Weaving personal stories with patient narratives, Dr. Victor Montori shines a light on the corruption plaguing the American healthcare system in his book Why We Revolt.
Somewhat suprisingly, Montori’s “soulful download” is neither preachy nor political. It is elegant poetry in which the care required to craft such a masterpiece is the very example of the care that Montori wishes for all patients.
Patients, not described as medically illiterate, hopeless beings, but as experts of their own circumstance. Experts who should be involved in their own medical decisions (ie. shared decision making) with minimal disruption to their life, if possible.
Some passages appear to target physicians, while others meant for patients. Yet the totality is an interwoven work of art combining-bridging-melding the two into a singular audience to which Montori speaks for his revolution. Because it is neither an onus of solely the patient nor the physician to revolt. Minimally disruptive care requires compassion and conversation that merely starts with the individual encounters of patient and physician.
Ultimately, Montori is not just critical of the system, but offers a vision of what health care should be. Perhaps, through a revolution for patients with patience, what it can be.
