Welcome back to The Patients Speak podcast, where today's focus is on improving women's health through empowerment, education, and collaboration between patients and health providers.

Michelle Griffin

Michelle's Website

@thedrcalled on Instagram

1. **Introduction to Dr. Michelle Griffin**

- Dr. Michelle Griffin, a doctor, health educator, strategist, and business advisor with a unique perspective gained from almost 20 years as an OBGYN and a startup advisor.

- Discussion on the changing landscape of overall health, particularly in women's health.

2. **Patients' Needs and Effective Healthcare**

- Dr. Griffin emphasizes the importance of understanding patients' wants, needs, and effectiveness to truly improve women's healthcare.

- The dynamic nature of women's health, spanning from consumers seeking products to patients in need of expert medical intervention.

- Quote from Dr. Michelle: "We're only going to be successful in increasing and improving the standard of women's healthcare by really examining what patients want and what they need."

3. **Challenges and Gaps in Women's Health**

- Exploring the challenges faced by companies aiming to address the diverse needs of women in healthcare.

- The complexity of women's health, involving biological, social, and psychological factors.

- Quote from Dr. Michelle: "Healthcare is complex, and it's not about the next shampoo that's going to make your hair feel really clean and shiny."

4. **Clinical Trials and Gender Representation**

- Highlighting the underrepresentation of women in clinical trials and the need for a broader perspective in protocol development.

- Discussing the lack of research understanding around women's normal health before addressing abnormalities.

- The necessity of increased funding for women's health research and the importance of gender-specific considerations in clinical trials.

5. **Implications for Drug and Medical Device Development**

- Dr. Griffin emphasizes the urgency in women's health, urging the industry not to reinvent the wheel but build on existing knowledge.

- A focus on technology that addresses the impact on end-users, providing solutions that genuinely improve women's lives.

- Quote from Dr. Michelle: "We need to look at things completely differently and everything that we did think was true... we need to look at this completely differently."

6. **Physician-Patient Communication and Empathy**

- Exploring the challenges physicians face within limited consultation times and the emotional toll of effective communication.

- Importance of active listening, acknowledging patients' concerns, and transparency in physician-patient interactions.

- Dr. Michelle shares her approach of using the ICE model (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations) to facilitate patient communication.

7. **Role of Technology in Improving Consultations**

- The potential role of technology in helping patients collect and present information, making consultations more efficient and focused.

- Addressing the need for emotional and mental support for physicians dealing with intense, short patient interactions.

- Dr. Michelle's encouragement for patients to bring recorded information, diaries, and notes to consultations.

8. **Closing Thoughts and Call to Action**

- Dr. Griffin concludes by emphasizing the need to recognize the uniqueness of women's health and the collective responsibility to improve healthcare standards.

- Encouragement for patients to communicate and advocate for themselves, and for healthcare professionals, researchers, and others to actively seek ways to enhance women's...

Elevating Mental Health Practices

Welcome back to "The Patients Speak," where we bridge healthcare innovation with the patient voice. In this episode, our diverse panel dives deep into the complexities of mental health. Mark introduces Maggie Hallett, Senior Director at Mental Health America of Ohio; Jess Maitri, of YoThera Method in Boise; and Wayne Brown, a licensed clinical social worker in Buffalo.

Key Topics:

Mental Health in the Workplace

• Maggie sheds light on Mental Health America's role, emphasizing creating healthy work cultures and peer recovery support programs.

Holistic Therapeutic Approaches

• Jess discusses her Yothera method, incorporating body, mind, and spirit into therapy, addressing the need for non-traditional approaches.

Challenges of Community Mental Health

• Wayne highlights issues in community mental health, including burnout, lack of continuity, and the struggle to serve overwhelming caseloads.

Importance of Joy in Therapy

• The panel stresses the need for joy in therapy, shifting the focus from problems to joy and emphasizing the emotional investment therapists bring.

Elevating Mental Health Practices

• The discussion touches on the necessity of valuing mental health professionals, ensuring fair pay, supportive work environments, and empowering therapists to choose fulfilling specialties.

Quotes:

1. Maggie Hallett: "When you create an environment in which people can actually take care of themselves, that they're paid enough... you are not leaving your stresses at the door when you walk in."
2. Jess Maitri: "What's lacking in the therapeutic process is joy. It's more joy. It's actually bringing joy... helping them realize that they can still access joy."
3. Wayne Brown: "They have the right, they have the obligation to find the therapist who's going to most meet their needs... we have to be true to ourselves and really do our best practice."

This insightful conversation calls for a shift in mental health practices, emphasizing the need for joy, individualized care, fair compensation, and supportive work environments.

Join us in our next episode of "The Patients Speak" as we continue to explore and advocate for the patient's voice in healthcare. Thank you for listening.

BSB Media

Welcome to another enlightening episode of "The Patients Speak." I'm your host, Mark Stinson, and today we're diving deep into the intricacies of healthcare processes, focusing on patient empowerment and improved experiences. Our special guest is Dr. Doug Slakey, a renowned transplant surgeon, educator, healthcare professional, and administrator. He's also the author of the thought-provoking book, "The Process Manifesto."

Patient-Centered Care

Our conversation kicks off by stressing the importance of patient-centered care. Dr. Slakey emphasizes that patients should be seen not just as cases but as individuals on unique health journeys. A patient's perspective often differs significantly from the healthcare system's, and understanding this shift is crucial. "We have to realize that at some point in our lives, each of us is a caregiver and each of us is a patient, and it really is a continuum."

Compassion in Healthcare

We explore the role of compassion in healthcare. Compassion, Dr. Slakey argues, is action-oriented and a foundational element that should guide interactions between patients and healthcare providers. It fosters communication, empathy, and a more human-centered approach to care. "Compassion is action-oriented. It's about recognizing individual needs and providing care that extends beyond mere empathy."

Empowering Patients

Dr. Slakey stresses the importance of patients actively participating in their healthcare journey. Patients should educate themselves, ask questions, and clearly articulate their expectations. Additionally, they can play a more proactive role by sharing personal context that may affect their care.

Outcome-Oriented Care

Shifting from traditional process-centric care, we delve into the importance of measuring patient outcomes. This involves evaluating whether patients are achieving their desired health goals. Outcome-based care holds the potential to realign payment models and drive improvement in healthcare processes.

Aligning Processes with Patient Expectations

Aligning healthcare processes with patient expectations is the key to success. Dr. Slakey highlights that healthcare providers should be transparent in communicating the journey, so patients can actively participate in their care and understand what's happening at each stage.

Decentralizing Control

A vital call to action is the decentralization of control in healthcare. Placing control at the front lines, where providers directly interact with patients, enables the use of knowledge, education, compassion, and empathy to create positive change in the patient experience.

The conversation with Dr. Slakey reinforces that healthcare is a multifaceted journey and that acknowledging the patient's voice, experiences, and expectations is pivotal. With continuous quality improvement and a patient-centric approach, we can reshape the healthcare landscape to ensure better outcomes, more compassionate care, and enhanced patient experiences.

Douglas Slakey

Dr. Douglas Slakey is an internationally recognized transplant surgeon, educator, author, healthcare professional, and administrator. Doug is currently a professor of surgery at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and the president of Process Health Consulting, a healthcare consultancy focused on enhancing and optimizing operations and process flow, emphasizing complex system management strategies that optimize patient outcomes. He is a global educator and speaker who inspires healthcare teams to provide effective, compassionate patient care.

Douglas's Website

@d3slakey on Instagram

Join us in our next episode of "The Patients Speak" as we continue to explore and advocate for the patient's voice in healthcare. Thank you for listening.

BSB Media

Welcome back to another enlightening episode of "The Patients Speak" with Mark Stinson, where we fuse the realms of healthcare business and scientific innovation with the patient's voice to expedite their journey from diagnosis to wellness. Today, we're thrilled to have Chuck Rinker, a colon cancer survivor and the CEO of Prsonas, a company that pioneers a unique blend of human and AI technologies to enhance patient engagement and communication.

Chuck's journey, from the world of EA Sports and gaming to his current role, is intriguing. His personal experiences as a patient and caregiver have informed his mission to create more personal patient communication. As Chuck explains, their technology is designed to focus on patient needs and is set to revolutionize healthcare in several ways.

Chuck says, "From clinical outcomes to operational efficiencies, we've overlooked the impact on the patient's mental state and journey. Prsonas with a purpose, as we call it, fills the gap in healthcare technology."

Prsonas' technology introduces digital communication avatars that improve the patient experience across various healthcare settings. A remarkable use case is helping patients navigate the labyrinthine hospital environment. In this role, the avatars serve as digital wayfinders and concierge services, ensuring patients can find their way, whether they speak English, Spanish, or even sign language. They make the healthcare system less burdensome for both patients and the staff.

Chuck adds, "The ultimate goal is to provide a concierge service that speaks your language, is culturally sensitive, and helps you navigate the complex healthcare system."

But what can healthcare learn from large corporations like Disney and Wrangler, who've mastered brand intimacy and one-on-one marketing? Chuck asserts that the healthcare system needs to shift its focus from treating patient populations to treating patients as individuals. Achieving brand intimacy, where patients feel represented, heard, and cared for, is key to retaining and attracting patients.

Chuck's personal journey has fundamentally reshaped his work at Prsonas. Being thrust into the whirlwind of information and disinformation when facing a critical illness, Chuck was determined to place the patient at the center of healthcare technology. This shift in focus, from commercial success to patient success, led to the birth of "Personas with a Purpose."

And what does Chuck say to his teams to ensure they maintain a patient-centric focus? He highlights the importance of creating a gaming-like experience, where each patient feels represented, cared for, and heard, rather than selling products. By creating an advocate who communicates on a personal level, healthcare can shift from focusing on patient populations to treating patients one-on-one.

Chuck Rinker's story is an inspiring example of how personal experience and dedication can drive innovation in the healthcare field. You can find out more about Prsonas at ihealthassist.com and prsonas.com to explore their innovative solutions and philosophy.

Chuck Rinker

Chuck's Website

@cjrinker on Instagram

Chuck on YouTube

At "The Patients Speak," we believe that embracing medical innovation and new technologies, combined with listening to patients' stories, is the path to better healthcare.

BSB Media

In this podcast interview on "THE PATIENTS SPEAK" with Mark Stinson, Ken Dychtwald, author, thinker, and philosopher, discusses his latest book, "Radical Curiosity," and his lifelong exploration of aging and purposeful living. Here's a summary of the key points covered:

- Ken Dychtwald is a renowned thinker and author with a deep interest in aging and the quest for a purposeful life.

- "Radical Curiosity," his latest book, delves into the concept of curiosity as a driver of innovation and personal growth.

- Dychtwald believes that traditional success measures often miss the point, emphasizing the importance of curiosity for true innovation.

- He highlights the need for a deeper kind of curiosity, one that explores profound questions about life, death, reinvention, and imagination intelligence.

- Dychtwald suggests that curiosity should be emphasized in schools, companies, and families as a crucial value.

- He shares his journey and insights, emphasizing that his books aren't just autobiographies but reflections on how to think differently.

- Key lessons he imparts include not accepting the status quo, being open to creativity, and seeking out creative thinkers.

- Dychtwald advocates for making an impact in unoccupied territories rather than competing in saturated fields.

- He reflects on the shift from a youth-dominated culture to an aging one and the need for new perspectives on aging.

- Dychtwald believes in the importance of balancing professional success with personal relationships and cherishing moments with family.

- He mentions a mentor, Houston Smith, who emphasized the simple lesson of being kinder in life.

- Looking forward, Dychtwald remains passionate about aging, geroscience, and advocating for equitable access to healthy longevity.

Ken Dychtwald's interview provides valuable insights into the importance of curiosity, reinvention, and purpose throughout life, especially as we navigate the complexities of aging and personal fulfillment.

In this podcast interview with Dr. Fred Grossman, President and Chief Medical Officer of Coya, the following key points were discussed:

- The podcast, "The Patients Speak," aims to bridge the gap between healthcare science and the patient perspective.

- Dr. Grossman highlighted the significant unmet needs in conditions like ALS and Alzheimer's disease, emphasizing the personal impact on patients and their families.

- ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) is a rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects muscle function, speech, and respiration, with a high fatality rate.

- Alzheimer's disease is also a devastating condition, and patients and their families are eagerly seeking treatments.

- The discussion touched on the importance of considering patients' perspectives on daily activities, which are greatly affected by these conditions.

- Dr. Grossman emphasized the need for objective measures in clinical trials while acknowledging the importance of subjective input from patients and their families.

- Patients' altruism and desire to contribute to research were highlighted as essential drivers in clinical trials.

- Dr. Grossman discussed Coya's focus on regulatory T cells (Tregs) as a key cellular target in treating ALS due to their role in regulating inflammation.

- Coya's treatment, Coya 302, aims to increase the number and function of Tregs to stabilize the immune system and halt ALS progression.

- The potential impact of Coya 302 was discussed, with the aim of prolonging survival and improving patients' quality of life.

- Dr. Grossman mentioned that Coya is planning a large-scale study for Koya 302 with a potential start in six months.

- Collaboration with patient advocacy groups and the Healy Platform Trial was highlighted as a way to involve patients in research and speed up progress.

- The importance of clear and honest communication between patients and healthcare providers was emphasized, with patients having the right to know what to expect in their condition.

Fred's Website

BSB Media

In this podcast interview with Dr. Jay Shah, Mark highlights these key points:

- The shift from a healthcare-centric system to a patient-driven system over the last few decades.

- The evolution of healthcare from a physician-centric model to patient-centered care, and finally, to a patient-driven approach.

- The role of technology in empowering patients with control over their healthcare data and decisions.

- The importance of transparent pricing models and the ability for patients to compare and choose their healthcare services.

- The focus of Aktiia, Dr. Shah's current company, on hypertension monitoring using wearable technology.

- The significance of continuous blood pressure monitoring in managing chronic diseases like hypertension.

- The potential for direct-to-patient and enterprise adoption of devices like Aktiia's for better healthcare management.

- The challenges and opportunities in the digital health device industry, emphasizing the importance of accuracy and trust in data.

- How digital health tools can enhance the patient-physician relationship by providing continuous, reliable data.

- Dr. Shah's advice to patients to be proactive, prepared, and empowered in managing their health in collaboration with their healthcare providers.

Dr. Shah highlights the importance of patients taking an active role in their healthcare journey and using technology as a tool to optimize their health. He also emphasizes the need for trustworthy and validated digital health devices to build trust between patients and physicians.

Dr. Jay's Website

Jay is a seasoned physician leader with over 15 years of progressive and diverse experiences in the medical field and is currently helping Aktiia improve hypertension diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment as the Chief Medical Officer.

BSB Media

Innovating Patient Care: A Conversation with Brittany Blair, Head of Patient Strategy and Solutions at UCB

Introduction:

Welcome back to "The Patients Speak," where we blend the realms of healthcare innovation, science, and the invaluable patient perspective. In this episode, we're joined by Brittany Blair, Head of Patient Strategy and Solutions at UCB, a pharmaceutical company committed to understanding and serving patients better. Let's dive into the insights Brittany shares about the importance of listening to patients and translating their emotions into actionable insights.

Understanding the Patient:

Brittany emphasizes the significance of recognizing the hidden truths and emotions that drive patient behavior. It's not just about gathering data but understanding the underlying emotions. She advocates for disciplined research into the customer or patient, delving beneath surface-level responses.

Leveraging Emotional Insights:

Patients often express their need to be heard and understood. Brittany explains how her team translates these emotions into actionable insights. They gather and theme data, focusing on emotional drivers, and use these insights to develop solutions that genuinely cater to patient needs.

Co-Creation with Patients:

UCB takes a unique approach by involving patients in the creation of materials intended for them. Instead of relying solely on internal development, they collaborate directly with patients. This fosters authenticity and ensures that the final products truly resonate with the intended audience.

The Power of Education:

Education plays a vital role in patient empowerment. Brittany discusses the importance of educating patients about their conditions and treatment options. Patients are increasingly seeking information, and pharma companies can contribute by providing educational resources that are easily accessible and authentic.

Access to Treatment:

Ensuring patients can access and afford treatments is a critical challenge. UCB addresses this issue by providing nurse navigators who help patients overcome logistical barriers. These navigators guide patients through the complex process of obtaining specialty medicines.

The Role of Digital Health:

Brittany highlights the potential of digital health in bridging gaps in the patient journey. She discusses the importance of connecting different phases of the patient journey, from pre-prescription to post-prescription. Additionally, she sees opportunities for pharma companies to partner with digital therapeutics providers to enhance patient care.

Innovations in Listening:

Brittany encourages companies to not only gather data through social listening but also take swift action based on insights. She emphasizes the value of periodic interactions with patients to gain a deeper understanding of their needs. Listening and acting promptly can make a significant impact on patient support.

Key Messages for UCB:

When asked about the key messages she'd deliver to UCB executives, Brittany emphasizes the need for investment in generating awareness for immunology products. She stresses the importance of maintaining balance among various stakeholders and disciplines in strategic choices. Lastly, she highlights the emotional aspect, mentioning that eliciting goosebumps is the ultimate goal to motivate patient action.

Closing Thoughts:

Brittany's insights emphasize the importance of staying connected with patients, advocating for their needs, and continuously improving patient care. "The Patients Speak" will continue to explore healthcare innovation and patient perspectives in upcoming episodes.

Thank you for joining us on another insightful episode of "The Patients Speak." We'll be back with more conversations with healthcare leaders, patient advocates, and medical researchers dedicated to making a difference.