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ASSUME THE PHYSICIAN --Modern Medicine's Catch-22



A 21st century novel looking with a satirical eye at 21st century health care in the United States.

ASSUME THE PHYSICIAN follows Dr. Eddie Marcus, a brilliant but non-conforming first-year physician, as he travels through internship year at a university hospital.

The book has been compared to "House of God" for it's satirical and bold content, and to Catch-22 for the style of writing and humor.

ASSUME THE PHYSICIAN was written in 2012 by Dr. John Hunt, a pediatric lung specialist in Virginia, former US Navy Officer. Dr. Hunt is also the author of HIGHER CAUSE.

The story follows Dr. Marcus from his first weeks in internship, until his last day. Eddie struggles to maintain his humanity and humility during his first year of training, as he inventively lies, cheats and steals his way around the destructive forces that work within the medical system to prevent good patient care. Eddie’s mentor—attending physician Dr. Blow—and a cast of entertaining staff and patients help to nurture him through his exhausting year as he does battle with the numerous agencies within and without the hospital that try to control and stagnate his ability to learn and practice medicine. Eddie and Dr. Blow together fight dust mites in mattresses, horrible smells, and the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. They develop a highly appreciated ‘strategic napping initiative’ for the residents at the demand of American College of Graduate Medical Education. They try to understand medical economics as they combat Medicare and the health insurance industry and their own hospital administrators. The means by which pharmaceutical companies detrimentally influence prescription habits is revealed at a drug-rep dinner. Eddie describes in a clearly understandable humorous manner the means by which the electronic medical record interferes with the doctor-patient relationship. They travel to Liberia to care for sick children, and compare that experience to medical practice in the United States. They build a union and go on strike against health insurance. Eddie falls in love. During his internship, Eddie has to find a way that he can practice the honorable profession of medicine in a system that is anything but honorable.

John Hunt's author page