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A review by tips2liveby
Mars Hospital: A Doctor's Novel by Lloyd Flatt
dark
funny
informative
fast-paced
3.0
While you may think this book is a science fiction novel based on its title, it's actually a book about a fictional hospital in the town of Mars, Nebraska.
The book is satirical fiction and is intended to be a dark comedy. However, the author is a retired physician and wrote the book with the intention of bringing to light all of the corruption and the broken health care system in the U.S. In fact, the author sent a letter along with the book that talked about how the book had infuriated many in the health care system, including his own former employer.
I have never worked in the healthcare world, so I have no insight into what goes on behind the scenes. But, where I think the author goes wrong here is being too over the top with some of the patient stories. While the behavior of the hospital administration and the consultants they hire is also over the top (although I think most of is who have worked in corporate America have experienced consultants that come in with absolutely ridiculous ideas), their ignorance is clearly played on to be funny. But the humor and outrageous behavior of the patients goes too far and feels like it is poking fun at people living in a rural town in the middle of the country. This is amplified when the main character finishes his one year contract as medical director at the "backwards" Mars Hospital and lands a more prestigious job at a Boston Hospital.
I think everyone has dealt with the frustrations and difficulties of our healthcare system, and can relate to how broken it seems to be. From that perspective, this is worth the read. But I think toning down the stories around the seeming ignorance of the patients would have made this a better book.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The book is satirical fiction and is intended to be a dark comedy. However, the author is a retired physician and wrote the book with the intention of bringing to light all of the corruption and the broken health care system in the U.S. In fact, the author sent a letter along with the book that talked about how the book had infuriated many in the health care system, including his own former employer.
I have never worked in the healthcare world, so I have no insight into what goes on behind the scenes. But, where I think the author goes wrong here is being too over the top with some of the patient stories. While the behavior of the hospital administration and the consultants they hire is also over the top (although I think most of is who have worked in corporate America have experienced consultants that come in with absolutely ridiculous ideas), their ignorance is clearly played on to be funny. But the humor and outrageous behavior of the patients goes too far and feels like it is poking fun at people living in a rural town in the middle of the country. This is amplified when the main character finishes his one year contract as medical director at the "backwards" Mars Hospital and lands a more prestigious job at a Boston Hospital.
I think everyone has dealt with the frustrations and difficulties of our healthcare system, and can relate to how broken it seems to be. From that perspective, this is worth the read. But I think toning down the stories around the seeming ignorance of the patients would have made this a better book.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Cancer, Chronic illness, Drug use, Infertility, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Alcohol