The Lost Art of Healing: Practicing Compassion in Medicine Paperback – February 2, 1999

Book ReviewThe Lost Art of Healing is a skillfully written account of the experiences of Dr. Bernard Lown. He provides a detailed record of the training that had a profound influence on his view of medicine, how he interacted with his patients and how the combination of the two resulted in some of the best practices in medicine for him. Dr. Lown suggests that the study of medicine has become a matter of time and money. With less emphasis being placed on patient care, oftentimes the underlying condition that the patient is experiencing is overshadowed by what is merely presented to the doctor. Lown states that he is "convinced that listening beyond the chief complaint is the most effective, quickest, and least costly way to get to the bottom of most medical problems." Perhaps it is Lown's fascination with psychology that drove him to seek further understanding regarding the correlation between effective medical treatment and patient-doctor relationships. No matter the reason, this book signifies the major shifts that have been made from a hands-on medical approach to a technology based approach. Although there have been major advances in the last half a century, all medical practices are not "soundly based" and sometimes it's the message of the messenger that is the ultimate prescription for relief. For example, Lown speaks of a 95 year-old patient that visited him because he suffered from severe stomach cramps every time he ate. This patient had been to every clinic available and was told that there was no cure or relief for his condition. When the patient's son attributed his father's discomfort to his age Dr. Lown questioned "What has age to do with suffering?". Although the prescribed action brought only moderate relief to the patient, he had confidence and comfort in knowing that he had found a doctor that had not given up on him. Healing is about restoring balance and hope in a person's life and it is apparent that through his experiences Dr. Lown has used this notion to uncover the true art of healing.

I've read this book a few times over the last decade, and it's always a great refresher on how much I love building relationships with people while doing work in public health and global medicine. I actually crossed paths with Dr. Lown before he passed. He was a solid guy, and he has a mural at the School of Public Health at Harvard University. This guy really inspired me to do more philanthropic and giving projects beyond our borders. I got this book to gift to my pre-med mentees to read as they are preparing their applications for medical school. Would definitely recommend this book to anyone!

Dr. Lown shows through various cases that it is of the uttermost importance for a doctor to listen and be compassionate towards his patients. The patient needs to be given the time to go through his or her history and also discover which stresses are weighing on the patient. By doing this, the doctor has a better chance of figuring out the proper diagnoses for the patient which decreases the possibility of needing to go through costly and invasive procedures that could be a hazard towards ones health.Dr. Lown covers many topics that present cases he has experienced during his decades in the medical field. Some of them are filled with hope and insight while others can be bizarre (the strange stories in the chapter on Münchhausen Syndrome would be hard to believe, if I did not research it more) or deal with the taboo of death. Through it all, he shows the humility and wisdom he has gained. He also covers the fear of being sued for malpractice that plagues the mind of a lot of doctors. As he constantly mentions through the book, listening and compassion will help doctors make the right choice and show their patients that the doctor actually cares about them as a person and not just someone to rush in and out of the office. A patient would have a hard time suing someone who showed caring and enthusiasm for helping their sickness.I have nothing but praise for this book. It is written in a way that anyone with interest in going into a medical field can read it without feeling overwhelmed by complicated terms being thrown at them. It is filled with humble compassion that spills out with every sentence to show that he believes in what he is writing. The cases are enthralling and sometimes keep me on edge in wondering what happens to the patient at the end of a story. It is an easy read that never drags on. I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in going into a medical field, but I especially believe everyone who will be dealing with patients should read it.

I bought a copy for myself, and now I am trying to give a copy to everybody I know who is involved in patient care. Most of us went into the medical field with noble aspirations to take care of others and in doing so, to grow ourselves as human beings. The process of going through a medical education debases in many respects our initial aspirations. I read this book and found myself recentered. Dr. Lown approaches medicine as an opportunity to glean from the people for whom he cares. The book is filled with anecdotes gathered from decades of doctoring. The stories lead the reader along the same journey that the author has taken in coming to a sense of himself as a healer. The characters whom have filled his life are interesting and the story of Dr. Lown's personal journey from medical student, to researcher to teacher and master clinician, is fascinating. I highly recommend this book. It has changed the way that I approach my work and given me a zest for opportunities to grow in this profession.