Ruthann Russo is the author of 7 Steps to Your Best Possible Healthcare, and holds degrees in public health. She is also an attorney. In 7 Steps, Russo describes a process founded on VVMS: values, vision, and mission statement. She states, "By applying your own values to healthcare decision making, you are more likely to have positive and beneficial experiences wherever you seek care." Throughout the book Russo uses her family’s experiences with illness to provide true-life examples of the effectiveness of this strategy.

The author explains how to make the patients’ bill of rights work for you; describes the most common medical, dental, and mental health specialties; and even includes a basic explanation of medical jargon and insurance billing codes. She explains how health insurance plans work, tells how to locate health plan ratings and comparisons online, and where to find quality checks on physicians and hospitals. This book has everything you need to confidently play a decisive role during your next healthcare interaction.

While the book is authoritative, its tone is warm and conversational, written in understandable language. The author also encourages the use of complementary and alternative medicine as a worthy component of healthcare management, which I find refreshing.

Don’t let the clinical-looking cover (my only complaint) discourage you from buying this book. It is a thing of beauty within, and an indispensable field guide when dealing with The Beast.