Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance | 
 enlarge | Author: Atul Gawande
Publisher: Picador
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
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Avg. Customer Rating:  78 reviews
Sales Rank: 1079
Media: Paperback
Edition: 1st
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 0312427654
Dewey Decimal Number: 616
EAN: 9780312427658
ASIN: 0312427654
Publication Date: January 22, 2008
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Product Description
National Bestseller The struggle to perform well is universal: each of us faces fatigue, limited resources, and imperfect abilities in whatever we do. But nowhere is this drive to do better more important than in medicine, where lives may be on the line with any decision. Atul Gawande, the New York Times bestselling author of Complications, examines, in riveting accounts of medical failure and triumph, how success is achieved in this complex and risk-filled profession. At once unflinching and compassionate, Better is an exhilarating journey, narrated by "arguably the best nonfiction doctor-writer around" (Salon.com).
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| Customer Reviews: Read 73 more reviews...
 Gawande is as good with the pen as with the scalpel July 14, 2008
Better is a very good window on medical practice. There are a lot of books on this subject - and not many have the same cutting edge as this one. All the chapters are good, but the one about the bell curve is outstanding: why some places are much better than others when all should be about the same, using the same medical information that is avaiable for all.
A Straightforward and Thought-Provoking Work July 10, 2008
Atul Gawande's second book is the first work I've read that falls under that bookstore subcategory of "Medical Literature." It's one of those books that can stimulate an interest for a subject in an initially less-than-curious reader. Firstly, Dr. Gawande's prose is very straightforward and approachable; his descriptions are nontechnical without sacrificing detail. Many chapters address issues to which the average person often has knee-jerk reactions to, such as medical malpractice. There are also quite enlightening passages: I for one have always been curious about how the current system for compensation for medical services came about.
Perhaps the strongest feature of Dr. Gawande's writing is the presentation of multiple perspectives, complete with interviews, example cases, and history. The author does not try to hammer his views across, but presents issues that the average reader might not have ever thought too deeply about. By providing a complete framework of an issue, the reader is then able to consider the subject from multiple angles.
The book is a fast read, a credit to the author's writing ability. The material really does keep you thinking long after you've put down the book, and I think that's why it deserves a 5th star in spite of the apparent short length. After all, there are so many books longer in length that, while enjoyable, do not lead to long moments of introspection during quiet times. "Better" is a book that first makes you think, and when you aren't satisfied with what you know so far, makes you go out to learn more on your own.
Appreciate life and do better! July 1, 2008
The title of this book is great. Gawande's notes on performance will provide a lot of information. He writes about malpractice headaches, insurance obstacles, medical resources in the war and how medical teams have helped so many soldiers. He also mentions a physicians role in the death penalty (that there shouldn't be one) and tells the reader a little about the history of executions. He also provides some history of childbirth and history of tools used. I found out about an inspirational woman named Virginia Apgar too by reading this book. The "fighting on" section did make me emotional and I'm so glad I wasn't somewhere public while reading it.
Every bit of the way Gawande provides nice advice for anyone, not just doctors, to do better.
Transparency, diligence - engines of innovation June 29, 2008
Constantly bombarded by the latest headlines in advances of genomics research, new drugs, and ever sophisticated machinery to help save human lives, Atul Gawande's book offers an insightful suggestion: diligence, transparency, and focus on data-driven improvement, on the part of the doctor, may well be the next frontiers if we're looking to transform the healthcare industry.
Science helps, but ingenuity, and diligence of the doctor are often overlooked and underestimated. Having no affiliation to the healthcare industry, this book has definitely brought me to re-evaluate my relationship with my doctor, and gave me a much better understanding of what to look for in the future.
Excellent Book June 21, 2008
I enjoyed Gawande full view on the topics in medicine that he discussed. It gave me a great feel for the field and also left room for the reader to be critical and think of additional ways of how to make the problems within medicine better
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