Senior medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen’s book titled: The Empowered Patient: How to Get the Right Diagnosis, Buy the Cheapest Drugs, Beat Your Insurance Company, and Get the Best Medical Care Every Time goes on sale today.

An empowered patient herself, Cohen talks of her personal experiences fighting for appropriate medical care for her infant child. She goes on to relay stories of many people who have suffered needlessly for years, been misdiagnosed, or treated with incorrect medications because of medical mistakes, misinformation, or incompetence. The stories are downright frightening. And Cohen uses them to deliver a positive, simple message: WE as patients, have the power to take charge of our healthcare and save our own lives. The stories of these real people who used their brains, common sense, and the Internet to solve their own medical problems are empowering in and of themselves.  But Cohen doesn’t stop there. She goes on to provide practical actionable advice, such as:

• How to be a “bad” patient – by asking a lot of questions and not worrying about whether or not the doctor likes you
• How to avoid a misdiagnosis – by asking questions that can save your life
• How to become an “internet medical detective” – going beyond Google and harnessing the full power of the Internet
• How to save money on prescription drugs – it may be as easy as calling your doctor
• How to make sense of healthcare reform – figuring out the best policy for your family and avoiding scams

By combining personal stories with surprising facts and figures, Cohen identifies real problems and offers comforting advice and solutions.

Elizabeth Cohen will be keynoting at e-Patient Connections 2010 and all participants will get a free copy of The Empowered Patient.