Review of Surviving the Business of Healthcare

[Pamela Venkatesan]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Surviving the Business of Healthcare" by Barbara Galutia Regis PA-C.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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I have just finished reading the book Surviving the Business of Healthcare by Barbara Galutia Regis. I was not sure what to expect when I agreed to read and review it. As it happens, I was very pleasantly surprised at how interesting it is. The author is knowledgeable about many aspects of the confusing healthcare system and describes and explains many relevant aspects of healthcare. Almost every aspect of healthcare is covered succinctly and simply -- no medical jargon is used. Subject matter includes a broad range of topics that have, or will, affect everyone at some point in his/her life. It differentiates between the different health care providers, from the technical workers to the specialists; various insurance options, including the negatives and positives of each kind of plan, as well as explaining why insurance is necessary; prescription and pharmaceutical tips; the necessity (and why it is necessary) of having a living will (and how to go about preparing one); the legal aspects; and how to help those in your care get the help and protections they may need. It even addresses elder abuse and how to identify and protect them. This is all achieved in just 115 pages.

My assessment of this book is very positive. I would give it a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. The rating is based on the specific criteria that the author has achieved what she set out to do -- make understanding healthcare a possibility. It is well written, simply written and doesn't waste words elaborating on esoteric points. She has personalized it by including personal reminiscences from her childhood, and her family and small town where she grew up. It was a pleasant diversion, although not necessarily useful in the context of the book, but I did enjoy it despite that.

I have no negative comments to make about the book. I found her straight talk to be refreshing, and she cuts through the gibberish that is often associated with more dense books. If there are any negative comments it may be that it does not delve deeply enough into the subjects, however being more detailed was not her goal, and I think it unfair to criticize a book on what it does not do. She makes it clear from the beginning that it is more of a primer than a textbook. Another possible criticism is that it can be viewed as a bit self promoting. I did not find that to be a problem.

As stated above, I have rated the book with four stars. It did precisely what it set out to do, and I found it informative and helpful. It was short, well written, and clear.

This book would be a useful resource for almost anyone. Young people who are beginning to make their own healthcare decisions, and those who are finding themselves having to care for and make medical decisions for their elderly parents would benefit the most from reading this book, and consulting it before hospitalizations or beginning to embark on major medical procedures. It would help them to know what kind of questions to ask, who is who in the medical field and how to approach the complicated American health care system.

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Surviving the Business of Healthcare
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[Muskan Upadhyaya]

I completely agree with your point of view, this book is very helpful for the young people as they have to take care of their as well as their parent's health.
Thankx for your review