Dead Wrong

Save lives and improve public health by countering misinformation  In Dead Wrong: Diagnosing and Treating Healthcare’s Misinformation Illness, a team of health misinformation experts delivers a first-hand account of the dangers posed by false narratives and snake oil in the face of deadly healthcare crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic. In the book, you’ll explore the challenges facing those who fight to restore truth to a place of primacy in the United States healthcare system, the strategies they use, and the lessons you can draw from their real-world stories.  In this revised edition you’ll learn: How misinformation threatens organizational revenues, reputation, and patient health How to leverage existing systems to combat misinformation while meeting quality measures and boosting patient acquisition How to implement strategies for systemic change through new quality measures, research initiatives, and elevating healthcare professionals as authoritative voices for truth Based on feedback from leading healthcare executives, the book provides clearer frameworks for connecting anti-misinformation efforts to revenue generation and cost savings, offering practical pathways for healthcare leaders to protect both patient welfare and organizational sustainability in an era where scientific truth and institutional trust face unprecedented challenges. Perfect for clinicians, public health leaders, health-tech leaders, and health marketers, Dead Wrong will also earn a place in the libraries of media professionals and community leaders with an interest in keeping the American public healthy and vibrant.

Foreword by Dr. Joseph Kvedar vii Preface ix Chapter 1 A Fatal Misconception 1 Chapter 2 Pandemic of Lies 19 Chapter 3 Our Tainted History 35 Chapter 4 New Traumas, Old Wounds 53 Chapter 5 A Shock to the Healthcare System 69 Chapter 6 Trust and Empathy 87 Chapter 7 Reverse- Engineering Dark Magic 107 Chapter 8 Healthcare’s Human Stories 125 Chapter 9 The Pursuit of Change 143 Chapter 10 Doing No Harm 165 Chapter 11 Healthcare’s Reckoning Is Here 177 Notes 195 Acknowledgments 221 About the Authors 227 Index 229