Kathy Palokoff

Here's the uncomfortable truth: Race, gender, sexual orientation, age, body size, income, and other cultural factors have a significant bearing on whether you will be diagnosed and treated correctly. The good news is regardless of whether you are a patient, healthcare provider, or administrator, there are steps you can take today to combat medical bias. The only book on this subject written by a primary care doctor who is a woman of color, DISMISSED examines all forms of bias - those related to race and ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, age, disabilities, obesity, and the increasing bias against science - instructing patients, doctors, and administrators alike on how we can all identify bias - and how we can all do better. Have you ever felt you were treated differently by a medical professional due to your skin color, age, ethnicity, gender, or for any other reason? If so, you are far from alone. For the first time, an author with the unique perspective of being one of America's top doctors, a woman, and Black, candidly addresses the issue of bias in health-care, sharing personal and patient stories and pragmatic solutions. Dr. Angela Marshall, repeatedly named a "Top Doctor" by Washingtonian magazine, draws on extensive research, poignant stories from some of the thousands of patients she has treated, and her own compelling personal experience, to examine the bias from both patients' and health-care providers' points of view. She offers a bold blueprint for change, filled with fresh solutions that can help everyone in our health-care system. Dismissed not only explains what so many people feel profoundly--that the system is not working for them. It also reveals what health-care practitioners, patients, and society in general can do to make it right.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: Race, gender, sexual orientation, age, body size, income, and other cultural factors have a significant bearing on whether you will be diagnosed and treated correctly. The good news is regardless of whether you are a patient, healthcare provider, or administrator, there are steps you can take today to combat medical bias. The only book on this subject written by a primary care doctor who is a woman of color, DISMISSED examines all forms of bias - those related to race and ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation, age, disabilities, obesity, and the increasing bias against science - instructing patients, doctors, and administrators alike on how we can all identify bias - and how we can all do better. Health-care providers and their patients are human, and all humans have unconscious biases that affect how we listen, observe, and act. Bias impacts patients when they are at their most vulnerable. Health-care bias can mean the difference not just between suffering and relief, but between life and death. For the first time, an author with the unique perspective of being one of America's top doctors, a woman, and Black, candidly addresses the issue of bias in health care, sharing personal and patient stories and pragmatic solutions. Dr. Angela Marshall, repeatedly named a "Top Doctor" by Washingtonian magazine, draws on extensive research, poignant stories from some of the thousands of patients she has treated, and her own compelling personal experience, to examine the bias from both patients' and health-care providers' points of view. She offers a bold blueprint for change, filled with fresh solutions that can help everyone in our health-care system. Dismissed not only explains what so many people feel so profoundly--that the system is working against them. It also reveals what health-care practitioners, patients, and society in general can do to make it right.

Based on interviews with entrepreneurs and leaders in many walks of life, this self-help book gives readers the tools for finding success in their careers, businesses, organizations, and private lives. What is the difference between those bold enough to pursue their dreams and others who never get comfortable enough to ignite their lives? The doers are "Firestarters" and, because of them, the world is a much different, and often, better place. This motivational how-to book provides insights into the crucial difference between people who make things happen and those who only think about making an impact. Based on research from many disciplines and interviews with professionals at the top of their fields, Firestarters creates a complete roadmap to achieve personal success and make an impact in the world. The heart of the book features stories about successful entrepreneurs, CEOs, organizational leaders, and forward-looking thinkers from a variety of professions. They describe the factors and conditions that ignited their lives and helped them become achievers. Some are known to the public; others will be completely new. But all the stories demonstrate how they became--and you can become--a Firestarter. The authors provide pragmatic advice on how individual readers can ignite the qualities that will lead them toward pursuing and realizing their dreams. Self-assessment exercises, checklists, and other tools will help readers apply Firestarter insights to their own lives. Also included are group exercises and discussion guides so the book can be used in business and nonprofit settings to develop the skills that help companies grow. Whether you're an individual seeking ways to realize personal ambitions or a leader trying to motivate your team, you'll benefit from the Firestarter methods featured in this inspirational book.