THE PRESCRIPTION FOR CLARITY

'Making Sense of Everyday Health'
Exclusive Interview with Dr. Sue Ojageer
Featured in 'Innerviews'
Hosted by Allié McGuire

​In a world where health advice is everywhere, clarity can be hard to find. As a Doctor of Pharmacy, mother of five, entrepreneur, and trusted media expert, Dr. Sue Ojageer has built her platform around making complicated medical information feel practical, personal, and possible to understand. In this conversation, we explore the power of health literacy, the danger of misinformation, and why asking better questions may be one of the most important steps we can take for ourselves and those we love.

ALLIÉ: Dr. Sue, you are a doctor of pharmacy, entrepreneur, mother of five and a trusted voice for so many people trying to make sense of health information. Before we talk about what you teach others, I would love to know what first made you passionate about translating complicated medical information into something people can actually use in their everyday lives.

DR. SUE: My biggest aspiration as a pharmacist has always been to be the most accessible healthcare professional. When people think of pharmacists, they most commonly think of the pharmacist behind the counter in a community setting. Being able to simply walk into a store, ask your questions and have that accessibility is what made me fall in love with pharmacy.
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​DR SUE: I grew up with the mentality of knowing my patients by name, connecting with them, knowing their stories and building that trusted relationship. That was my main passion for wanting to become a pharmacist. As I have progressed throughout the 18 years of my career, I have realized there are so many different roles pharmacists can play. That one setting is only one of almost 50. It made me want to explore the many different aspects of pharmacy, but the main driving force behind it all has always been patient care. I want to be someone people can trust and connect with while still providing and maintaining that relationship, even in today’s world.

ALLIÉ: That trust, patient-centered care and whole-person care are so important. To be seen and heard is everything. We are living in a time when one viral video can influence what someone takes, what they buy, what they stop taking and what they give to their child. From your perspective as a pharmacist and a mother, what worries you most about the way health information spreads today?

DR. SUE: Access to the internet and social media does have the benefit of making information more accessible. People can learn, conduct their own research, take their healthcare into their own hands and become more autonomous with their health, which is something I always encourage everyone to do. That access has its pros and cons, though, because there is also a lot of misinformation out there. We have to explain to patients and everyone with access to this information that sometimes something will go viral overnight, but they need to ask why it is going viral. Is it because it has a really good marketing campaign? Does it have a great social media team promoting it? Is a celebrity supporting it? Not everything that goes viral is best for you, and not every product available is meant for you to take. You have to look at the product itself. Was it manufactured to provide benefits, or is it simply being promoted by a great marketing team? You need to understand the research behind something, make sure it is credible and determine whether there is substantial evidence supporting its claims. I always tell people to step back and look at something objectively. Do not assume something is right for you simply because it has millions of views, likes and people supporting it. You have to determine whether it is actually the best product for you.

ALLIÉ: You make a good point because what works for one person does not necessarily work for another. You also mentioned access, and I think about the saying, “With great power comes great responsibility.” I think the same is true here. With great access comes great responsibility, both for the people creating the content and for those of us consuming it. Both sides have a responsibility. At AwareNow, we often talk about awareness becoming action. When it comes to medications, supplements and consumer health choices, what does health literacy make possible for people who might otherwise feel intimidated, overwhelmed or unsure of what to ask?

DR. SUE: It can become very intimidating, especially with all the medical jargon available. Often, a layperson does not understand the context or terminology behind something. Just looking at chemical names and inactive ingredients can stop a lot of people in their tracks. Medical jargon can scare people away, and they may try to decipher the information on their own, which can be dangerous because not everyone is equipped to do that. They might turn to search engines or “Dr. Google” and try to figure everything out themselves. That is where the pharmacist relationship becomes so important. People need to feel comfortable enough to have these conversations. Pharmacists can help explain what people can do on their own and break down information that might otherwise be difficult to understand.

​ALLIÉ: That human connection is so important. As a mother of five, you understand that health decisions often happen in real life, in real time, with a tired parent standing in a pharmacy aisle wondering what is safe, what is necessary and what actually works. What do you wish every parent knew before giving their child medication, supplements or over-the-counter remedies?

DR. SUE: That is a great question. I always look at it this way: A person coming into the pharmacy might be making their first visit, while they might be our hundredth patient of the day. We have to treat every person as though it is their first encounter and never take anything for granted. This is especially important when someone is tired, overwhelmed or has had a long day. Always approach it like a first interaction and have a simplified conversation. Not everyone is going to understand big terms or complicated jargon. Parents also need to understand that just because something is available over the counter does not mean it is completely safe. Any ingredient or product can become toxic or harmful at a certain dose or concentration. People need to understand that while one amount might be safe, even a little more could potentially be harmful. That relationship and conversation are very important. Simplifying the instructions is also essential. I will give you an example. When I first started in pharmacy, I overheard a conversation with a mother who came into the store. She explained that she had been giving her daughter antibiotics for an ear infection, but they were not working. It turned out that she had been pouring the oral antibiotic into her daughter’s ear. At first, someone might wonder why she would do that, but her daughter had an ear infection. Because the mother had not been properly counseled or told how to use the medication, she applied it directly to the place that hurt, which could have caused even more problems. That is why having simplified conversations and never making assumptions are so important.

ALLIÉ: That is true in life generally, and certainly when it comes to medicine. Your work, from what I have seen, feels like more than expert commentary. It feels like a public service. When you think about the platform you are building and the people who come to you for guidance, what kind of change do you hope your voice helps create?

DR. SUE: Exactly that. I want to create positive change, simplify information and provide a service. Even though it might not be one-to-one direct patient contact and care, the information still reaches people throughout the world. Whatever I share on my platform, I want it to resonate with the person listening or tuning in, regardless of their generation, age group or background. I think about how my parents would want information explained to them, or how someone receiving a medication for the first time might wonder, “What does this mean? How do I decipher all of this information?” I want to explain things in terms that are very simple, but also relatable. Life is not going to be picture-perfect. You are going to have days when everything goes all over the place and completely haywire. I want to make the information realistic enough for people to recognize that I am a relatable person, but also a professional who is here to break things down, simplify them and make them easier to understand. ∎

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Find & follow Dr. Sue on Instagram: @pharma.sue