but they’re not trained to slow their thinking and see the obvious.
Even so, in a good doctor, intuition sometimes takes over.
Curiosity is inherently present in mindfulness. It’s asking the seemingly-odd questions, a willingness to see things differently, the cultivation of presence and of active listening, and wanting to avoid the mundane. It’s what makes a doctor want to get to know a patient, if nothing but for the sake of knowing.
Practitioners, says Epstein, are taught not to get too close to their patients, but sometimes they can’t help it. They “dread” the “What would you do if you were me?” question, and they hope you never become an “interesting” case. They get sick, too, and it makes them just as fearful as it does you. They know that sometimes, “no” is the absolute right answer.
Though I liked reading Attending very much, the main thing I couldn’t ignore was the struggle in determining its intended audience.
Absolutely, author Ronald Epstein, M.D. wrote this book with healthcare practitioners in mind; there seems to be abundant advice and reminders on each page, with stories that they will understand and to which they can relate. This is a thoughtful, quiet book and, for medical personnel, it’s a phenomenal look at being the kind of healer patients want.
But is it accessible for lay-people? There’s where I struggled.
I can see where a patient might want to read this book; surely, just as doctors can improve, it’s nice to know how to be a better patient. I’m not sure the new-agey-ness will hold the average reader’s interest — that’s more physician-based — but I think there are lessons to learn.
Even so, while this book is good and does offer an imagined future for healthcare, those in the field will get much more from it. If that’s you, then you’ll appreciate it. If not, then your time with Attending might be brief.