Welcome Miracle Makers! We are back with another episode of the Make Your Miracle Podcast, the only podcast that shows you how to make your health miracle. I am your host, David S. Williams III, and you know what most people don't. Health miracles, they're not magic. No. Miracles are made.

In our last episode, we delved deeply into the benefits of living the lifestyle that yields the best chance of better health. But in the big reveal we showed you that it's not enough to simply adopt the right behaviors. You can't just live the lifestyle. You have to LOG the lifestyle. You are unique and so are your experiences. The best way to personalize your results is to know yourself. Logging experiences is the most important, yet underrated, underutilized, and overlooked behavior in all of consumer health. So if you haven't listened to the last episode, listen to it. It reveals a way for you to capture, characterize, document, and know yourself better.

Today's discussion is about persistence. Persistence is the absolute key to success. It's the key to making your miracle.

(AI Generated)

David S. Williams III (00:11):

Welcome Miracle Makers. We are back with another episode of the Make Your Miracle Podcast, the only podcast that shows you how to make your health miracle. I am your host, David S. Williams III, and we Miracle Makers know what most people don't. Health miracles aren't magic. No miracles are made. Before we start. If you like, make your miracle, please subscribe and give us that five star review. Also, drop us a comment. Let us know what you like and tell us how we can improve. It helps keep us going and lets us know we're hitting the mark with you.

(00:59)
In our last episode, we delved deeply into the benefits of living the lifestyle that yields the best chance of better health. But in the big reveal we showed you that it's not enough to simply adopt the right behaviors. You can't just live the lifestyle. You have to log the lifestyle. You are unique and so are your experiences. The best way to personalize your results is to know yourself. Logging experiences is the most important, yet underrated, underutilized, and overlooked behavior in all of consumer health. So if you haven't listened to the last episode, listen to it. It reveals a way for you to capture, characterize, document, and know yourself better.

(01:56)
Now, today's discussion is about persistence. Persistence is the absolute key to success. It's the key to making your miracle. You saw the title, persistence pays Off because really it's not just motivation or being consistent for clarity. First, let's define each. Once we do, you will see why persistence leads the way. Motivation by definition, motivation is the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way. So that's great. You have reasons to act. That's all part of it. That's part of success is having the reason. Now, let's go to consistency or being consistent that is acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate. So this is doing something over and over again in a way that's right, in a way that generates the results. And again, that's part of it. But let's go to persistence. Persistence is continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition.

(03:31)
Now, do you see why persistence is so key in making your miracle? Think about what happens when you're persistent versus simply having motivation or being consistent. Persistence stands in the face of adversity and pushes through persistence, keeps things moving even when there are headwinds, tidal waves, quick sand, even walls and other obstacles and barriers to your improved health. Persistence overcomes obstacles. When you are persistent, you don't take no for an answer, you find a way. Remember when you have a miracle mindset, you rightfully believe that the rules are for others don't apply to you. You find a way.

(04:39)
Persistence is an important part of making your health miracle. Adversity slows things down but doesn't stop you. Keep moving forward, even if it sometimes feels like taking two steps back is necessary to get to your destination. It happens. But this persistence is about problem solving with creativity and belief in your path. If you believe you will achieve your goal, you will, you will, because you won't stop. You won't quit. You'll keep searching for ways to make your miracle and what is that called? Miracle makers. That is persistence. So now we know it's more than just having motivation and it's more than being consistent. That is the necessity, the driver of making your miracle. You need persistence. But I'm here also to tell you that persistence pays off.

(05:57)
What does that even mean? I'll answer that one first. For something to pay off, figuratively, the endeavor has to achieve its intended goal. You put in the work and achieve your mission. But in personal and family, healthcare, persistence doesn't just pay off figuratively. You don't just get an expected outcome or even an unexpected outcome. That's positive. It's not figurative. Persistence literally pays off. Literally pays off. That means we're talking money. And here's what most people don't consider when they give up on making their health miracle and you're here because you're not. Most people, persistence saves money in the longterm and maybe even faster than that, let's talk about it.

(07:09)
The literal annual cost of managing one chronic condition is on average about $7,000. Okay? Out of pocket, that number is around $600. That's astounding. You're going to have to pay if you have one chronic condition, about $600 out of your pocket, and let's just focus on that because that's your money, not the insurance companies. If you have more than one chronic condition, the numbers increase exponentially. So having two or more chronic conditions takes that number from about $600 a year to about $1,300 a year, and the numbers start going up. So it at least doubles. And then as you have more, it increases even more.

(08:14)
We do not live in silos. We don't have just one thing. Remember, I'm always talking about how you are unique. That means you may have more than one thing, even if you only have one diagnosis. Okay? So the whole point is that if you are persistent, you have the opportunity to reduce the costs that you spend out of pocket. You have the ability to make a difference in your wallet because your persistence is you. Better outcomes, what do better outcomes translate to in dollars? That's fewer medications, that's fewer doctor visits. That's fewer dollars spent on other items around your personal health and care.

(09:13)
So $1,300 out of pocket to manage more than one chronic condition, and that's self-care. Let's talk about when you're caring for a loved one. According to a study by A A RP in 2023, the average annual out of pocket expenses when caring for a loved one was $7,000, $7,000. And that number does not include lost wages. Since caregivers typically miss more than three weeks of work per year due to care requirements, the foreseeable result of this is the inability to remain employed at all. In fact, 8% of caregivers exit the workforce. That's one in 12. That is an astounding number.

(10:18)
So your ability to change the trajectory of a condition to reduce its impact on your lifestyle, your loved one's lifestyle, will reduce your annual cost, reduce your annual out of pocket expenses for managing the condition. That's what we're trying to do here. In addition to improving your daily life for you and your loved one, we're trying to save you money because that's what having better health does, and people don't equate the worsening health what the spending of dollars until it's too late. And what we're here to do is show you that not only is there a connection, but you have to think of it over time. You have to give yourself time to improve. That means maybe spending a little more now to reduce the amount that you spend later, because if it's the other way around, if you spend less now, you are definitely going to pay more later because of deteriorating health.

(11:43)
So that's what we mean when we say persistence pays off, and that's what we are here to do for you to help understand that when you are on this journey, your persistence will pay off both figuratively in health outcomes and literally in dollars. Those are the three main values that we're trying to teach you and make your miracle one, have a miracle mindset. Two, log the lifestyle and three, persistence pays off. If you haven't listened to the episodes with those titles, I suggest you do, but here's the beauty. You already have someone who pushed you to this podcast who thinks you have the ability to make your miracle, and I have to say I agree with them. You can do this. It's for your loved one and it's for yourself. Get better. Feel better, and save money. All of those are miracles. You know who I am. My name is David Pelam ii, and I believe in miracles and I believe in you.

Adopting lifestyle changes recommended by your doctor after receiving a diagnosis isn’t enough. Actively tracking and understanding how those changes impact your condition and symptoms is the second step in making your health miracle.

The key points are:

It is important to fully adopt the lifestyle changes recommended by your doctor, even if they are difficult, as this is the first step in feeling better.

However, simply following the lifestyle changes is not enough - you need to closely track and log your experiences to understand how your condition and symptoms are affected by your daily activities and behaviors.

By logging this information, you can identify triggers and behaviors that worsen your symptoms, and take steps to avoid or mitigate them. This allows you to have more good days and feel better more often.

Logging your experiences also enables you to have more productive and tailored conversations with your healthcare team, as you can provide them with detailed insights about your unique situation rather than relying on general medical evidence.

Actively logging your lifestyle and symptoms is the key to taking control of your condition and becoming a partner in your own care, which is essential for achieving your "health miracle".

______________________

Connect with David S. Williams III:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidswilliamsiii

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidswilliamsiii

Follow Care3 on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/care3co

Download the Care3 App: https://www.care3.co/download

This podcast episode discusses the importance of developing a "miracle mindset" to achieve extraordinary health outcomes.

By tapping into your past successes and visualizing your future triumph, you can develop the miracle mindset necessary to make your health miracle.

This is the episode you’ve been waiting for. You will learn HOW to make your miracle. Believe it or not, there’s a process. A path. A common thread in the miracles of others where you can find and DEFINE your way.

This episode helps you define your path. Learn The Miracle Method. Three Miraculous Steps.

Welcome to Episode 3: Miracles Every Day

You have the power to change your life and the life of your loved ones. In this episode of the Make Your Miracle podcast, we explore the miracles that happen every day. You don’t hear about them because the news is typically focused on daily negative occurrences to induce rage. Sharing miracles generates positivity and hope, wonder and possibility. Who wants that? YOU DO. That’s why you’re here—to learn how to make your miracle.

In this episode, I share my stories. My lived experience of watching a miracle happen. And more importantly, how the miracle was made and why I know you can do the same.

You have the opportunity in this Moment, to step onto this path to better health and care--for yourself and loved ones you care for. With each step you take, you will build MOMENTUM like a snowball rolling downhill.

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Treat Us Right Podcast

We're in season 3 episode 9. And the title is Before The After.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Podcasts

In our last episode, Make A Miracle, we learned the 3 Actions of Caring: Adjust Your Attitude. Live The Lifestyle and Be Persistent. In this episode you will learn the starting point to making your Miracle. You will learn how to create the launchpad to living your best. even when everyone else says it's impossible.

But before we get started on launching your ability to make a miracle, if you like the Treat Us Right Podcast, give us that five star rating. Subscribe so you can get updates. when we drop a new episode

We really appreciate it and it does help. with the podcast success.

Speaker: David S. Williams III

Transcript

This editable transcript was computer generated and might contain errors. People can also change the text after it was created.

Hey everyone. Welcome to the Treat Us Right Podcast

We're in season 3 episode 9. And the title is Before The After.

In our last episode, Make A Miracle, we learned the 3 Actions of Caring: Adjust Your Attitude. Live The Lifestyle and Be Persistent. In this episode you will learn the starting point to making your Miracle. You will learn how to create the launchpad to living your best. even when everyone else says it's impossible.

But before we get started on launching your ability to make a miracle, if you like the Treat Us Right Podcast, give us that five star rating. Subscribe so you can get updates. when we drop a new episode

We really appreciate it and it does help. with the podcast success

So let's get started.

You want an outcome. You want to feel better. You want to live better. You want to reduce the impact that the condition has on you or your loved one. All of this applies when you're caring for someone else. Or someone you love.

You want that miracle?

That's the AFTER.

We all want the AFTER, right?

And we all want that after to magically appear without us having to do anything. But here's the truth.

There is no magic wand, no spell, no potion or pill that instantly cures diseases.

So you have to do something, right? So the after, as per the title of this episode, you have to know how to get there. You have to know what to do.

You have to in some ways work backwards.

Welcome to this episode. of the Treat Us Right Podcast.

Before the after you have to understand how your condition affects your life. said more simply, you have to know yourself.

You have to know the new you with your condition.

A special attention if you came for someone else because you have to know with the condition

figuring all of that out. Is what you have to do. for

the after

I'm not saying it's easy.

But and that's why you're here. And the treat is Right Podcast. how do you get to the new?

How do you know the new?

The new them. We break it down into three different areas:

One. Activities. What are you doing each day? Work, social life, and then your care needs. Your medication schedules your appointments things like that. You have to know all of those activities, right? 

Number two. Your symptoms and measures. You have to know your numbers, your Labs, blood pressure, cholesterol, weight, whatever is relevant. You have to know those numbers, too. You have to know Trends. You have to know how things have moved over time. So if you have any of that back data, you want to be able to have that for comparison.

00:05:00

You want to know what triggers symptoms. We have an entire episode last season around triggers. And then you also want to understand if you've had any unexpected events happen. The best example of that is allergic reactions, right? Something happened that you didn't expect. You have to be able to add that in. And consider it when you're thinking about what you need to know. It's hard to remember. But you have to know.

So the first two activities and symptoms and measures. The last one is lifestyle. What is the lifestyle that you're currently living? And that can be broken out around nutrition. Right? Are you eating healthy? Are you adhering to restrictions that you have allergies? Yeah, like interactions with medications, things like that. Yeah, you kind of have to understand that. right

You have to understand your optimal activity level or exercise level as part of Lifestyle. You have to understand what exercises bring results. And those that are clinically relevant results. Those are results that make you feel better and make your condition better. And how well you Sleep? Sleep  is a big part of Lifestyle. It often goes overlooked. So we want to make sure that we understand if there are any sleep issues in play.

So those are three things: activities, symptoms and measures and lifestyle.

Here's the point. If you do these things each day, you will be better at knowing how you tick.

And knowing what makes you feel better, what triggers you, and what tries you, and what tricks you, and what trains you. Most importantly, you will learn how you triumph above it all.

You will know yourself. It's a process. It's worth it. You're worth it. Your loved one is worth it.

So it all boils down to this. I'll say it again before the after. You have to know yourself with those three elements. And when you do, it will make a huge difference on where you go from here.

What if your situation isn't new? You're not newly diagnosed with the condition or your loved one isn't really diagnosed. What if you've been battling and struggling and suffering for years? I'm here to tell you it's the same process. If you're not seeing good results for yourself, your loved one, if you haven't achieved the after that you wanted or expected–then you have to change your approach. You need a path the routine. That considers how things are now.

Instead of know the new, you want to know the now. Right?

Knowing the now means logging your current baseline routine and experience. What are you experiencing now? What meds are you how are you eating? Are you getting enough exercise and sleep? Are you stressed at work? Remember, these are the three areas that you have to consider activities symptoms lifestyle.

Know what those are now.

00:10:00

Our bodies change over time. You may have found a routine. That worked before that got you the results that after that you anticipated or maybe you've never reached that. But things change over time now.

What worked before doesn't work.

This overall pursuit of Wellness feeling better, of getting better on a measurable basis, is a process. It's a journey.

It requires work, maintenance. Mindfulness, persistence.

I talk about persistence a lot it. Is the most important thing to do persistent. But, I digress. You need all of those things, work. It's means mindfulness to live and to thrive. The miracle, the after that you're looking for, can still happen even if it's never happened to before.

Go on this journey. You're worth it. Your loved one is worth it.

So even if you've been struggling over time, before the after, know the now.

Once you know the now, then you start addressing the largest issues systematically.

Your trends. And take action to correct them. You may find that targeting One symptom or measure has multiple effects. Multiple positive results. The important part is to know what to target.

And you do know what that is, Or what those items are. Because those are the things that make you feel bad. Those are the things that have the worst metrics. Those are the things that define your life and your lifestyle as a result. Target those.

Work with your doctors and therapists. They should help you. If they don't listen to you or disregard your log data as representative of your experience, then fire them. Find new ones. They're not treating you right.

And that's what we're all about here on the Treat Us Right Podcast.

Find professionals who will work with you. Find professionals who will treat you right.

The title of this episode has been said countless times. Before the after…

Say the next part with me. before the after Know the new.

Or if your situation has been going on for a while.

You want to what? Know the now.

Care3 is built to help you know your new, to know your now. Download the free Care3 app on the App Store or Google Play to get started and we'll be with you every step of the way on this journey.

We will help you log experiences–the new for you or your loved one. For both of you if you're caring for both. And I'll do that Care3.

We're gonna be with you.

00:15:00

Download the free Care3 app in the App Store or Google Play.

And that's our episode. I hope you feel we treat you right every episode.

The next one's coming very soon. So subscribe to get notified right when it drops. And if you like what we do. Please treat us and give us that five-star rating. Thanks for listening. And take care.

Meeting ended after 00:15:44 👋

Hello Treat Us Righters! Welcome to Season 3 Episode 8 of the Treat Us Right Podcast - Make A Miracle. I am your Host, David S. Williams III, CEO of Care3 and I’m here this episode to do the same thing I do every episode. Trying to get you the best health and care possible. 

Listen directly on web here.

Subscribe to Apple Podcasts or Spotify Podcasts

Make A Miracle

Hello Treat Us Righters! Welcome to Season 3 Episode 8 of the Treat Us Right Podcast - Make A Miracle. I am your Host, David S. Williams III, CEO of Care3 and I’m here this episode to do the same thing I do every episode. Trying to get you the best health and care possible. 

If you like Treat Us Right, please give us that 5-star rating. It’s the second best way to support the podcast.

We’ll talk about the best way later on in the episode.

First, we have an announcement exclusively for Treat Us Right listeners. Our parent company, Care3, is now offering services to employers. That’s right. If you want a service that helps you better manage health and care for you and your family, your employer can pay for it as a benefit. Our full subscription service can be free to you. To learn more, go to care3.co/employers. Use the form at the bottom to let us know you’re interested and would like us to speak to your employer. We’ll follow up with you directly. 

We’ve spent the past several episodes highlighting companies that promote health equity. If you’ve missed any from the ViVE Series, give them a listen. You may find a company that can help you or someone you love get the best care and health possible. Or as we say, to get treated right.

But this episode, I’m back to talking to you–directly in your ear. I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if you’re listening, it’s likely you or someone close to you. 

How do people overcome insurmountable, even impossible odds recovering from a health event? How do people live better when everyone says they’re not supposed to with a chronic condition? Is there a method to these supposed miracles?

Here’s the truth. In the vast majority of cases, miracles don’t just appear out of thin air. Miracles Are Made. 

You’ve heard the miracle stories. I’ve lived through more than one myself. They’re REAL. 

There’s the story of my mom.

Treat Us Righters know this story. She was told she had six months to live with terminal liver cancer. She lived 27 more years–and it wasn’t cancer that led to her passing. Miracle.

There’s the story of my son.

Severe autism was supposed to define him, confine him, and resign him to life in a long term care facility. His autism symptoms have improved 40%, he lives at home, and even voted in the last election. Miracle.

After one recent episode, a friend, a fellow Treat Us Righter emailed me to tell me about her aunt who overcame a seemingly terminal diagnosis. Miracle.

These incidents are not random. They are not coincidences. It is my belief that they are manufactured.

There is a way to live better with one or more life-changing conditions. The Treat Us Right Podcast is here to show you the way. To illuminate the path. To take you from darkness to light. To share with you how to make a miracle.

The crazy thing is, the healthcare system doesn’t understand how these miracles happen. It sounds insane even saying it. But it’s true. Consider these facts:

Healthcare in the US is a Business

Hospitals make money the more you’re in. They treat their beds like hotel rooms or restaurant tables. They want turnover–and repeat customers. That means, it makes economic sense for hospitals to have you just well enough to stay out for a while, but then have to come back in. Their best customers are repeat customers. 

And think about this: when was the last time a pharmaceutical company actually came up with a CURE for a condition or disease? There are few cures, but many treatments. And the treatments are ones you have to take (and pay for) for the rest of your life. 

You have to think of healthcare like any other industry. There are people in it to make money. This sounds cynical, right? Doctors take an oath–to first do no harm. And they are noble for it. But doctors are also well compensated for the high value work they do. In fact, there are fewer people going to medical school nowadays because doctors make less money than they did in the past. People have to get paid for their work. Doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals are no different. And they’re all getting squeezed.

And now let’s talk about the insurance companies. They used to pay for everything as long as your premiums were paid. Now you have co-pays and deductibles that push costs on to you. You have insurance companies being sued because they have automated systems that reject your claims without a doctor’s formal review, just to save money. Insurance companies manage the risk of having to pay claims in order to maximize profitability.  

With all that said, how can we live our best lives? Remember the full titles from episodes 1-3? Do you care / enough to live / your best life? If so, then Treat Us Right is for you. Let’s move beyond the practice of the healthcare INDUSTRY, and make the DELIVERY of healthcare work for US. So we achieve our goals. So we live our best lives.

3 Truths You Must Know

Miracles Don’t Just Happen

The word miracle itself implies that an outcome occurs without any work. Good fortune befalls the beneficiary from divine providence. Unlike the resurrection on the third day, modern miracles don’t just happen. People work hard for their outcomes, for their success. Outsiders consider these outcomes as miracles because they saw the before and the after. They never see the work that makes up the middle.

Doctors Are Humans

They make mistakes. They have experiences and evidence that somewhat pre-ordains an outcome given certain circumstances. We all depend on our experiences in assessing our prognoses, our futures. But in health, we are, each of us, unique. And our power comes from within.

Healthcare Isn’t Fair

Like many other institutions in the US, healthcare isn’t fair. It’s not equal. The inequities in healthcare became mainstream during Covid. The more money you have, the better care you can afford. There is a baseline, Medicaid for the poor and disabled–and Medicare for seniors. But not for everyone like most industrialized nations. Our health outcomes in the US rank LAST among developed nations. But you don’t have to have money to make a miracle–it does make things easier, though.

How To Make a Miracle

The method to miracles.

1. Know yourself deeply. 

1. Triggers of joy and pain

2. Your data and numbers

3. Know what you want - the outcome. The result

2. Dedicate Your Life to the Outcome

1. Get the behaviors - know what you have to do

2. Make the behaviors routine

3. Be persistent, be persistent

3. Visualize the Outcome

1. See it every single day

2. Meditate on it

3. Visualize what your life is like after the miracle

What are you doing? You’re bending the world to your will. You’re bending everything to your desired outcome. When you persist, you see results.

Persistence is a theme in Treat Us Right. Stay on it.

I’m not saying miracles are common. People wouldn’t call them miracles if they were. What I am saying is that if you want a miracle, you have to work for it. There is a roadmap, though and there is enough evidence out there that you CAN make your miracle–if you work for it.

Thoughts or questions? Email me directly at david AT carethree DOT COM.

We have a unique and especially important episode of the Treat Us Right Podcast for you. We feature Spect which helps diabetes patients retain their vision through early diagnosis of diabetes retinopathy.

Visit Spect at www.getspect.com.

And we interview our founder & CEO David Williams of Care3.

Visit Care3 at www.care3.co.

In this podcast episode, Michael Leung, COO of Spect discusses the low rate of annual eye exams among patients with diabetes compared to other screening programs. SPECT is a company that provides accessible eye care through a platform that allows healthcare workers to perform eye screenings anywhere. The second part of the podcast features an interview with David Williams, the CEO of Care3, a digital health equity company. Care3 helps individuals and their families manage complex health situations by providing personalized care plans and facilitating communication and task management. Care3 aims to promote health equity by addressing the non-medical factors that impact health outcomes and providing equal access to healthcare.

(Transcript is automated)

Michael Leung (00:06):

Patients with diabetes are supposed to get their eye screen once a year. Unfortunately, we know that only about 20 to 30% of 'em do get that annual eye exam, which is very low when you compare it to other annual screening programs such as breast cancer and colon cancer, which stand around 70 to 80%.

David Williams (00:25):

Welcome to the Treat Us Right podcast everyone. David Williams, your host, and CEO of Care. Three. We're back with another great episode springing out from the Vibe Conference recently in Los Angeles. If you know somebody with diabetes and we all do, the first company we feature is really important and they're called SPECT and their founder and COO, Michael Young is here with us. Following Michael, we are going to talk about Care three, so get ready. This is really a really important episode.

David Williams (01:13):

Treat us right Listeners, we have another great, great interview here from the Vibe Conference. Please tell our audience who you are and about your company.

Michael Leung (01:26):

All right, thank you. So I'm Michael Leung. I'm one of the co-founders and COO of Spec Spec. We deliver eyecare anywhere, and so what we've created is an eyecare platform. There's both hardware and software that would enable our frontline healthcare workers. So whether that's a medical assistant, a nurse practitioner or paramedic to pick up the device and to perform eye screenings wherever they are, whether it's in the office, at home or on the street.

David Williams (01:57):

Oh, that's great. That's really improving accessibility here. Correct?

Michael Leung (02:00):

Absolutely. And in fact, actually we just did an eye exam five minutes ago here at the conference.

David Williams (02:07):

Oh, that is awesome. So it sounds like this accessibility is a big part of your story. How would you say that is working to improve health equity?

Michael Leung (02:15):

Yeah, great question. So we started the company about six years ago now. My co-founders are ophthalmologists by training and they'd see a lot of patients show up to their office with pretty late stage eye disease where they would show up to the doctor's office and be like, Hey doctor, I'm seeing blurry, I'm seeing red. And the question was always like, how do we catch these patients even three months, six months earlier when they don't have any symptoms of vision loss? That's really when we want to catch these patients to be able to treat them and prevent them from getting there. Looking at health equality and health equity, it's about getting that access everywhere. Right.

David Williams (02:54):

You talk about eyecare anywhere. Are your services today national, they geographically restricted today? How can somebody access those services right now?

Michael Leung (03:05):

Yeah, it's a great question. We are national. We're available in all across the United States to get access, ask your family doctor, ask your family practitioner about spect. We are targeting initially diabetic retinopathy, right? So patients with diabetes are supposed to get their eye screened once a year. Unfortunately, we know that only about 20 to 30% of 'em do get that annual eye exam, which is very low when you compare it to other annual screening programs such as breast cancer and colon cancer, which stand around 70 to 80%. And a lot of the questions that we've asked around in that space were because of access, not being able to access the specialists. Specialists are located in the big cities, they're not taking you appointments, but we know that these patients, patient diabetes, they go and get their annual exams done and they'll do blood work, they'll do blood pressure check, and so that's just one of the other things that the doctors can add under their tool belt is to do the eye exam as well.

David Williams (04:09):

That's great. Everybody. Did you hear him say This is an opportunity to advocate for yourself, ask them about spec to make sure you get that annual eye exam because you can get a much better experience and this is an opportunity again, to advocate for yourself. What challenges are you facing right now and how are you overcoming them?

Michael Leung (04:32):

Yes. A lot of challenges is around just education and awareness, so that's one of the big things that we're focusing on today at the conference is working with the American Diabetes Association is to get the word out there. A lot of patients just aren't aware that they need to get their eye exam checked every year or don't know what the repercussions of skipping these will do. And a lot of it comes down to vision loss at the end of the day, and if it's caught early, it could be treated and it can prevent it from happening.

David Williams (05:05):

That's great. That's great. Well, I want to help you in any way that I can and in so doing the Treat Us right audience needs to know how they can learn more and how they can contact you.

Michael Leung (05:19):

So to learn more, please check out our website. It's www dot get spec, so G-E-T-S-P-E-C t.com or ask your doctor about this.

David Williams (05:31):

Fantastic. We really thank you for talking to us about spect. Thanks for joining us on the Treatise Ride podcast.

Michael Leung (05:37):

Thank you very much.

David Williams (05:40):

That was an amazing, amazing session with Michael Young from spect. And now I have the pleasure, the unique pleasure of interviewing myself as part of the Vibe series. Let me welcome David Williams, CEO of Care three to the Treatise, right podcast.

Tell us who you are and about your company.

I am David Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Care3. Care3 is the world’s first digital health equity company. Care3 helps you and your family manage complex health and care situations. With Care3, you make better decisions at home and your care providers can make personalized, unbiased treatment decisions. Unlike other digital health apps that focus on managing one condition, Care3 can be used for any condition or combination of conditions. Our lives are not siloed like the medical system where doctors specialize in one area. People experience everything all at once, so Care3 reflects the lifestyle we live.

How does Care3 promote health equity?

Great question. Covid and George Floyd’s murder made the issue of health equity mainstream. For decades, the unequal treatment and outcomes experienced by vulnerable groups was the healthcare industry’s dirty little secret. But here’s the truth: According to research, 80% of health outcomes are impacted by non-medical factors. Only 20% of health outcomes are driven by medical interventions. So our socioeconomic experiences directly impact our health. And the most vulnerable members of our society including seniors, people of color, women, and the disabled do not have equal access to healthcare and receive woefully inadequate care in the home. Those are the people we focus on. People caring for disabled persons and aging seniors are most of our clients and members today. At Care3, we have proven that health disparities can be reduced by translating caregiving experiences in the home into data for improved personal AND medical decision-making. We create the combined clinical AND non-medical information that drives health outcomes. That’s how we promote health equity. 

Our company mission is simple: we make healthcare work for everyone. 

How does Care3 work?

When we were designing the app experience, we realized that people who care for themselves (or others) had 3 main behaviors: communication, task management, and daily planning. So, logically, Care3 is a messaging app and to-do list in one. If you can send text messages, images, and videos in a group chat, you can use Care3. If you can indicate that a to-do list task was complete, you can use Care3. 

The magic of our experience is in the daily planning. Care3 customizes every person’s experience to their particular needs. We do this via our Personalization Survey. Once you sign up for Care3, you are asked to take our 5 minute Personalization Survey. We use your responses to create your Personalized Action Plan which includes the care tasks to be completed, symptoms you want tracked, and any recurring appointments you have–and how frequently they each occur.

Then Care3 delivers the reminders to complete each item each day. You simply indicate when tasks are complete and their results. Care3 takes your inputs and creates data from them. You can use this data to see trends you never noticed before and make real-time adjustments to care. You can also share this data with your doctors so they can see what’s happening at home–this data never hits the electronic medical record, and may not be medical at all–but very relevant to better health and care. Now doctors can make ultra personalized treatment decisions. Simply logging the results of your caregiving activities in Care3–work you’re already doing–you can make improved decisions at home AND your doctors can make personalized, unbiased treatment decisions. 

What challenges are you facing in growing Care3?

Getting the word out. When I show people Care3, I hear this so often: This is amazing! I wish I had this when I was in this situation–or when I was caring for my family member. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that. So we have to let people know that Care3 exists. If you are in a health or care situation, give Care3 a try. Take the Personalization Survey and have your own app to deal with everything. We’re here for you.

The other consumer problem is, these situations are so private. People don’t share these silent struggles. So people who may know about solutions, don’t have the opportunity to share them. Let’s change that. If you know someone in a health or care situation, tell them about Care3. Let them make the decision if we’re a good solution for their needs. 

On the enterprise side, we are just now starting to sell Care3 as an employee benefit to companies. We want to meet with as many HR and Benefits professionals as possible. If you know anyone working in those departments at companies, please refer them to Care3!

How can people learn more about your company and contact you directly with questions–or like you said, refer employers to Care3?

You can email me directly at [email protected] all spelled out. Or you can go to our website contact page at www.care3.co/contact. We will treat any personal referrals and employer referrals like gold. We appreciate you.