Bellevue is famous for its psych ward, but it's much more than that. It is the largest public hospital in New York City, and the doctors there treat everyone from the bluebloods of Park Avenue to the illegal Fukinese immigrants huddled in Chinatown's tenements. In its way, Bellevue is a microcosm of the world and a bellwether for the toughest issues in our country. Dr. Eric Manheimer, the hospital's former medical director, uses stories taken from case histories to humanize hot-button issues like immigration, obesity, teen suicide, and the cost of health care. Each chapter is its own self-contained medical drama in which the vital signs are just the beginning of a patient's story.