The healthcare Genie is out of the bottle. Obamacare, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will impact every one of you. These changes will come slowly and inexorably, but regardless of who is in power, you need to be prepared. It will be more important than ever to take control of your health. You are the boss; the decisions are yours. You must question and question again. The best result comes from collaboration between a patient and physician who, working as a team, reach a final well-researched decision. There is nothing more important than an educated patient or patient's advocate to navigate through the complicated hills and valleys of healthcare laden with unsuspected booby traps. Education is the key. This book, a combination of four of my Slim Book of Health Pearls series, describes: the pervasive problem of medical errors and how you can play a part in their prevention; the components and importance of a complete medical history and physical examination; the importance of risk factor analysis and health screening; and the critical importance of never delaying the evaluation of an unexplained symptom. Be prepared!
