Narrative Matters: The Power of the Personal Essay in Health Policy
The power of these narratives shakes the reader, who cannot but apprehend health care from a new, individual perspective and commit him- or herself to make their part of the system better and more sensitive.(Ezekiel J. Emanuel, M.D., Ph.D.)To begin to understand the many challenges facing the U.S. health care system, you could spend years in the shadow of doctors, patients, medical students, and legislators. Or you could just read this book.Narrative Mattersopens a window into what's happening in American medicine through the minds and pens of those in the middle of it all. At times insightful, depressing, uplifting, and direct,Narrative Mattersaccomplishes a rare feat—a book as well-written as it is necessary.(Joshua M. Sharfstein, M.D., Baltimore City Commissioner of Health)Narrative Mattersshowcases some of health care's most stunning writing. The stories are moving, eloquent, and often unforgettable.(Atul Gawande, M.D., author ofComplications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science)For any reader enthralled by the literature of medicine, these fascinating, compelling, and beautifully written doctor stories were written expressly for you.(Howard Markel, M.D., Ph.D., The University of Michigan Medical School, author ofWhen Germs TravelandQuarantine!)Narrative does matter. That’s why these writers are so successful in making the reader feel and respond to their frustration, anger, pain, sadness, confusion, joy, or loving kindness by writing personal narratives of health care. Had they addressed us on a purely intellectual level, we might have developed a clearer idea about how to create a more equitable health care system, but we’d have less motivation, less passion, for the task.Narrative Mattersis a splendid achievement. This wonderful collection will make a big difference in the way the reader thinks about many of the important issues facing health care today. I suspect this book will do a great deal to enhance public awareness of the human stories at the center of our U.S. health care system.(Jack Coulehan, M.D., M.P.H., Institute for Medicine in Contemporary Society, State University of New York at Stony Brook, and co-editor ofPrimary Care: More Poems by Physicians)A doctor kneels on a highway and watches a child die from a completely preventable accident, as the boy's father wails, 'Wake up, my son!' A baby dies because of language barriers and bureaucracy in the clinic. A nurse quits in despair, stopped by the system from doing the right thing. A governor makes a wrenching choice between a world-class transplant program and basic care for 600,000 people. If these true stories of needless tragedy don't convince you our health care system is broken, you must have a heart of stone.(Melvin J. Konner, Ph.D., M.D., author of Becoming aDoctor: A Journey of Initiation in Medical School)Narrative Mattersshows how health care policies affect real people. Policy loves charts and statistics. These stories fill in the conflicts, the emotions, the frequent pain and occasional joys of being somewhere on one of those charts. Numbers make no moral demands on us; only faces require a response. In these stories, we see the faces that health care policy is all about.(Arthur W. Frank, Ph.D., University of Calgary, author ofThe Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and EthicsandThe Renewal of Generosity: Illness, Medicine, and How to Live)This compilation is unique... because of its strong relevance to today's health policy... These narratives matter.(Galit M. SacajiuJAMA)Very helpful... An essential library volume.(Karen Jaynes WilliamsJournal of Immigrant Minority Health)This volume is relevant to researchers, clinicians, and health care policy makers, and I recommend it highly.(Scott A. StrasselsAmerican Journal of Health-System Pharmacy)