Stories of healthcare disasters abound in America today. Who among us does not know of one? In this anthology of composited true stories, a veteran clinician shares the details of practitioners and patients who were harmed—in some cases fatally—by a terribly broken healthcare system. Each of the twenty stories addresses a common problem: insurance denials, physician burnout, drug overpricing, limited physician access, fragmented care, frivolous lawsuits, medical deserts, misleading medical advertising, administrative harm, and corporate takeovers. Dr. Kowey discusses these issues, and more, in layman’s terms, concluding each vignette with practical advice for patients and caregivers to help them avoid a catastrophe. His goal is to partner with practitioners and patients to promote real change before American medicine runs completely off the tracks.

“This book should be required reading for all clinicians and patients who are serious about transforming American healthcare.” —Joseph S. Alpert, MD, Editor-in-Chief of The American Journal of Medicine 

“Dr. Kowey has done an outstanding job of explaining how profit has utterly corrupted the US healthcare system—driving caring, capable physicians out of practice, while lining the pockets of hospital administrators, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device manufacturers. Read and weep.” —Barbara H. Roberts, MD, FACC, author of The Truth About Statins

“These clinical anecdotes are poignant, precisely chosen, and fluently written.” —Robert Fenichel, MD, former Director, Cardiorenal Division, FDA

 “An engrossing compendium of medical stories that expose serious flaws in our increasingly heartless healthcare system. This book is a call to action. Changes must occur so practitioners no longer face systemic hurdles that waste their time and block their ability to provide high quality care to their patients.” —Andrea Leonard-Segal, MD, former Director, Division of Nonprescription Drugs, FDA

“Dr. Kowey has illuminated brilliantly many of the pitfalls in U.S. healthcare today, along with their causes, using patient vignettes. Helpful guidance is offered to patients as they navigate our dysfunctional healthcare system until vast improvements in US healthcare delivery are in place.” —Ralph Brindis, MD, MPH, MACC, Past President, American College of Cardiology

“Failure to Treat explains the problems with U.S. health care and how we got here.  Kowey uses stories of failure in the medical system to explain how we can advocate for our care.  It will be a great addition to health humanities classes and a resource for patients who want to know more. Given the current failures of U.S. healthcare, the book is a timely and necessary call to action.” —Ann E. Green, Professor, Clinical Bioethics and English, Saint Joseph’s University

“Failure to Treat is very well written. And Kowey’s reasons for writing it, and underlying concerns, are well expressed. I am struck with the book’s dedication to Dr. Lown, as well as the gist of Dr. Kowey’s last conversations with him. It is further poignant that Dr. Kowey turned back to his mentor, for inspiration. I never had the privilege of meeting Dr. Lown. However, I’m sure he is proud of Dr. Kowey for his hard work on behalf of his colleagues.” —David B. Bharucha, MD, PhD, FACC

“In training the next generation of nurses, physicians, and healthcare leaders, we must not shy away from difficult truths. This book confronts the cracks in our healthcare system with honesty and, in doing so, equips both students and patients to advocate for better outcomes.” —Cheryl McConnell, President, St. Joseph’s University