Critical Conditions wins Mom's Choice Awards for best health/safety book of 2010

Critical Conditions: The Essential Hospital Guide To Get Your Loved One Out Alive by author Martine Ehrenclou, MA, has been awarded its 14^th book award by Mom's Choice Awards for best health/safety book of 2010. http://www.momschoiceawards.com/celebrate09.php

“Given the frightening number of preventable hospital deaths caused by medical errors, you must be a hands-on advocate to oversee medical care for your hospitalized loved one”

"Given the frightening number of preventable hospital deaths caused by medical errors, you must be a hands-on advocate to oversee medical care for your hospitalized loved one," said Ehrenclou. "Hospital medical staffs are dealing with patient overload, paperwork overload and many are overworked. It is essential to form a collaborative relationship with the patient's physicians and nurses to maximize patient care." Critical Conditions shows you how.

Critical Conditions is based on over 150 interviews with physicians, nurses, hospital staff, patients and family members. It shows how to be a proactive advocate for a hospitalized loved one to prevent medical errors, medication mistakes and the spread of hospital-acquired infectious diseases; how to reach the doctors when you really need them — every time; and how to navigate the hospital with confidence.

Since its release, Critical Conditions has received the following book awards:

• Winner of the Best Health/Safety Book, Mom's Choice Awards, 2010
• Winner of the Book of the Year 2009 (Bronze), ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards
• Winner of the Best Health Book of 2009, Allbooks Review Editor's Choice Awards
• Winner of How-To Book of the Year 2009, San Francisco Book Festival
• Winner of How-To Book of the Year 2009, Nashville Book Festival
• Winner of How-To Book of the Year 2009, New England Book Festival
• Winner of the Best Health Book of 2008, The Pinnacle Book Achievement Awards
• Winner of the Best Health Book of 2008, Books&Authors.net
• Winner of the Written Art Awards, Fall 2009, Non-fiction/self help (second place)
• Winner of the Best How-To Book of 2008, DIY Book Festival Awards
• Finalist Health Book of the Year 2009, National Indie Excellence Awards
• Finalist in 2009 Health/Wellness category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards
• Honorable Mention, Self-help Book of the Year, 2009, Reader Views Reviewers Choice Awards
• Award winning Finalist, Health, National Best Books 2009, USA Book News

As author and patient advocate, Martine Ehrenclou's articles on hospital patient safety have appeared in national magazines, newspapers and on websites. Her knowledge comes from hard-earned personal experience with hospitalized family members and hundreds of hours of research. She has been interviewed on numerous nationally syndicated radio shows and lectures on patient safety and patient advocacy at universities, organizations, associations and hospitals. Ehrenclou is a monthly contributor to ParentGiving.com She received her masters degree with honors from Pepperdine University, Los Angeles.