The Patients Speak

To learn more about 83bar please visit:

http://83bar.com/

Surbhi Sarna is a partner at Y-Combinator and the author of Without A Doubt.

Previously, she was the founder and former CEO of nVision Medical, which sold to Boston Scientific (NYSE: BSX) for $275M. nVision developed a first-in-kind microcatheter for the detection of ovarian cancer. After raising $17M in venture funding, completing three clinical trials, and obtaining two first-in-class FDA approvals, nVision was acquired by Boston Scientific for more than 15X money-in. Surbhi then stayed at Boston Scientific for two years, running the 150+ person commercial organization in preparation for launch.

She is now Y-Combinator's only and first partner focused exclusively on healthtech, medical devices, and therapeutics and sits on both private and public company boards.

An inspiring take on how to turn others’ doubt —and your own —into rocket fuel to achieve your dreams from entrepreneur, CEO, and healthcare investor Surbhi Sarna.

The very qualities that make you an outlier are, in fact, your strengths. Or so Surbhi Sarna discovered after a teenage cancer scare inspired her to reimagine healthcare, founding a medical start-up to detect early ovarian cancer.

In WITHOUT A DOUBT, she shares her entrepreneurship story of proving the doubters wrong. As a young, brown woman without a medical degree, Ivy-league contacts, or any Silicon Valley street cred—and who had felt different throughout her life—she was often overlooked and underrated.

Undeterred, Sarna used the naysayers as ammunition to help her surpass the expectations of others—and achieve her dreams. WITHOUT A DOUBT is her story of becoming a leader without an MBA, networking without a network, and raising funds when she didn't know a single venture capitalist, teaching you how to do the same.

Sarna led an all-star team to develop a life-saving medical device, sold her business for $275 million, and became a partner at Y Combinator, one of the most successful venture firms in the world.

Using her own experience, she shows you how to face setbacks, not let impossible standards (including your own) get in the way, lead empathetically, empower others to think differently, and how to convince the right people to help you accomplish your goals. 

WITHOUT A DOUBT is “a wise, practical, and compassionate guide to startup success from a determined woman.”— (Kirkus Reviews, *starred review)

Surbhi Sarna lives in the San Francisco Bay area

To learn more about 83bar please visit:

http://83bar.com/

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Yolanda Brunson-Sarrabo, "Another Face of Multiple Myeloma"

https://www.madaboutmyeloma.com/

Yolanda is the founder of Spitfir (pronounced spitfire) Productions specializing in Brand Strategy

She has penned "Another Face of Multiple Myeloma," reflection on her journey with multiple myeloma. She’s hopeful for a cure to myeloma- but until then living life as an advocate for health.

Yolanda is also the Executive Director of Mae’s Breath Foundation 501c(3). Mae’s Breath Foundation is a lung cancer awareness organization that promotes and provides information to the community about the disease. Yolanda is the Founder and President of Chronic Fitness LLC a fitness boutique service for clients with chronic conditions, who seek fitness direction.

She’s currently in remission.

Yolanda's Facebook page

@myelomachick on Instagram

@madaboutmyeloma on Twitter

Yolanda on YouTube

To learn more about 83bar please visit:

http://83bar.com/

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Katie Boateng, Smell and Taste Association of North America

Our guest today is Katie Boateng, President of the Smell and Taste Association of North America (STANA). STANA is the first patient advocacy group in the United States. Their mission is to provide a voice for people with smell and taste disorders through education and public awareness. We advocate for funding for research on smell and taste disorders.

Katie is also host and producer of the Smell Podcast

Katie's Facebook page

@stanaorg on Instagram

@STANAorg on Twitter

Katie on YouTube

Katie's Website

To learn more about 83bar please visit:

http://83bar.com/

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Urvashi Bhatnagar, Sustainability in Patient Care

Our guest today is URVASHI BHATNAGAR, DPT, MBA , a healthcare executive whose career spans clinical care, research, advocacy, and strategy and operations consulting for leading healthcare organizations.

Urvashi has experience working with clients to advance health outcomes in underserved communities leveraging advanced analytics and strategy — to address barriers to care, advance health equity, and improve access to life-altering high-quality care.

Bhatnagar holds an MBA from Yale University and a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Boston University.

She believes global wellness can be achieved through sustained and intentional investment in products and processes that are designed to be inherently sustainable and capture value from the triple bottom-line advantages that sustainability offers.

Bhatnagar is co-author of the book The Sustainability Scorecard: How To Implement And Profit From Unexpected Solutions

To learn more about 83bar please visit:

http://83bar.com/

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This episode features a roundtable on improving diversity and inclusion in clinical trials.

Roundtable guests include representatives from Latinos in Clinical Research, whose purpose is to increase Latino participation within the clinical research industry.

Topics include:

• Introductions and roles
• State of diversity in clinical research
• Diversity and inclusion in recruiting
• Improving diversity in the industry
• Educating the younger generations
• The group is open to all ethnicities
• Trust and stereotypes (such as "machismo")
• Reaching underserved areas
• Progress and future visions
• What is asked of the companies and sponsors
• What is asked of patient advocacy groups
• The needs and challenges of decentralized trials (don't call the "siteless")
• Call to action and conclusion

To learn more about the Latinos in Clinical Research organization, visit:

https://www.latinosinclinicalresearch.com/

To learn more about 83bar please visit:

http://83bar.com/

Touch as a listening tool: an interview with Sushma Subramanian

In a world where we're increasingly reliant on technology to communicate, it's easy to forget the importance of face-to-face interaction. But as Sushma Subramanian reminds us, touch is an essential part of communication that can often be overlooked.

As a healthcare provider, medical marketer, or pharma executive, you know that building trust and rapport with patients is key to providing successful care. And as Subramanian explains, touch can be a powerful way to connect with others and create a bond of trust.

Read on to learn more about the role of touch in communication, and how you can use it to build better relationships with your patients!

Introducing Sushma Subramanian and her work as a science journalist

Sushma Subramanian is a trailblazing science journalist whose research and teaching credentials have made her a respected expert in the field. Her work has included investigative pieces for scientific journals, research articles related to public health, and writing for well-known publications. In addition to her research accomplishments, she has also authored several books on scientific topics and garnered numerous awards for her dedication to bringing credible research to the public’s attention. As an inspiration to up-and-coming journalists, Sushma Subramanian is leading the way as a distinguished professional who has made valuable contributions to science journalism.

Describe how touch can be used as a listening tool in medical settings

Touch has a history of being an essential diagnostic tool in the medical world—from feeling a pulse to discerning heat or coldness in a patient's skin, it is one of the first and most basic methods that have been used since ancient times. Today, modern doctors are recognizing touch as a critical way to listen to their patients, expressing and discovering issues beyond what mere words can convey. Listening through touch can help establish trust between practitioners and patients; no longer is medicine just a clinical practice focused on diagnosis without taking into consideration both the physical and emotional state of health of each individual. By paying attention not only to what the patient is saying, but also how they are saying it and how their body responds, doctors can gain invaluable insight into their overall well-being.

Share some of the benefits to patients of using touch as a listening tool

Through the use of touch, both healthcare professionals and patients can gain confidence in their ability to interact with one another. A patient who feels comfortable and respected by the clinician is more likely to be compliant with treatment recommendations and adhere to follow-up protocols. Research has found that touch can promote feelings of safety, comfort, confidence, and connection between patients and clinicians, suggesting that this communication tool should be explored for its potential positive effects on patient health outcomes.

Highlights from my interview with Sushma Subramanian about her research on haptics technology

Recently, I had the chance to interview Sushma Subramanian about her research on haptics technology and how it could profoundly benefit the veterans' community. In particular, she highlighted how haptics technology can concentrate primarily in restoring a sense of touch that has been lost due to physical injury or age. Subramanian noted that haptics have numerous applications and are found across a variety of fields, including healthcare, aviation, and automotive, but the most powerful aspect of haptics is how it can be uniquely tailored for different needs. Through haptics-enabled communication, this innovative research area grants its users an unprecedented level of control over their environment as well as access to information through a sixth sense: touch. Subramanian's ambition is sure to help countless veterans find renewed hope in haptics technologies.

Wrap up with some final thoughts on the importance of touch in a patient's journey

As communications technology continues to evolve, there is no question that touch will remain a vital part of the patient journey. In fact, many clinicians are pushing for greater emphasis on the importance of patients being able to experience tactile contact with healthcare providers for the ultimate benefit of their mental and physical well-being. Despite the current limitations due to pandemic precautions, technology holds promise for restoring communications between patients and providers in exciting ways. Policymakers, healthcare advocates, and clinicians must continue supporting meaningful interaction between care providers and patients in whatever future forms they may take.

Through her work as a science journalist, Sushma Subramanian has become an expert on touch and its many applications in the medical world. Touch can be used as a listening tool to provide patients with comfort and gain insight into their condition. The benefits of using touch as a listening tool include improved patient outcomes, increased trust between doctor and patient, and reduced anxiety levels. In her book, Ms. Subramanian shares many more stories about how haptics are changing the medical field for the better. If you’re interested in learning more about this topic, I recommend picking up a copy of her book.

Thanks for listening to our podcast.

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If you’d like to read more about well-informed healthcare consumers – along with the 83bar patient activation platform – go to www.83bar.com

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Dr. Ann Hester is a board-certified internal medicine physician with more than 25 years of direct patient care experience. Her passion for empowering patients started in medical school when she organized health fairs and wrote patient information literature.

Her book Your Family Medical Record: An Interactive Guide to Getting the Best Care was published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. in 2000. In November of 2022, she published Patient Empowerment 101: More than a book, it’s an adventure!

Dr. Hester also delves into various types of graphics technology and enjoys creating videos. She made a sister website for her new book, patientempowerment101.com, which allows readers access to take online quizzes, watch engaging video clips, and download fillable forms about their symptoms and personal medical records.

Dr. Hester is married with six children and a 100 lb German Shepherd named Rex. She enjoys organic gardening and taking long walks.

Topics We Discuss:

Patient empowerment

Communicating with your doctor

How to make the most out of every moment with your doctor

Ways technology can boost your health

How to prepare in advance for a visit to the doctor

Questions I Asked Ann:

• How can people position themselves at the center of their healthcare teams?
• What are some ways to improve communication with a doctor?
• How can patients make the most out of every moment with their doctor?
• How can technology improve our health?
• How do we prepare in advance for a visit to the doctor?
• How can we mitigate the looming doctor shortage?

Thanks for listening to our podcast.

Subscribe now so you won’t miss an upcoming episode.

And please leave a review.

If you’d like to read more about well-informed healthcare consumers – along with the 83bar patient activation platform – go to www.83bar.com

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Dr. Maria De Leon is a movement disorder specialist living with Parkinson’s disease for 15 years.

She is an activist for research, patient, and women issues -- all to overcome disparity, promote equity, and increase access to healthcare to improve patients' and caregivers' lives as we fight for a cure.

In our conversation, we discuss:

• Patients with Parkinson's disease have important insights that doctors need to listen to.
• Physicians need to know about the practical and logistical issues that patients deal with when trying to access medical treatment.
• Patients find it difficult to get the care they need due to a lack of specialists, and telehealth is not widely available.
• Physicians ask them questions about symptoms that may not be relevant to their daily life, and it's up to patients to be asking doctors different questions.
• Sometimes it's hard for patients to understand the struggles of physicians because they don't know what it's like to be a doctor.
• Patients in pain become irritable and difficult to deal with, making it difficult for them to participate in clinical trials.
• There is a disparity between the cultures and economical backgrounds of people when it comes to research participation.
• Dr. Maria has found writing about her experiences with Parkinson's Disease valuable for both herself and other patients/caregivers in understanding the disease. She talks about how important it is to share stories and connect with others, and how she never expected her book to become a best seller.
• People in the industry need to hear about how medications impact people's lives and how accessible and affordable they are. Physicians are less likely to prescribe medications if the patient isn't committed to compliance.

In closing, she says the future looks bright for advancements in science and medicine, with the potential to cure many neurological diseases.

Maria is the author of the best-selling book “Parkinson’s Diva”  and an internationally renowned speaker.

http://www.defeatparkinsons.com

https://www.facebook.com/MariaDeLeon

http://www.facebook.com/defeatparkinsons101

IG:  @DrmariaDe

LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedln.com/MariaDeLeon

Thanks for listening to our podcast.

Subscribe now so you won’t miss an upcoming episode.

And please leave a review.

If you’d like to read more about well-informed healthcare consumers – along with the 83bar patient activation platform – go to www.83bar.com

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Welcome back to our podcast, The Patients Speak. Our guest today is a physician, medical executive, and medical director in the Cedar Sinai Medical Group. Dr. Alen Voskanian. Dr. V oversees about 300 physicians in a multispecialty practice that includes primary care and medical specialties of all kinds, including pediatrics and OB/Gyn, and is the author of a terrific new book, Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine.

(A note from Dr V: "I wear many different hats. So today, in this conversation, I'm representing myself as an author and the work I've done in terms of burnout, my own burnout, the experience of other physicians who have burned out. So, that's why I wrote this book. It's truly my own personal opinion and not my organization's.)

In today’s interview we discussed Dr. V’s new book, Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine and physician burnout. We also talked about the role empathy plays in medicine and the power of the healing touch. 

“My focus has always been on the patient side and how can we make that experience great for our patients? But then as a physician and as an executive, I realized that if our physicians are feeling burned out, that has a direct impact on the patients.”

Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine - BURNOUT

In Dr. Voskanian’s book he writes about the topic of burnout.  He says it causes a lack of ability for physicians to extend compassion and empathy to their patients when their tank is empty.

What is one of their biggest root causes of burnout doctors complain about? 

• The amount of time they spend in front of the computer instead of in front of their patients. 
• They are not making eye contact because there are a lot of policies and mandates that require the use of electronic health records. Lots of clicks on a computer and less face to face. 
• When physicians end up leaving the room, they spend a lot of time in front of their computers doing what we call “desktop medicine”. 

The time doctors are spending at home when they should be spending time with their families, they're spending it in front of their computer at home after work. On average, a primary care doctor spends about 90 minutes and some people argue it's much more than that. In Dr. Voskanian’s book he interviewed a lot of doctors. Some of them were saying it's two to three hours after they get home, they spend in front of the computer. He explains it’s not  good for doctors, and it's not good for our patients either.

Empathy

Dr. V says that's been a point of debate over the years.

Do you have empathy? Are you born with empathy? Can you learn empathy? 

He feels like a lot of people who go into healthcare have empathy. That is why he wrote the book about finding that purpose that drove people into this field. Empathy can be trained. 

There's minor behaviors that people have that they're not aware of that leads to a feeling of lack of empathy.

• listening to people
• making eye contact,
• repeating what you hear
• acknowledging what a patient just shared with you is difficult and painful.

The Power of the Healing Touch

When cure is not possible, Dr. V has learned that healing is always possible. It's that small touch. It's that small acknowledgement that you let someone else be seen. 

• The joy in that you made a difference in someone's life. Dr. V explains it's unfortunate when physicians forget about that aspect of being a doctor. 
• Being a doctor, being in healthcare in general is such a privilege when you are sitting in a room with a patient and you can just make a small difference to make their life better, how can you not have joy from that? 
• If you can't get joy from that, that leads to burnout. 
• Remember that why and get joy from making that improvement in someone else's life.

“It's truly the art of medicine. The art of medicine is knowing when it's needed and when it's the right way to hold someone's hand. And maybe those are all the arts that are harder to teach someone. But I think it's powerful.”

Dr. Alen Voskanian book Reclaiming the Joy of Medicine is available on Amazon.

Dr. Voskanian shared some very powerful insights from a physician and patient perspective and we are grateful for the opportunity to sit down and talk with him. We hope you enjoy today’s episode.

Thanks for listening to our podcast.

Subscribe now so you won’t miss an upcoming episode.

And please leave a review.

If you’d like to read more about well-informed healthcare consumers – along with the 83bar patient activation platform – go to www.83bar.com

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