Atul Gawande: Surgeon, Writer, and Public Health Advocate

Atul Gawande, a surgeon and author of bestsellers like 'Complications' and 'The Checklist Manifesto', discusses his dual career in medicine and writing. He views his literary work as an extension of his surgical perspective, focusing on failure, fallibility, and systemic issues in healthcare. Gawande emphasizes the importance of structured approaches like checklists to reduce complications by 30-50%, despite resistance from those favoring individual judgment. He supports universal healthcare, citing Massachusetts' success under a system similar to Obamacare. Gawande acknowledges influences from medical sociologist Charles L. Bosk and writer-doctors like Oliver Sacks and Anton Chekhov. He reflects on the growing patient information movement and its impact on doctor-patient interactions, noting that informed patients lead to better decision-making. Gawande also addresses the tension between technology and humanism in medicine, expressing skepticism that reading literature directly makes doctors more humane. The interview was published in artpress2 n°27, 'Villa Gillet: Amérique, mode d'emploi'.