Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor

Book Title: Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor

Author: William Davis

Publication Information: New York, Rodale, 2017, 416 pp., $19.39, hardcover

William Davis is a cardiologist and author of the Wheat Belly books.^1,2 In Undoctored, Dr Davis takes the bold position that anyone can take control over their own health and go beyond the knowledge of most physicians. Medical care will still be necessary for accidents, major infections, or other life-threatening events. When it comes to prevention and managing chronic health problems, people will be better off with self-management and tapping into the wisdom of others.

Is this realistic? In 2009, I asked in a “Future Vision” article in Family Medicine, “Is Family Medicine Ready for Patient-Directed Care?”³ There is a growing movement toward self-directed care. Bill Gates has written, “The internet changes everything.”⁴ The internet has radically changed most service industries except health care. Patients continue to put up with inconveniences that are no longer tolerated in other industries and submit to a paternalistic model of care. I expected that to change much sooner. There is evidence that as Google and Amazon are getting involved with health care, we may be in for real transformation, and family medicine will be affected.

According to Davis, becoming undoctored is a three dimensional effort. The first is to use the latest information on healthy nutrition to achieve an optimally functioning body and mind. This means a diet free of grains and sweets that drive up blood sugar and cause inflammation. Dr Davis goes into detail as to what foods and supplements a person should consume, and his recommendations are scientific, but deviate from the food industry-influenced standard diet recommendations. Limited coverage is given to other elements of a healthy lifestyle such as physical activity, stress management, restful sleep, social connectedness, and a purposeful life. Dr Davis points out that all these are aided by healthy nutrition.

The second dimension to becoming undoctored is to use the internet to become highly knowledgeable in health and any chronic health problems a person might have. With the internet, anyone can become knowledgeable in what applies to them. Davis also sees the widespread use of health-related apps by patients for health care monitoring and treatments.

The third dimension to becoming undoctored is to harness the “wisdom of crowds” as described by James Surowiecki in his book by that name.⁵ Using websites such as PatientsLikeMe, people can use the knowledge and experience of many in similar circumstances and gain wisdom that will exceed even that of an expert in a medical condition.

How should we in family medicine respond to this challenge to our role and identity? We continue to train our residents in a “take charge” model of care. We have started to teach “shared decision making,” but becoming undoctored goes way beyond that.

I suggest faculty and learners read this book and consider the possibilities openly. Our roles as family physicians include much coaching, advising and motivational counseling. Having a patient take charge of their health is a good thing. I do not see becoming undoctored as a real threat because, as the adage goes, any physician who treats himself or herself has a fool for a patient. People need people to make good choices even when they have all the information. It is hard to be objective with information when it comes to your own health.

I know William Davis personally and let him know I intended to write a book review. He quickly responded that his book did not apply to doctors like me, grounded in lifestyle medicine. He is rightfully angry with traditional medicine in America that remains largely ignorant about healthy nutrition. Too often doctors are quick to prescribe drugs or procedures when a change in diet or other lifestyle is all that is needed. People can avoid unnecessary and even harmful interventions by following the undoctored approach to their health. Read this book for its trove of health information, and ponder the undoctored perspective as patients become more assertive in their health care.