The Good Doctor: What It Means, How to Become One, and How to Remain One

Thomas H. Lee

nov 2019 · McGraw Hill Professional

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What does it mean to be a good doctor today?


Dr. Thomas Lee, a renowned practicing physician, healthcare executive, researcher, and policy expert, takes us to the frontlines of care delivery to meet inspiring, transformative doctors who are making a profound difference in patients’ lives—as well as their own. These revealing, intimate profiles of seven remarkable physicians are more than a reminder of the importance of putting patients first. They provide an invaluable working model of what it means to be a good doctor, how to become one, and how to remain one for the benefit of patients and colleagues alike. It’s a model that sustains physicians themselves over years and decades, combating the constant threat of burnout.


These stories capture the daily challenges every caregiver faces—while highlighting the amazing personal triumphs that make their jobs so rewarding. You’ll meet Dr. Emily Sedgwick, the breast radiologist who redesigned screening techniques to reduce patients’ fears; Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, a neurologist who is leading the way in ALS research and treatments; Dr. Mike Englesbe, a transplant surgeon who is improving how physicians prescribe analgesics in response to the opioid epidemic; Dr. Laura Monson, a pediatric plastic surgeon addressing the long-term social effects of cleft palates; Dr. Lara Johnson, a primary care physician dedicated to providing care to the homeless; Dr. Joseph Sakran, a trauma surgeon who started a movement among healthcare providers to curb gun violence, and Dr. Babacar Cisse, a neurosurgeon who was an undocumented alien and once worked as a restaurant busboy, and epitomizes what it means to be a “Dreamer.” Their stories are not only powerful but offer practical lessons and insights into developing high reliability cultures, resilience, and improvement mindsets. This is what is takes to be a good doctor.

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Thomas H. Lee, MD, is Chief Medical Officer of Press Ganey. He brings more than three decades of experience in healthcare performance improvement as a practicing physician, a leader in provider organizations, researcher, and health policy expert. As CMO, Tom is responsible for developing clinical and operational strategies to help providers across the nation measure and improve the patient experience, with the overarching goal of reducing the suffering of patients as they undergo care and improving the value of that care. In addition to his role with Press Ganey, Tom, an internist and cardiologist, continues to practice primary care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where the Thomas H. Lee Award for Excellence in Primary Care is named in his honor. He frequently speaks about the patient experience and strategies for improving the value of healthcare to healthcare leaders all over the country. He is the author of The Epidemic of Empathy in Healthcare.