5 Healthcare Books Worth Reading

In this blog post, members of the TigerConnect team highlight books they are reading that cover some of the most relevant business and healthcare topics today.

Here’s what we recommend to healthcare professionals or anyone who wants to learn more about the healthcare industry!

Why We Sleep, Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams
By Matthew Walker PhD

A thoughtful look into the often misunderstood state of being asleep. Walker makes the urgent argument that lack of sleep poses the greatest public health challenge we face in the 21st century. He cites studies showing that routinely sleeping less than 6 or 7 hours a night increases your risk of cancer by 50% and after even one night of less than 5 hours of sleep, natural killer cells (which kill cancer cells that appear in your body EVERY DAY) drop by 70%. Just one night!

This should be required reading by EVERYONE. After you read this book, you’ll prioritize getting an 8-hour night of sleep every night.

Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic
By Sam Quinones

This true story unfolds through the eyes of an investigative journalist, artfully weaving in characters from corporate pharmaceutical companies to young men from a tiny village in the state of Nyarite, Mexico that become part of the biggest heroin trafficking operation in history. Each character has their own motivations for playing a part in this tragic, frightening story.

The book takes a historical look back, detailing the nefarious marketing methods for painkillers, especially OxyCotin, to convince family doctors to write millions of prescriptions. The book also outlines the parallel uptick in heroin addictions, led primarily from high-quality “black tar heroin” from Mexico with dealers following business models that rival the nation’s best-run corporations and delivery methods as efficient as your favorite pizza parlor. As the paths of opiates and heroin collide, things really take a turn for the worst.

The book ends on a hopeful note. The author highlights what is being done to – finally – fight the Opiate Epidemic. He also highlights solutions that are being explored to address the crisis with the hope of ending this cycle of addiction and overdose initiated by prescription medication, in addition to making recovery more attainable for those currently struggling. If you are looking for a deeper understanding of the Opiate Epidemic this is a must read.

How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease
By Michael Gregor, MD and Gene Stone

The vast majority of premature deaths can be prevented through simple changes in diet and lifestyle. In How Not to Die, Dr. Michael Greger, the internationally-recognized lecturer, physician, and founder of NutritionFacts.org, examines the fifteen top causes of death in America—heart disease, various cancers, diabetes, Parkinson’s, high blood pressure, and more—and explains how nutritional and lifestyle interventions can sometimes trump prescription pills and other pharmaceutical and surgical approaches, freeing us to live healthier lives.

The author promotes a plant-based lifestyle, but for those individuals that aren’t as likely to live a full plant-based lifestyle, he suggests a lot of good can come if Americans incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets and reduce the amount of animal-based products consumed. He also provides recommendations for foods to incorporate and foods to avoid for individuals prone to certain diseases.

The Patient Will See You Now: The Future of Medicine is in Your Hands
By Eric Topol, MD

Eric Topol shows an alternative view of medicine that puts more power and control into the hands of patients. Topol shares innovative ideas such as using a smartphone to obtain rapid blood test results or monitor vital signs.

These ideas could empower a patient to obtain a diagnosis without seeing a doctor, and the process could result in substantial financial savings. This may well be the future of healthcare.

Preventing Physician Burnout: Curing the Chaos and Returning Joy to the Practice of Medicine
By Paul DeChant, MD, MBA and Diane Shannon, MD, MPH

Doctors Paul DeChant and Diane Shannon define burnout, explore the consequences for physicians, patients, and the health care system, and identify the underlying causes that are fueling the epidemic. Based on their extensive interviews, they give voice to patient advocates, burnout researchers, leaders of healthcare organizations, and the physicians themselves.

DeChant and Shannon also share examples of strategies that hospitals and physician practices across the United States are using to address the root causes of burnout among physicians, including action items for preventing burnout and curbing the crisis.

Want to read something specific to streamlining your clinical workflows, improving care team collaboration, and reducing readmissions with one easy-to-use platform? Check out our recent eBook The Big, Easy Win.

 

Big Easy Win: Optimize Patient Outcomes & Profitability Get eBook

 

Tags: Patient-Centered Care, Care Team Collaboration, Healthcare