A very large public hospital serving a city's neediest communities is a microcosm of the problems facing the nation, and the world at large in providing equitable health care for all. Hospital. An Oral History of Cook County Hospital, by Sydney Lewis exposes the underside of such an institution through a series of interviews of its denizens from the CEO to the housekeepers to the patients. The stories of these people, in their own words, reveal the frustrations of caring for the uninsured, the disenfranchised, the gang-bangers, the HIV/AIDS infected, and the homeless. But shining through the ugliness and the anger is the dedication and determination of the people of "County" to provide the highest quality care and a respect for the dignity and humanity of every patient. It is sobering and inspiring. This book should be required reading for every healthcare worker and every politician.
--Rich
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