The Patient is a Pigeon

The high cost of blind trust in health care: A young woman is told she needs 12 fillings - but 10 of the teeth have tea stains, not decay. A man is prescribed an expensive deep cleaning - but a week of properly brushing his teeth restores his gums and protects his wallet. Drawing from 35 years of experience, Dr. Ken Hajek builds a persuasive case that the healthcare world is full of pressures and incentives that lead to over-diagnosis and over-treatment for the unwary patient. In The Patient is a Pigeon, Dr. Hajek offers a compelling cure: turning patients into informed consumers so they can make smart choices about their care.