Asserting that "It's time for us to step up to the plate and take charge of ourselves as patients," Ehrenclou (Critical Conditions) immediately sets a proactive tone for this empowering and refreshing roadmap to navigating the torturous healthcare system, outlining everything from how to manage health information to finding lower-cost/free healthcare. To research patient advocacy needs, Ehrenclou interviewed "over 175 physicians and patients," aggregating responses and well-placed quotes. As she worked, however, Ehrenclou developed serious chronic pain and beta-tested her own advice, eventually securing treatment that would result in her being pain-free today. She covers big-picture topics, like methods for researching your own condition and possible diagnoses, as well as more particular considerations, such as the best times to call a pharmacist. Each chapter concludes with a first-person patient checklist that is both encouraging and practical. While full of cogent information, this exhaustive guide functions best as reference material for patients with the wherewithal and time to take on their own case. (May)
