Roger H. Strube, M.D.

Author

Why was I compelled to write this book?

The folks we elected to mind the store in Washington DC seem to be out of touch with the reality everyday Americans are living. They were elected to serve the people but both sides of the aisle appear to be acting as shills for lobbyists or in their own self interest.

The American public knew it was time for a change in Washington. Candidate Obama recognized that our existing health care, economic and foreign policies were destructive. He linked the cost of our health care system with America’s economic collapse. He stated out of control spiraling medical costs were unsustainable. His judgment that economic recovery depended heavily on health care reform was correct.

Following the election of President Obama the political health care debate was filled with irrational rhetoric meant to incite the uninformed and ignorant. Lobbyists for big monied special interests and the politicians they purchased were able to block meaningful health care reform. Big Pharma and Big Insurance lobbyists and their minions on both sides of the isle were successful in assuring the health insurance regulation legislation passed was not real reform and was in their financial interest.

It was not pretty to watch. I knew Otto von Bismark, Prussian/German statesman of the 19th century, was correct when he said, “Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them made.” Bismark was a social reformer who enacted German health insurance reform in 1883, one hundred twenty seven years before President Obama was able to accomplish similar legislation for Americans.

At the beginning of this process in early 2009 I knew it would be impossible to sit on the sidelines and watch the politicians make a mess of health care reform. I collected many books currently published by people believing they had identified the problems and had solutions to offer. All presented financial data documenting the American healthcare system is in crisis. Several authors had a shallow understanding of some of the causes. In my opinion, few had solutions that would work in the real world. I began writing my manuscript in February 2009.

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The Manuscript Becomes Two Books

I submitted the first manuscript to iUniverse on August 28, 2010. The initial “editorial evaluation” was returned with suggestions for major revisions. I was told I had written two books, in different styles for different audiences. This was not news. I had been told the same thing by the professional medical editor and most of the volunteer editors who reviewed the work prior to submission. I was not ready to listen or willing to commit to a major rewrite. I had been working on the manuscript for 18 months and wanted the process to end. I was too impatient.

The editor at iUniverse recommended I split the book into a memoir recounting what, where, when and how I learned about the problems in our health care system and discovered how to fix them. I segregated the long manuscript into memoir and technical sections.

For the next 6 months, I revised the memoir material with the editorial help of my daughter Jill and wife Kathy. I wrote Discovering the Cause and the Cure for America’s Health Care Crisis as a story written for the lay person. The final draft of the edited manuscript and finalized book cover art work were submitted to iUniverse on February 10, 2011. The book “went live” on April 29. I received the first printed book for final printer authorization on Cinco de Mayo. Printing was immediately authorized and I ordered copies for the folks who helped me with the project. The book is now available on Amazon. The electronic version should be available soon.

Discovering the Cause and Cure for America’s Health Care System Crisis - A physician’s memoir is an insider’s perspective of our medical-industrial complex. It takes you on my journey of discovery through the maze that is our health care system. The problems and their solutions are described so the public may understand and take political action. The ISBN numbers have been assigned:

ISBN: 978-1-4620-0389-1 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-0388-4 (cloth)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-0387-7 (ebk)

The second book, Creative Design for Health Care Reform will explain our health care delivery and financing systems, how they caused of our crisis, the solution, and how to implement real reform. It is written to provide the health care industry professional a fresh perspective on the causes of and cure for our health care system ills. A cook book for a comprehensive diabetes disease state management program will be provided. The Appendix presents a complete business plan for the development and implementation of the technology necessary to resolve our cost and quality crises. The manuscript is undergoing major revision and editing. The book should be available by Spring 2012.

A more detailed account of my writing experience and the content of my books may be reviewed at:

http://www.creativedesignforhealthcarereform.us/

Dr. Wesley Wallace wrote the Foreword for this first book. David Willis helped edit and wrote the Foreword for the second book. The Preface, Acknowledgments, Table of Contents and Author’s Biography for Book One and Book Two may also be viewed on the above web site.