Standard of Care

by David Kerns

A tale of ethical crisis and redemption, Standard of Care is one doctor's tumultuous journey as a senior executive in America's largest and most predatory hospital corporation. Weary of the tedium and diminishing returns of twenty-five years of private practice, Dr. Daniel Fazen becomes the new senior medical executive, the guardian of quality patient care, at Walnut Creek Memorial, his long-cherished community hospital. Without warning, eleven months later, Memorial is acquired by the Olympia Healthcare Corporation, the largest and, he knows, the most ruthless for-profit hospital conglomerate in America. At age fifty-five, with a taste for the good life and years of tuition ahead for his kids, Dan ponders a six figure incentive. With reservations-and rationalizations-he stays with Olympia. And so begins a downhill debacle...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 159181054X
• ISBN13: 9781591810544
• Release Date: March 2007
• Publisher: Sentient Publications
• Length: 232 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A fictional account with real-world feel

Full disclosure: I have the good fortune of knowing Dr. Kerns both personally and professionally. He is an amazing, talented and inspiring character --- and he has written a remarkable first novel. I recently finished reading Jerome Groopman's excellent non-fiction "How Doctors Think". Groopman discusses medical errors often referencing the effects of the medical establishment. In "Standard of Care" Kerns personalizes that discussion through the conflicts of Dr. Dan Fazen. Faced with the very real-world challenge of being the physician he wants to be and the physician he is expected to be, Fazen reaches deep into himself and deep into his own past to find answers. From the artfully crafted prologue to the powerful conclusion, this book will grip you. With characters you can care about, dialog that flows naturally, and some of the most important ethical questions of our times in the balance, you will not want to put this book down. I thoroughly enjoyed it (twice) and highly recommend it.

Medical Mess!

Dr. Kerns does an excellent job of merging the lives of two good people and the medical crisis this country faces today. Dr. Fazen (main character) is faced with tough temptations and tough choices. It is refreshing to read a book that deals with more than fictional psychotics, mass murderers and terrorists. The issues this book deals with are real and more frightening than any murder novel. I hope Dr. Kerns decides to write more and soon!! Before you spend $20.00 on the next Patterson rehash read this book. I think Dr. Kerns should give some insights as to how he feels we can fix the mess.

Standard of Excellence!

David Kerns' novel rips the cover of respectability off of the medical-industrial complex and reveals its sordid underbelly in this cautionary tale. Standard of Care is disturbing and inspiring; horrifying and compelling; and ultimately a riviting and informative story. It will forever change your view of the American health care system and remind you that true heroes still exist.

First Reader

David Kerns has written a serious novel with complex characters, interesting plot twists and humor. Health care in America is an important contemporary issue . This book gives an inside look at the way corporations influence the bottom line "standard of care" for us all. It is informative , riveting and entertaining, a difficult balance for a first time author to pull off. Kerns does it brilliantly. I can't wait for his next book!

Send it to Your Congressional Representatives

If you are concerned about the state of the U.S. healthcare system, this book is for you. We are the richest country in the world, but one third of us are uninsured or under-insured, leading to denial of care and many preventable deaths. That's just not right. Standard of Care is a fast read with engaging characters involved in a medical quagmire--painfully familiar to many of us--which sucks you right in. Written by an acclaimed doctor, it helped me understand the myriad conflicts of interest between patients, their primary care physicians, the health insurance companies, and hospital corporations. I felt like I was in the shoes of the hospital executive who must choose between profit and optimal patient care. This "inside look" at our broken healthcare system left me more committed than ever to vote for presidential and state candidates who advocate fundamental health care reform. Surprisingly, after reading Standard of Care, I felt like one person really can make a difference to help solve this crisis. A book for our times.