READERS GUIDE

READING GROUP GUIDE: If I Betray These Words, by Wendy Dean
1)   What was it like to read If I Betray These Words? What emotions did it stir? Do you think you’ll remember it in a few months or years?
2)   Did you see yourself in any of the stories as either a practitioner or a patient? Or did you see them be relevant to situations or personal experiences outside of healthcare?
3)   Which person in the book would you want to have a conversation with? Why?
4)   In chapter 1, Matt Ramsey is described as an “archetypal” physician. What struck you most as you read about physicians’ education, training, and early careers? What did you think about Matt?
5)   Chapters 2 through 6 tell the stories of doctors stymied in their efforts to care for patients by the business practices of US health systems, large and small. Which of those challenges feel familiar either as a patient or as a clinician? Which surprised you most?
6)   Chapters 7 through 13 relate stories of doctors fighting back in various ways. Which of these physicians would you want to fight alongside? Who were you most worried for? Did one of them inspire you to act?
7)   Has reading this book changed how you will approach your own healthcare? How you think about your doctor? How you think about your local hospitals?
8)   Do you think it’s necessary to realign the values of health systems with clinician values, and with patient values? How would you start?
9)   What action will you take after reading this book? What might stop you? What examples will help you be ready to speak up? What examples show you how best to do it?
10)        Who else do you wish would read this book? Why?
11)        What does this book make you want to learn about next?