Healthcare Musings
This is the official podcast and blog of Hesham A. Hassaballa, MD, a NY Times-featured Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician, Author, and Healthcare Executive. Healthcare Musings discusses important issues in Critical Care, Healthcare, and Medicine in general.
Recent Episodes
Faith in the ICU: Stories of Wonder
In the latest installment of the Faith in the ICU Series, Dr. Hassaballa recounts a story that has always stayed with him.
ICU Lecture Series: The ICU Liberation Bundle
In this latest episode of the ICU Lecture Series, Dr. Hassaballa lectures to staff about the ICU Liberation Bundle. Link: https://sccm.org/clinical-resources/iculiberation-home/abcdef-bundles
What Is A Blood Transfusion, Truly?
Despite multiple specialty society guidelines recommending not to transfuse blood if the hemoglobin levels are above 7-8 g/dL, many physicians disregard the recommendations. Why is that? Dr. Hassaballa discusses this issue. A...
ICU Lecture Series: Metabolic Acidosis
In this latest ICU lecture series, Dr. Hassaballa discusses metabolic acidosis: how to diagnose it and what to do about it.
Great Minds in Medicine: Dr. Elaine Chen
What would someone who is BOTH a Critical Care and Palliative Care Doctor say about palliative care in the ICU? I asked one. Links from the show: The Coleman Palliative Medicine Training Program: https://colemanpalliative.org...
From the Appeals Desk: Coding Clinics and Sepsis
Many payers state that a 2016 Coding Clinics article allows them to deny sepsis DRGs. This is not true, and Dr. Hassaballa goes into the article and what is specifically says about sepsis. And, he issues an unequivocal condem...
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Recent Blog Posts
What Is A Blood Transfusion, Truly?
Many ICU patients suffer from anemia. Some are chronically anemic, and others develop anemia due to their acute illness (such as bleeding, for example). Multiple specialty societies have developed guidelines over when to transfuse red blood cells, a…
Death is Not a Failure
In my conversation with Dr. Elaine Chen of Rush University Medical Center, who is both an Intensive Care and Palliative Care physician, I asked her how being a Palliative Care specialist has helped her as a Critical Care physician. The thing that st…
The Process is More Important Than The Outcome
I recently sat down with Dr. Sergio Zanotti, Chief Medical Officer for Sound Critical Care and had a wonderful conversation (link at the end of the post) about the pandemic, healthcare, and medicine in general. One of many insights he gave me that t…