You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes- How to Fix Them to Get the Healthcare You Deserve

Trish Torrey has done an outstanding job of providing mission critical information needed by anyone who is seeking care in today's American health care system. Her book is written with the layman in mind providing easy to understand, consumer friendly guidance and tips that are easy to put into action. As health care advocates, we understand how simple misunderstandings in communication can lead to devastating outcomes. The unquestioning trust in health care professionals is no longer the right approach if you are interested in maintaining and improving your health. Trish provides you the tools necessary to participate as an informed medical consumer. Every health plan in the US should do themselves a favor and offer their subscribers a copy of Trish's book and it should be required reading for every medical and nursing student. Until that happens, do yourself a favor and buy Trish's book. Ida Schnipper, RN, BS, BSN, MA Founder and CEO Heath Champion LLC in your corner […]

"You Bet Your Life," is an essential health care book! Trisha Torrey starts out with her own story of being misdiagnosed with cancer, and how she figured out, on her own, that she never had it at all! She became "Every Patient's Advocate" to help other patients everywhere, and talks directly to the reader. It is like having a personal advocate by your side to help guide you through your hospital or doctor visit. Torrey tells you the ten biggest mistakes patients make, and how to avoid them. She explains how to manage your health care, confirm your diagnosis, learn your differential diagnosis, build a diagnosis chart, learn alternative treatments, stay safe in the hospital, and much more. But the most important thing Torrey tells patients is how hospitals really work. She explains that the one biggest mistake patients make is: "Thinking Doctors Put Their Patient's Needs First." Medicine is a big business, and she tells you why your doctor prescribes certain medications, or orders certain tests, or suggests particular surgeries…etc. In other words, she shows you how to "follow the money," behind your doctor's decisions, because doctors do not make decisions based on their patient's needs, but on how different procedures are financed! And Torrey explains it all! She explains how pharmaceutical and insurance companies operate, also. This knowledge is vital to your health care, because it will help you make the informed decisions you need for yourself and your family! Anyone who visits a doctor needs this book! The list of resources and websites is exceptional, also!

Passion mixed with intelligence is a fabulous combination. Add solid, grounded advice plus terrific writing and the result is Trisha Torrey's new book, YOU BET YOUR LIFE! In this fine guide to a crazy confusing and all-too-often misleading healthcare delivery system, Torrey lives up to her moniker as "Every Patient's Advocate." She provides a much-needed guide that identifies the top ten mistakes patients make — many of which are assumptions perpetuated by healthcare providers and systems. And although the book is filled with chilling anecdotes about what can and will go wrong, YOU BET YOUR LIFE! is not a rant. It's an engaging invitation to the increasingly public conversation about patient empowerment and participatory medicine. Readers will find smart, practical, and actionable solutions to mitigate each "mistake." In fact, patients and caregivers would be wise to read this book well in advance of any medical event since we're all destined to become patients at some point.

Trisha Torrey's You Bet Your Life! The 10 Mistakes Every Patient Makes is an excellent book with useful information on how to understand the medical system and advocate for oneself. In particular, Torrey focuses on the most common mistakes patients make, such as taking a doctor's word as Gospel truth and believing the myth that all doctors put their patients' needs first. This honest assessment of the medical system dispels many myths about this system working for the patient. Torrey tells the truth about how many doctors and hospitals are more motivated by money than the health of the patient. The truth is sobering, but Torrey has the courage and conviction to tell it. In addition, the author explains the behind-the-scenes action of physician and hospital decision making. Each chapter sheds light on the medical system and how patients can work within it to ensure the best possible medical care. All the outstanding chapters give us a glimpse into the medical world. For example, Torrey discusses at length how hospital stays are fraught with dangers, dispelling the often-held belief that they are safe havens. I could really relate, as she discusses how hospitals go on a kind of hiatus at around 5 p.m., leaving the workers with the least experience on the evening and night shifts. One of the book's many strengths involves sharing how empowered patients handle the medical system. Torrey creatively refers to empowered patients as "empatients." She gives ample instances of how empatients make medical decisions and handle medical personnel. The author discusses at length how patients can become more empowered in making informed medical decisions. Torrey first became an empatient in 2004 when she was misdiagnosed with cancer and told by a physician that if she didn't start chemotherapy right away, she would only have months to live. She did research, found errors in her medical records, and — to the doctor's dismay — sought a second opinion. Turns out, she did not have cancer, and had she listened to the first doctor and had chemotherapy, it would have been a huge mistake. We are lucky to have Torrey to give well-needed advice and information about current medical news. Beth L. Gainer, Calling the Shots, […]

As a healthcare advocate, I am grateful to Trish Torrey for writing this book, I recommend it to my clients because it offers great information on how to navigate the healthcare system. My clients feel empowered by reading about Trish's experience with the healthcare system and don't feel so helpless. Trish offers insight into ways to make the healthcare experience less stressful, scary and depressing. She gives great tips on how and what to do to get what you need. This book is a must for all healthcare advocates and their clients.

Trisha Torrey's "You Bet Your Life" is supportive, compelling, and informative. Ms. Torrey has learned from her own brutal and terrifying experience. She has used this period in her life to help others to know how to deal in a turbulent and confusing medical system. This essential work shows how absolutely necessary it is to be your own informed advocate, and tells readers exactly how to acheive this. I see this book as a must for every household. It should also be packed into every son and daughter's backpack, as they leave home for the first time.

I was really happy to read Ms. Torrey's book. I found it easy to understand with a conversational style that was quite enjoyable. This book would be especially good for the patient already receiving treatment and is becoming concerned about their lot. The prose is very clear, and even someone with the shock of a terminal diagnosis could follow her recommendations. -Regina Holliday Muralist/Medical Advocate