The following is a list of recommended books. Some of these books have been written by patients, others by doctors, and still others by advocates. We believe that each book holds valuable information that can help you to become the most successful patient you can be.

You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes by Trisha Torrey. Minneapolis, MN: Langdon Street Press, 2010

Aftershock: What to Do When the Doctor Gives You—Or Someone You Love—a Devastating Diagnosis by Jessie Gruman, Ph.D. New York: Walker & Company 2007

Fatal Care: Survive in the U.S. Health System by Sanjaya Kumar, MD. Minneapolis: IGI Press, 2008

The Hospital Stay Handbook: A Guide to Becoming a Patient Advocate for Your Loved Ones by Jari Holland Buck. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2007

Cancer Schmancer by Fran Drescher. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2003

The Great American Heart Hoax: Lifesaving Advice Your Doctor Should Tell You About Heart Disease Prevention (But Probably Never Will) by Michael Ozner, MD. Benbella Books, 2008

How Doctors Think by Jerome Groopman, MD. New York: Houghton Mifflin, 2007

The Empowered Patient: Hundreds of Life-Saving Facts, Action Steps and Strategies You Need to Know by Julia Hallisy, DDS. San Francisco: Bold Spirit Press, 2008

Notes from the Waiting Room: Managing a Loved One’s End-of-Life Hospitalization by Bart Windrum. Boulder, CO: Axiom Action Publishing, 2008

Doctor, Your Patient Will See You Now by Steven Z. Kussin, MD. New York: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2011

The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper and Fairer Health Care by T. R. Reid. New York: Penguin Books, 2010

Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance by Atul Gawande. New York: Picador, 2007

The Patient’s Checklists: 10 Simple Hospital Checklists to Keep you Safe, Sane & Organized by Elizabeth Bailey. Sterling, 2012.

I Need an Operation... Now What? A Patient’s Guide to a Safe and Successful Outcome by Thomas R. Russell, MD. American College of Surgeons and Thomson Healthcare, 2008.