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Second Opinions: Stories of Intuition and Choice in the Changing World of Medicine
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 616
EAN: 9780140298628
Edition: Reprint
ISBN: 0140298622
Label: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Manufacturer: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: March 01, 2001
Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics)
Release Date: February 27, 2001
Studio: Penguin (Non-Classics)
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Editorial Review:
Respected AIDS and cancer specialist Jerome Groopman, M.D., discussed the convergence of illness and spirituality in his first book, The Measure of Our Days. In Second Opinions: Stories of Intuition and Choice in the Changing World of Medicine, he shifts his focus to the ways intuition informs his medical decisions and enhances the quality of his patient relationships (even giving him an edge when examining a patient on referral). In eight chapters that vividly recount cases whose outcomes hinge as much on the doctor's gut feeling and empathy as on his expertise, Groopman eschews the impersonal and know-it-all role of the doctor, describing instead dire cases in which careful consideration of both the emotional and medical issues positively impacted his approach to treatment.
"A clinical compass is built not only from the doctor's medical knowledge but also from joining his intuition with that of his patient," Groopman writes. "This melding of minds occurs when the physician probes not only his patient's body but also his spirit." This uniquely integrated compass is the guide that determines the safest, least traumatic treatment for people who are in advanced stages of illness or whose diagnoses are clinical conundrums. Of the eight stories here, there's Isabella, who was diagnosed with asthma but actually has acute leukemia; Peter, whose sickness is an enigma although he's clearly dying of a vicious lung-tissue disorder; and Alex, who will die from bone marrow failure unless its exact cause is identified. Groopman's narrative nimbly relates all the details of his patients' battles as well as the professional and emotional steps he takes when facing a medical challenge. In most cases, he has been sought out to provide a second opinion of the patient's diagnosis and proposed treatment. More often than not, the original diagnosis was inaccurate and Groopman's meticulous and insightful examinations yield findings that mean the difference between life and death.
Second Opinions is a thoughtful, riveting book and a compelling tribute to the efficacy of medical care when handled responsibly and with empathy. It is also a cautionary collection of stories that reveal oversights inevitable in the health-care industry's rush to maximize efficiency, and as such it teaches an important lesson about the patient's role in ensuring a high quality of care. While Groopman runs the risk of seeming self-congratulatory, he proves himself a trustworthy advocate of patient empowerment and his sincere, articulate portrayal of intuition's subtle force will be inspirational for anyone confronting illness. --Rebecca Wright
Anxious about the prognosis, lost in a blur of technical jargon, and fatigued from worry or pain, people who are ill are easily overwhelmed by treatment choices. Told through eight gripping clinical dramas, Second Opinions reveals the forces at play in making critical medical decisions. Dr. Jerome Groopman illuminates the world of medicine where knowledge is imperfect, no therapy is without risks, and no outcome is fully predictable. He portrays moments of astute diagnosis and misguided perception, of lifesaving triumphs and shattering failures.These real-life lessons prepare us to navigate the uncertain terrain of illness, and enable us to balance intuition and information, and thereby make the best possible decisions about our health and future.
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Groopman does it again!
Groopman is just a talented writer who can transcend the medical jargan and technicalities into something that becomes a joy to read. Not only informative but entertaining as well.
Rating:  - Thoughts from a "practicing" physician
I ran across this book when I was in the mood to review literature related to how medical decisions are made and what physicians can do to improve communication skills to their patients. The author, Dr. Jerome Groopman is a physician who has been instrumental in changing the course of treatment in other patients, himself, and his children based on his combination of intuition, knowledge, and listening skills.
As a physician in medical "practice" I have always been of the opinion that ... Read More
Rating: - Whom to trust . . .
This thought provoking and often disturbing book should come with a warning. It will make you question the judgment of your doctor if you or someone you know is ever faced with diagnosis and treatment of a life-threatening illness. Medical science and technology continue to make great strides forward, but following each of the case histories related by Dr. Groopman in this book, you realize how tenuous is the judgment of individual doctors who must advise patients and lead them to decisions affecting ... Read More
Rating: - Engrossing medical stories
Yes, Dr. Groopman does have a rather elevated opinion of himself, and yes, this book serves admirably as self-promotion, but, so what? Dr. Groopman's inability to assume a socially correct humility may be annoying and distracting to some, but I found it amusing and almost endearing. He wants so much to please and be that delight of mothers everywhere, "my son, the doctor," that it is impossible for him to show himself in an unflattering light. Even when he volunteers his mistakes, one has ... Read More
Rating: - Dr. Gideon, I presume
I've enjoyed Dr. Groopman's essays in the New Yorker and so was happy to learn about this book, which I found to be a highly compelling and instructive read. Groopman is no Tolstoy, but he writes with precision, clarity, compassion and great understanding about people struggling for their lives, usually against cancer, and the peculiarly intimate role a good doctor plays in that struggle.
Of course, one of the unifying threads of the book is also the potentially life-threatening role a bad doctor ... Read More
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