I’ve been working on the second edition of Renegotiating Health Care: Resolving Collaboration to Build Collaboration with Lenny Marcus and Barry Dorn, both of the Harvard School of Public Health, for about 15 months. It feels great to have released the manuscript to Jossey-Bass.

I learned a lot about conflict resolution and negotiation as I edited those sections of the text — and a lot about the health care system through interviews that I conducted on the major trends that will shape health care over the next generation. These trends — system integration, empowered patients, technological advances, a more diverse workforce, and new definitions of trust — are at the heart of several chapters new to the second edition. I had the chance to speak with doctors, nurses, administrators, policy makers, and patients.

I end this first phase of the publication process encouraged as there are lots of smart people and organizations engaged in innovative initiatives to improve outcomes, lower costs, and rehumanize the patient experience. I am also discouraged because the so-called system is so resistant to change. There will be conflicts to be resolved and many, many things to negotiate — and hence the reason for updating this book.

The second edition should be out in 2011. It will be used primarily as a graduate school text. Next up: a book on leadership based on our work together at the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative.