This book is an exploration of the awkward, often inefficient communication between the healthcare establishment and the people it serves. It examines the entrenched barriers that have held all stakeholders hostage and proposes a simplified, inclusive path forward—recognizing that any sustainable solution must leave no one behind.

My name is Dr. O’Neil J. Pyke and I am the author of Informed and Engaged: Our Journey To Better Health. I wrote this book because after decades of watching countless examples of healthcare failure amidst so much promise, I was compelled to lend my voice and experience to furthering the solution. It is easy to succumb to the cynical viewpoint that “nothing will ever change” and this is exactly correct if no one tries. But what if we all try to do our part? What if patients/people raise their collective voice to say “enough is enough?”

My hope is that, in reading this book, you will discover the magic and power of your voice. The impact of any single person can often be drowned by the loud yelling of cynicism and doubt. But if we all convert our yearning for better into actions when we interact with the health systems, the message is impossible to ignore.

In this book, I hope to instill in you the same sort of passion and excitement that I have for better—breaking the cycle of poor communication in healthcare and finally realize that this is the magic elixir. It’s not more interventions or more medication. It is…

Ultimately, I want you to see this book as permission to question the status quo. To recognize that better health cannot come in the form of annual 10-15 minute sessions with a healthcare provider. To fully recognize your central role in navigating to better health.

In this book, you’ll learn about health information and why it can miss the mark of its intended target so often. You will also learn about patient engagement (or lack thereof) and why it is vital for us to get beyond the purposeful or inadvertent barriers and own our health journey.