An intriguing new book from Jerome Groopman, a hematologist and staff writer for the New Yorker. TIME.com on the book:
Groopman began to intensively examine how doctors think and how they get sidetracked from the truth. He learned that about 80% of medical mistakes are the result of predictable mental traps, or cognitive errors, that bedevil all human beings. Only 20% are due to technical mishaps–mixed-up test results or hard-to-decipher handwriting–that typically loom larger in patients’ minds and on television shows.The result of Groopman’s journey is How Doctors Think, an engagingly written book that is must reading for every physician who cares for patients and every patient who wishes to get the best care. Groopman says patients can prompt broader, sharper and less prejudiced thinking by asking doctors open-ended questions and learning to identify some of their common thinking mistakes.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I wonder if there is a comparison between contemporary physicians to previous generations in terms of “How doctors used too think?”
The title is intrigueing. I may go and scan it at a B&N.
Thanks Kevin.
Hey, jsut got my copy of Business Week. This book was teh feature full page book review on teh back. Excellent, patient empowering review. Albeit, some of the missed diagnoses seem very peculiar.