Healthcare Musings

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.

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ICU Lecture Series: The ICU Liberation Bundle

Recent Episodes

March 24, 2025

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

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March 17, 2025

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...

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March 10, 2025

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.

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March 3, 2025

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...

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Feb. 25, 2025

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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Feb. 17, 2025

Great Minds in Medicine: Dr. Sergio Zanotti

In the latest installment of the "Great Minds in Medicine" series, I sit down with Dr. Sergio Zanotti, Critical Care Chief Medical Officer for Sound Physicians. We had a wide-ranging discussion about medicine, critical care, ...

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Recent Blog Posts

March 22, 2025

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…

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March 22, 2025

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…

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March 12, 2025

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…

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Reviews

Great message

"Thank you Dr. Hassaballa for having the courage and grace to open up this dialogue!! This is such an important part of humans taking care of humans and the ability to minister to the whole person! …"

Dominic Kayatta | Dec. 23, 2024

Transparency

"I really appreciate Dr Hassaballa's openness about how he views the world around him. Whether you agree with his opinions and beliefs or not, you can't help but admire the man for his transparency an…"

William Ferguson | Dec. 25, 2024

Ran out of tissues

"I have been thinking about you and your family all day - what a beautiful tribute to your angel - she is an inspiration to us all - sending pink thoughts and vibes today and everyday"

Dominic Kayatta | Dec. 30, 2024