Debra Cerasa, CEO Otway Health

In this episode of A Great Recipe for Life I talk to Debra Cerasa, CEO of Otway Health.

Deb has worked in the health sector for about 40 years, starting as a nurse and then training as a midwife. She has long been interested in women’s health, health and social justice and the social determinants of health.

She moved into the health management/executive space about 20 years ago and has worked in hospitals and not-for-profits in senior roles including as CEO. Deb joined Otway Health as CEO in 2015.

Deb and I met over twitter in 2012 and soon after that we met over a glass of wine when we both just happened to be in Canberra at the same time – which twitter told us!

Deb and I talk a lot about how social media can improve health outcomes, and we talk a little about this today. Of course, we also share a huge love of food and travel, and until recently Deb also owned a cooking school in regional Victoria – which she started as a hobby!

And yes, you can hear the planes fly overhead as I live in the flight path… and there is the occasional train going past too. It adds to the ambience…

Health and education is a right and not a privilege @debracerasa Click To Tweet

You can find Debra Cerasa at Otway Health.

You can follow Deb on twitter @debracerasa.

You can listen to this episode via the link above, on iTunes or Stitcher or via the podcast app on your smartphone.

What we discussed

Emma Betts podcast episode
is our destiny pre-determined?
an inherent need to be needed and nurtured
the benefit of having pets
the choice – or otherwise – to have or not have children – and discussing it on a first date
Otherhood by Melanie Notkin – book
having a pre-determined number of heatbeats
eating at Michelin Star restaurants
turning 60 is the new 40
death, dying and having all the necessary legal documents
Molly Carlile and Kerrie Noonan
Otway Health – a multipurpose service
managing a healthcare service in a town with massive seasonal population fluctuations
the importance of regularly seeing a GP
500,000 Australians have type 2 diabetes but don’t actually know
using Dr Google
using technology to keep health professionals motivated so they stay in the health sector
wearable technology such as fitbit
social media and how much we both love it
tele-health
Health Check – radio show/podcast
if Deb was Prime Minister and Health Minister for a day she would…
making the electronic record real
recognising ALL health professionals equally as health advocates
the importance of kindness
liking the people you love
meeting via twitter and our first twitter chat