It is obvious that this book was written for the layperson, but I still found it difficult to follow. It appears to be well-researched, but the entire healthcare system is almost too big to cover, explain and provide solutions for in one book. It might be useful for a college course discussing the healthcare system, but I'm not sure I would recommend it for someone who just wants to know what's wrong with the healthcare system as a whole. ( )

This review was written for LibraryThing Member Giveaway

J. Deane Waldman, a physician, expert in pediatric cardiac pathology currently on the staff of the University of New Mexico hospitals, and holder of an MBA from Anderson Graduate School, has written Uproot U.S. healthcare, a book outlining what is wrong with our present system and how the new fixes, including Obamacare, will not address the real issues.

Dr. Waldman first explains systems, then why healthcare currently doesn’t work with the disconnects between the providers, the users and the payers and why it will not work with the political solutions now on the table. We, the public need to take charge to change healthcare into health care.

The book contains a wealth of examples of constructive and destructive solutions, figures, illustrations and plain common sense. There are endnotes for each chapter with further explanations for those interested along with an excellent index and an amazing 549 item bibliography. Included in that list are more than 20 citations of works by Dr. Waldman, most published in prestigious journals, reinforcing that he is indeed an expert in the field of healthcare. (And this is only the articles he has authored in this field – in checking Medline, he is well published in the field of medicine also.) His solutions are not trite and they are not easy. It will take all citizens, users and medical providers to work together and this is one book to help start the discussions.

I do need to clarify one thing. Dr. Waldman has said this book is for the “general public” but I beg to differ. The general public doesn’t care as long as they get the treatment they need, then forgets about it until the next time. This is for the informed reader, the listener to CNN and Fox News, to NPR and talk radio, the reader of The Wall Street journal and non-fiction books on current topics; for folks who care about the coming crisis and are willing to study and be better informed. Uproot U.S. healthcare is a scholarly and important book and needs to be read by all interested persons. I know I am going to re-read the book and follow-up with many of the references Dr. Waldman provides. ( )