Managed Care

Managed Care is the story of Sylvia Rose, a young Denver physician who cares too much–for her patients, her loved ones, her family–in an era when care is to be parceled out sparingly rather than given as necessary. The novel follows Sylvia as she makes her daily rounds, encounters patients with myriad complaints and comes up against an insensitive medical establishment that seems to have everything except the well-being of patients as its primary concern. In a parallel plot line, Sylvia does her best to navigate the murky waters of a failing marriage while caring for her young children. Managed Care echoes in many respects the health care debate raging in America, but it remains primarily the deeply moving record of a woman dealing with the twin demands of career and family. If Sylvia is often frustrated in these efforts, in the end the novel is a testament to her triumph over her own worst fears.