'Working With Your Doctor' simplifies health care issues

For every patient who's ever been confused, concerned or downright confounded by health care, help has arrived in book form.

"Working With Your Doctor: Getting the Healthcare You Deserve," is a Patient-Centered Guide written by Nancy Keene and published in 1998 by O'Reilly & Associates Inc. The softcover edition retails for $15.95.

Keene, an advocate for working with, rather than against, the medical profession to achieve results, is one of the original developers of the O'Reilly Patient-Centered Guides series.

She is also the author of two other books, "Childhood Leukemia: A Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers" and "Your Child in the Hospital: A Practical Guide for Parents."

While the title of her latest book is "Working With Your Doctor," it might just as easily be "Power to the Patient."

Packed with information, tips, stories and comments from both patients and physicians, the book is divided into 13 chapters: Taking Charge of Your Health Care