The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests: Everything You Need to Know About the Tests Your Doctor Prescribes (Paperback)

by Joseph Stauffer (Author), J. C. Segen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
In today's managed-care environment, where patient-education issues are emphasized by accrediting agencies, the fourth edition of The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests is very welcome. It explains over 1000 of the most common medical tests in alphabetical order, giving a description of the test, patient preparation, reference ranges, abnormal values, costs, and comments, which include special instructions or precautions. Though this consumer guide is not so exhaustive and complete as the excellent Yale University School of Medicine Patient's Guide to Medical Tests (LJ 8/97), each contains some tests not included in the other. Considering the modest costs, most health collections will want to purchase both volumes. Going one step further, Haessler, formerly a clinical professor at Harvard Medical School, has provided a basic reference for those who want to apply tests at home to verify their wellness status and the potential need for a physician's intervention in the event of symptoms or abnormal body functionings.The result is a solid addition to consumer health-care libraries.?James Swanton, Harlem Hosp. Lib., New York
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Medicine has become more dependent on sophisticated diagnostic techniques. Because these are expensive, insurers with an eye on the bottom line may not want to pay for them. Consumers need to know enough about these procedures to make informed decisions concerning their care. The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests, written by a clinical chemist and a physician, offers basic information about 1,000 commonly used medical terms. Librarians may be familiar with this title, which appeared in a third edition in 1986. However, according to the publisher, substantial updating makes the volume under review a new book, rather than a fourth edition.

An introduction covers the mechanics of specimen collection and explains how to use the book. The entries are arranged alphabetically by the name of the test. Each entry includes a description of the test, the possible meaning of abnormal results, the cost, and special instructions or precautions. See references refer users from terms not used to those used as entries, as well as to a glossary at the end of the text. The latter contains brief entries that define technical terms and some very specialized tests performed only in major research centers. There is also a short list of medical abbreviations.

Although this book covers more tests, it is far less informative than The Yale University School of Medicine Patient's Guide to Medical Tests [RBB D 15 97]. It has no illustrations and rarely discusses the amount of pain or discomfort that may be involved in the procedures. The tables of normal and abnormal values will be confusing for unsophisticated users. The list of serious illnesses that can cause abnormal results may be frightening to some as there is no discussion of follow-up care. The Yale title is the best choice for reference and consumer-health collections. The Facts On File title is an acceptable supplement and an adequate addition to circulating collections. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Facts on File (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081603530X
• ISBN-13: 978-0816035304
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,070,797 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent handbook., January 1, 1998

By A Customer

From Abdominal Tap to the Zung Depression Scale, this book covers over 1,000 of the most commonly prescribed medical tests, explaining each in understandable narrative, with further information on patient preparation, type of specimen needed, procedure (what is done to the specimen), reference range and abnormal values (with explanations), estimated cost (which varies widely), and other useful details including precautions and risks. The informative Introduction is a brief essay on medical testing in general and this book in particular, and an extensive Glossary, symbols and abbreviations section, and good index are provided as well.
The authors are to be congratulated on this fine handbook, which will be of use not only to patients and families, but also to clinics, nursing stations, medical records offices, and emergency rooms as well.

(The "score" rating is an ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I use this book everyday., June 5, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Patient's Guide to Medical Tests: Everything You Need to Know About the Tests Your Doctor Prescribes (Patient's Guide to Medical Tests (Cloth)) (Hardcover)

I work as a Triage Nurse in a very busy Family Practice Clinic. We all use this book every day to answer patient questions--it is concise and can easily be explained to all levels of medical sophistication. In fact today I am ordering a second one.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful Guide, April 22, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Patients Guide to Medical Tests: Everything You Need to Know About the Tests Your Doctor Orders (Patient's Guide to Medical Tests) (Paperback)

This book has provided me with important information as a consumer of medical services, and has provided my mother peace of mind as someone who has been undergoing a number of medical tests. The book clearly defines various procedures, patient preparation, and often includes comments about tests that patients are seldom told but ought to know. This book has been so helpful. I am a layperson with no medical knowledge. But to be able to describe a test to my mother in advance of the procedure, to let her know when it is non-invasive versus invasive, to know what kinds of physical symptoms or complications may follow a test...this has been invaluable information. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who has to undergo, or has someone close to them who will undergo, medical tests. The price is [reasonable] given how much useful and potentially lifesaving information it contains.