ALBUQUERQUE, Oct. 1, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- "Be aware, be prepared, and take charge of your health and your life," writes author Bea Ebaugh Sheridan, RN, Ph.D. How does one do this? In her new, semi-autobiographical book, Medical Madness ... and You Are the Victim (now available through 1stBooks), Sheridan shows individuals how to make the right health decisions and how to avoid becoming victims of the healthcare industry. She relives and recreates her own experiences in the field of modern medicine and voices her concerns with the changes in past decades.
In this comprehensive edition, Sheridan, a nurse with more than 45 years experience, details the decline of the healthcare industry. When managed care surfaced in an effort to reduce skyrocketing medical costs, Medicare and Medicaid became primary sources of income for both hospitals and doctors, she writes. As a result, private doctors began to see as many patients as possible to meet overhead costs and make a living. Hospitals, in response to the reduction of reimbursement by the government and discounted managed care contracts, were forced to cut back services. Sheridan also explains that new technology has extended the average life expectancy, leaving a large portion of the population to depend on more expensive care.
With such a motivation for profits, there is little time to offer individualized, tranquil care as was once the norm. "Everything is done in a hurry. Unfortunately, societies expectations have not been reduced ... We still demand care over and above that which is reasonable or affordable. The changes that have occurred as a result have become the medical madness..." Sheridan explains.
Medical Madness offers true stories and was written to assist potential patients in avoiding hospital victimization. Sheridan highlights several aspects of health practices and offers tips to help readers make informed decisions. She stresses the importance of living wills, discusses the need for family centered patient care and points out the value of practicing preventative health measures. The book also takes readers along Sheridan's personal battle with a terminal illness and tells how she is now "enjoying the fruits of her determination not to become a victim."
A compelling combination of medical tips and a personal journey, Sheridan's new book offers hope, knowledge and a powerful message: "You do not have to be a victim."
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