While helping patients, Dr. Lee realized that people didn’t understand the problems they faced or how to prevent long-term complications. In 2010, she founded Optimal Life to produce books and DVDs that use simple language, charts and animation to teach people how the body works so they can prevent and manage common diseases. Dr. Lee is also the chief clinical officer of American Health Care, a Rocklin, CA-based company that administers drug benefits to hospitals, schools, manufacturers, municipalities and health plans. She received her Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, and her BS in Clinical Laboratory Science from the University of Nevada, Reno. Dr. Lee is affiliated with the American College of Managed Care Pharmacy, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, the American Society of Health System Pharmacists and the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy. Dr. Lee has written five books in the series, including The Essentials of Asthma, The Essentials of Diabetes, The Essentials of Health and Wellness about colds and flu, The Essentials of Hypertension and The Essentials of Insulin. Because high cholesterol is so common—and so dangerous—Dr. Lee recently added Optimal Life: The Essentials of High Cholesterol to her health series. She is an avid supporter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and has served on the boards of several companies.
 
Health E-Insights: Did you always envision a career in a health-related field?
 
Dr. Lee: Yes, I always knew I’d take a professional role in healthcare, and it’s proved to be the right decision time and time again. I love it.
 
Health E-Insights: You developed a proprietary software system for hospitals. Please explain.
 
Dr. Lee: The system is called DOCS (Digital Outcomes Communication System) and is a software program designed for clinicians—not just hospitals—to use while working with patients who have chronic health conditions. It’s primarily used as a tool when working one-on-one with patients to report and store clinical data. It contains all of a patient’s information from medical to pharmacy to procedures to lab results. It’s not an electronic medical record, because an EMR only stays within one institution or business entity. DOCS goes wherever the patient goes, and is a tool to store all information in one place so that multiple providers can access a patient’s history, allowing patients and providers to make the best clinical decisions.
 
Health E-Insights: You also co-founded American Health Care. What’s that all about?
 
Dr. Lee: American Health Care is a pharmacy benefit management and population health management provider well known for improving patient health while also decreasing medical costs for employers. We’ve also produced some highly regarded studies on the positive effects of pharmacists working face-to-face with patients.
 
Health E-Insights: Do you believe in dietary supplements?
 
Dr. Lee: Yes, but it depends on the supplement and the person using it. I’m low in vitamin D and I take a supplement for that. The biggest danger when using supplements is the purity of the product, so consumers have to do their homework to learn about the lab that’s making the supplement.
 
Health E-Insights: Has social media changed the way you do business?
 
Dr. Lee: Absolutely. Consumers want easy access to information about your company, products and people. Social media gives you the potential to reach more people and really build a personal connection with your clients.
 
Health E-Insights: Why did you decide to pursue a black belt in Taekwondo?
 
Dr. Lee: There are a couple of reasons I got a black belt. First, it’s a great physical activity—lots of exercise and it requires a lot of mental focus. Also, I’m a follow-through person. Whatever I start, I finish. I feel incomplete if I don’t finish something.
 
Health E-Insights: Do you have plans to write another book?
 
Dr. Lee: Yes. In fact, I’ve just finished the last few pages of my forthcoming book on high cholesterol. That book, along with my other books and DVDs, will be available on my website at www.optimalife.net, as well as on Amazon Kindle, the iBook Store and Barnes & Noble. 
 
Health E-Insights: If someone handed you $100,000, how would you spend it?
 
Dr. Lee: I’d donate $20,000 to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and I would put $50,000 in savings. Then I’d donate $10,000 to A Sandwich a Day. It’s a non-profit organization that feeds the hungry. Then, I’d use the rest to create some great videos and graphic illustrations to help people learn about their health condition in a visual way that everyone can understand. 
 

Sheldon Baker is well-known for creating nutraceutical brand marketing and public relations campaigns. For Health E-Insights interview consideration, contact him at [email protected]. And follow him on Twitter @NutraInk. By the way, Sheldon is looking for a few good PR consulting jobs.