Privileged Presence is a collection of more than 50 stories that capture both the medical and emotional aspects of the health care experience through tales from those who have been there, and offers powerful messages about the essential ingredients of "good" health care: respect, compassion, collaboration, open and honest communication, family involvement, and flexibility and responsiveness to individuals and their needs. This updated second edition uses real-world experiences recounted by patients and their families, nurses, doctors, and other health care professionals to illustrate what works and what doesn't and what increases or diminishes people's sense of confidence and well-being.
"These are the people who bear witness to what is miraculous and what is wrong with health care. . . . Once you've had the privilege of reading this book, pass it on-it's the best book you will ever give as a gift."
Nancy DiVenere, president, Parent to Parent USA
"The 'privileged presence' of this book's title runs full circle, from the patients, family members, and caregivers who tell their stories of pain, healing, cruelty, and kindness in medical care, to their narrators, to the reader who is invited to witness their intimacies."
Michael Rowe, PhD, Yale University school of medicine, and author, The Book of Jesse
