Being self aware about possible trauma, whether it's at health care professional level, whether it's childhood, you know, that's affecting your professional work because I see it so I see it in so many places.

Hey. What's up? This is Corey Deon Lewis, clinical health coach and host of the Healthy Project podcast. Now the research shows that social determinants can have a greater impact on your health more than healthcare or lifestyle choices. The purpose of this podcast is to discuss how to improve health and reduce health inequity by speaking to health care professionals,

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Now let's get started. Hello, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Healthy Project podcast. I'm your host, Corey Dion Lewis. I have a great guest with us today.

I had she's a pharmacist and cofounder of Patients For Patient Safety, activist. I have, doctor Soojin Jeon. Soojin, thank you so much for being on the podcast with me. I really appreciate it.

Thank you, Corey. Thank you for having me today.

Yes. Absolutely. So, you know, before we get into the conversation, can you tell the people a little bit about yourself and, you know, what gets you up in the morning?

What gets me up in the morning? So I'm a pharmacist. I work as a population health pharmacist, and I am also an a patient safety activist. I'm a cofounder for patients for patient safety US. We are an organization dedicated to, ensure that organizations in the United States are aligned with what WHO is, pushing for, according to the global patient safety action plan 2021 to 2030.

We are, very passionate activists who either have experienced medical harm ourselves or, have have lost their loved ones through medical harm. So we all all of us had to transform our lives and also advocate for other people and patients, caregivers, and clinicians also. So, that's what I do, and that's what I, get energized. That's where I get energy from, to get up in the morning, if you to answer your question.

Yeah. Absolutely. So, no. It definitely sounds like you are, you know, a huge activist, you know, in in this public health area. Where did your motivation to really get involved in this?

Where did it start for you?

So before I became a pharmacist, I was a caregiver for my father who was a foreigner from South Korea, and he was a business man, had no health care background, and so was I. I was the wedding videographer at the time. And the care that I had to, help him with was very challenging. So he was a stage 3 esophageal cancer patient, and, you know, he was in hospital and to then he was transitioned to nursing home. Then he went he he came home, and during that transition, he was also diagnosed with diabetes.

And, his primary care doctor prescribed something called insulin as this common medication that diabetic patients, get prescribed for. And there is a, method called sliding scale insulin, which is you ingest insulin according to the glucose reading that you would get when you're checking the blood sugar for patients. And, that was the culprit of multiple hospitalizations that ER utilization that he had to speak for. And, in that process, I, you know, I was, very religiously following the direction that was given by the doctor. So if you would get this much of blood sugar, you would give higher dose.

If it's lower, then you would give lower dose. I was religiously following that. But that was actually the cause of these hospitalization because there was no counseling about monitoring, what to watch out for when patient when my father would, have low sugar. So 50% of insulin users, even more, patients will experience hypoglycemia, which is a low sugar in your body at some point in their lives. Some people don't may not even know, that they're experiencing low blood sugar, and it can also happen at night, when you're when you're sleeping.

So this is a really red flag because he was an esophageal cancer patient. He couldn't eat. So right there, that's a red flag. But because I had no background in health care, I had no knowledge of medication. It it was it was, you know, something bad waiting to happen when he was prescribed for it.

And then the when his blood sugar would drop, we would go to the ER, and then they will restore the blood sugar and discharge him without without any counseling, why he was there and, what could what we could do to prevent another hospitalization. So we will repeat the same thing again 2 weeks later. And, so what happened what really happened was that because he was, a salivary cancer patient, his food intake was, you know, compromised, so he had to rely on feeding tube. That can affect your sugar everywhere. That was one thing.

And also he was not a good water drinker. So if you're dehydrated, your glucometer can falsely elevate your level. And what what what am I doing? I am injecting high level insulin because the the reading is high. So so there's a intricate relationship that's so important for all diabetes diabetic patients who are on insulin need to be aware of.

And we never had a chance to get acquainted with that kind of knowledge. There was no one who was explaining this relationship, who was explaining what diabetes was, who was explaining what insulin was. So I felt so compelled that if I had a pharmacist who could educate me or my father, I think I thought what my father experienced could have been prevented. So I changed my career to be a pharmacist. And 8 years later or or I would say yeah.

8 8 years total later, I, I became a pharmacist. And after I became 1, I realized I was just at tip of at the tip of iceberg. There's just so much so much in the iceberg, that needed to change. So I began to speak what I could do in my position where I'm at, and I had to become an activist because of the reason. Because, my someone like my father who is minority and who was also a foreigner, that, you know, our health care system doesn't even worry about, I think.

I had to speak up for someone like him, and someone like me was a care caregiver for for my father. So so that was the start of how I began starting my starting to share my story and began to speak up for patience.

Wow. I

hope that answers my question.

Yeah. Yeah. Y'all know it it makes sense why you go so hard for, you know, this this mission of yours, you know, and and why you do it. And, you know, patient safety, you know, as I was preparing for our conversation, you you know, I was reading that patient safety is up there as far as one of the major killers of of people in in in our country is is patient safety. And how are they how are people to expect to improve this when they're not getting the appropriate information before they leave the hospital?

And this is one of those things, you know, that this is why a lot of people of color or minorities don't really wanna go to the hospital when they hear stories like this.

Yeah.

But what what I believe you know, what I think is, you know, having more people like yourself in there is really going to, going to going to help. So, you know, my question for you is, you know, what role does, you know, cultural diversity play in patient safety? What have you seen, you know, now being a pharmacist, and being able to, you know, work with, you know, I'm assuming multiple different types of, you know, people. What role does your background and your story play in being able to help improve patient safety?

So it's interesting that, I know there are movements out there and encouragement for minorities to be in health care profession be in health care profession for the reasons that you've talked about. So I've seen articles, you know, I want black black people there has to be more black doctors that black people can see, which I totally agree. There are so many different things that come into play when, when, there is a trust issue. So, this is something that, I think is under recognized, I feel. When you don't have the level of trust, you can't reveal a 100% of you.

But when you are in health care, that's what you're expected to do. Right? But because because of the level of trust that, you may have with the health care professionals in general, And, you know, of course, there's racial bias and there's other factors that come in. It's it's really difficult to even start doing start getting to the right conversation about health care. So that's what I wanna, emphasize first.

What I'm trying to say is health care is it starts at really, really deeper level if you think about it. As a patient, you are expected to, you know, tell about yourself to somebody who you don't really know. I mean, if you think about when patients go to doctor's office, it could be a first time seeing that doctor. You only get 15 minutes, and you're supposed to tell a whole all your story, of, like, why you're experiencing your symptoms. That's that itself, if you just think about the stat, that itself is a really difficult task for patients to do.

And on the other on the other side, it for doctors to assess this patient and come up with a plan. So when it comes to diversity, I can see why people of color want to see other that that, you know, health care professionals who are the same color as you. Because I feel in patient's perspective in that 15 minutes of time, you wanna make connection real quick.

Right.

And when your race is the same and especially for someone like me in Asian culture when, like, every country speaks different language. Right?

Right.

Every every country every country in Asia speaks different language even though even if it's a tiny little country. They wanna speak in the language you're more com most comfortable with. So and there is this notion that, patients are being racist and and I think that's in in general, that's a misunderstanding. Patients wanna be heard. Patients want to communicate.

So I think that's number one reason why they are seeking the same racial background when they are seeking for health care professionals' help. So I it's just I just wanna throw it out there. So so that misconception I think it's a misconception that patients are being racist. Because I've seen that kind of exchange of interactions in forums and, platforms out there. So, so I think that's something that I wanna bring up to you to begin with so we can start in the right place.

Yeah. I think there's some truth to that. You know, they were at just as a clinical health coach in our in our primary care clinic, there are times where, black patients will tell me things that they have not told their white provider. Yep. There's nothing I can do about it, but put it in the note.

But it happens. You know, but my my question to to you, Su Jin, is what about what do we do or what do you do do do those, providers do who may not, there may not be a provider for someone who's from, you know, that they just have no choice. They they have who they have. How can a provider be more culturally competent to be able to, provide the best possible care they can for that patient given that they're the only option they have. You know?

Mhmm. Right. Right. So I think there's more movement out there nowadays about more awareness about health equity and implicit bias. I I feel like everyone has that.

Right? But I think

Yeah.

You need to be able to catch yourself when you have that. And so noticing yourself and being self aware is something that I, you know, feel every health care professional needs to think about. But that goes into deeper level for me, and I I feel that I I want health care professionals to be able to look into themselves. So this is where trauma informed care that I advocate for comes in. And it's it's health care profession health health care is a very difficult field to work in.

So our system is broken, of course, but also, there's, you know, self criticism, peer to peer criticism, blaming, shaming, these unhealthy behaviors that exist in health care, it's so rampant. It's it's it's mind boggling. So recently, there has been a case, of a nurse who, mistakenly injected a medication and a patient died, and that case has been very public and has been very publicly blaming the nurse without really investigating further and going deeper level, for the system. So that's a very good example where our patient safety status is. It's a very good example of where we are, how it shows, how it affects health care professionals.

So there's this big system level change that needs to happen. But as an individual, I I advocate for looking into themselves and, being self aware about possible trauma, whether it's at health care professional level, whether it's childhood, you know, that's affecting your professional work because I see it so I see it in so many places. It's very it's very obvious to me and evident to me that, like, I can see, like, why some people are so reactive about some of the comments. It could be it could be cultural thing too. In some cultures, it's okay for, you know it's not okay in in our cult in United States, but it's in their home country, child abuse was okay.

Like, hitting hitting children was okay. You know, this is, like, accepted behavior. So there are things that we kind of are doing things like in autopilot. We are doing things without being conscious about what we're doing wrong. So I think examining yourself and how you are practicing medicine is affecting patients This is so enormous.

I can't I can't emphasize enough that how important it is to be self aware and looking into yourself because this this does get translated to your practice and in the end to the patient.

No. Abs absolutely. That's very good. You know, and and understanding that you're not, a trauma informed care expert, but, you know, an advocate advocate for it, For someone listening who wants to, you gave some great advice, but for someone listening who wants to be more mindful of, you know, different traumas and different cultures. There there are different things that that, affect different people, you know.

So, what are some first steps, you know, someone can do to really start to look, at their practice and, you know, really implement more of a trauma informed, you know, care?

So there are, or organizations that are dedicating their, nonprofit organizations that are dedicating their efforts into, educate people and health care professionals to be more aware of trauma informed care. So I will follow those nonprofit organizations. There are there's also a book called, body body keeps the score. Mhmm. It's a very well known book about trauma informed care.

And also, there has been a recent book, by Oprah Winfrey and doctor Bruce Perry, called what happened to you. So that bulb really helped, recognizing my own trauma, and, it really helped my healing process as as well, personal healing process. So I would recommend those books, and, you know, really look into yourself first before advocating for other people because I I I realized that I had to transfer myself first in order for me to be able to advocate for other other patients, whoever I'm at advocating for because I really feel our we are all connected and our energy, whether it's negative or positive, can really transpire to what we are communicating. So, I I felt the healing process that I had for myself was so important for my advocacy work.

No. For absolutely. I mean and that's something we don't really think about is is focusing on ourself first. Mhmm. Because I I can only assume that you're, you know, you're a caregiver.

Obviously, you're a caregiver. You are in a helping profession. So you wanna help people before you help yourself, but can't really do that if you have not really focused on yourself first. I I really appreciate that. So if we can kinda touch on a little bit of the work you're doing with patients for, patient safety.

You You know, it's like you guys are, committed to implementing the World Health Organization's Global Patient Safety Action Plan, in the US. Can you tell us a little bit about, you know, what that plan is and and kinda how are you how are you guys going about, implementing it or or or doing that?

So, so WHO has put out this, action plan out there. So it can be a guideline for all, health care organizations across the globe to follow and, like, focusing on what areas. What like, I I guess naming what areas to focus on patient safety. So one of them is patient engagement and, really working with patients to improve patient safety. And if you think about that, it's to someone like me, it's no brainer.

But, in general, how our health care is, has been in the past. We health care in general is very hierarchical. So we say prescribing meds, right, to patients, and it's more like a top down approach. But what WHO is advocating for is bottom up in a way, if if we are still in that hierarchical mindset. But, actually, what what we are advocating for is that patients are partners.

Patients are partners in their care. And this is very important to be, aware of, especially when our health care is going towards chronic care model. A lot of health care methodology and didactics that are taught in school are acute care model. I I'm not saying that's not important, but chronic care is is a different there's so much that goes on to diff as a it's a different didactic. It's a different methodology, in a way because you have to look at a long term goal.

You have to work with the patient for long term. So, many things we we have to really think about the paradigm shift. And this action plan can be a guideline for health health care organizations to really think deeply about how we are practicing medicine. So our goal is to make patient safety as a priority for all health care organizations in the in the United States. So, there are other patients for patient safety organizations out there under WHO's umbrella, like like we are.

So, there is patients for patient safety island, for example. So each country can create their own Patients For Patient Safety Organizations, under the WTO. But for us, we I mean, of course, there are other health care organizations in the United States, but we wanted we, all our founders felt there wasn't one that were affecting a policy level. So we were formed to affect how policies are shaped. We wanted to affect how, patients and caregivers' voices are heard at policy level.

So we have worked with, organizations, the governmental organizations like CDC, CMS, And it's a it's a time where, I I feel these organizations are more open than ever about patient engagement.

Right.

So it's a great it's a great time for us to really engage in these talks. And, and I'm a I'm very new in the group, but, other founders have been involved with these organizations for deck for decades. So it was really exciting and encouraging to see how quickly they were able to set up a meeting with, leaders in these organizations and have some momentum in what we are pushing for and what what's real and emphasizing what's really important for patients. So, so that's our goal. And because patient safety is such a broad term and, because of different priorities and different things coming up in health care, the word patient safety tends to get dropped, as organizations prioritize different things and, you know but I I we we feel that needs to change.

Patient safety has to be always there for health care organizations. It has to be like a North Star for all health care organizations. So so that's what we are focusing on.

That's awesome. Thank you for that information. And by by the time this episode goes live, it'd be what? Is it patient safety month or or day or something like or is there some there's some day coming up for to recognize patient safety. Correct?

Yes. So, September 17th is World Patient Safety Day. So, buildings around the globe are encouraged to light in orange. So you will see, WHO building in Switzerland and, other ones in the Europe being lighted in orange. And that has kind of come to United States over the years, so I've seen some buildings lighted in orange and, in support of World Patient Safety Day.

We are also organizing march in Washington DC in Freedom Plaza on September 17th. If any of the listeners is interested in joining us, please contact me. It's September 17th, 10 AM at Freedom Plaza. There will be about 50 of us, hopefully. We are still spreading the word out and hoping that many people will join us.

But, just to make people aware of this day, how important patient safety is in health care. You know, we are doing these, events, for our patient safety day.

Awesome. Awesome. Well, I'll make sure I have all those links in the description of this episode where people wanted to, learn more about that. They know where to go. Well, you know, Su Jin, thank you so much for being on the podcast with me today.

I really appreciate the conversation. For anyone listening that wants to, learn more about you and what you're doing, where can they find you?

So our website is, at www.psps.us. So you can check our website. And, in the contact us button, you can sign up as a champion. Or if you're interested in partnering with us as an organization, as a strategic partner, you can also fill out that form.

Awesome. Awesome. Alright. Well, again, thank you so much for being on the podcast with me today. I really appreciated it.

And, everyone, thank you for listening to the Healthy Project podcast. I'll let you next time.