Episodes
When My Daughter Became ”Weightless,” I Became the ”Owner of a Broken…
In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa reflects over two of the songs God used to save his life: "Weightless," by Natasha Bedingfield - https://youtu.be/AUxLeytLHVk?si=tYGTD8xv_JrNa2Zi "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes - https://yout...
Why December is Such a Tough Month
December is a difficult month for me and my family. This is because in December, on the 30th to be exact, our eldest daughter was born in 1996. And she passed away after a brutal battle with lymphoma in June of 2009. And to h...
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Is There a Doctor on the Plane?” - Lessons Lea…
I had to tend to a sick fellow passenger recently while traveling on a plane. This incident taught me some valuable lessons. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to ...
“Ladies and Gentlemen, Is There a Doctor on the Plane?”
Someone was ill on my flight back home from a work trip, and I recount the experience…and gratitude for being able to help. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to b...
Dr. Hassaballa is a Guest on ”Crossing the Chasm” Podcast
The original episode is here: https://soundphysicians.com/podcast-episode/?podcast_id=8173&track_id=1678458171 Check out the "Crossing the Chasm" podcast here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crossing-the-chasm-w...
Get the F@&^ Out - Part 2
It is absolutely possible to thoroughly document your patient encounter AND get out on time and go home. It is NOT mutually exclusive. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get ...
Take the Time to Document Well
It would be a travesty and a shame to have your documentation belie the truly great clinician you are. So it's high to focus on the assessment and plan, so we can really show the world the wonderful work we're doing on a dail...
ICU Lecture Series: Acid Base Disorders
In this latest lecture, Dr. Hassaballa goes over acid base disorders and how to recognize them, as well as mixed acid-base disorders and chronic compensation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with o...
Celebrating Respiratory Therapists
This week is National Respiratory Care Week (October 23-29). As an ICU medical director who works every single day hand in hand with respiratory therapists, as well as having the honor of being the Medical Director of Respira...
We Should Abandon the Term ”DNR”
In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa discusses his feeling that the term "DNR," or "do not resuscitate, should be replaced with the term "AND," or "allow for natural death." Some institutions have adopted this change, and Dr. Hass...
From the Appeals Desk: Medical Necessity Denials
In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa discusses medical necessity denials: what they are and how to deal with them. Resources: Interqual: https://www.changehealthcare.com/clinical-decision-support/interqual MCG: https://www.mcg.com...
Shock and Hemodynamics
In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa goes over the different types of shock and how to recognize their hemodynamic profiles. Errata: I meant to say that LVEDV is estimated by LVEDP, which is estimated by Left atrial pressure, whic...
Get the F*^& Out…
Clinician burnout is a crisis, and it is something that needs to be addressed by everyone in leadership in healthcare. In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa shares his advice about those who feel obligated to stay after their shift...
The Ruthless Monster That is Sepsis
In honor of Sepsis Awareness Month, Dr. Hassaballa recounts a case of a patient who died from sepsis in the ICU more than a decade ago, a case that has stayed with him ever since. Resources: https://www.sccm.org/SurvivingSeps...
To Jab or Not to Jab?
The FDA approved the latest Covid booster, and the CDC recommends everyone get it. In this episode of the Healthcare Musings Podcast, Dr. Hassaballa shares his own thought process on whether to get the vaccine or not. This is...
Why I Stopped Drinking Diet Coke
In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa talks about why he stopped drinking Diet Coke. And no...it has nothing do with cancer. Links: WHO Statement on aspartame: https://www.who.int/news/item/14-07-2023-aspartame-hazard-and-risk-asse...
From the Appeals Desk: Prior Authorization Denials
Insurance company denials are terribly frustrating. There are a number of causes, and in this series, we will explore the types of denials and what we can do to mitigate them. Resources: "From the Appeals Desk": https://healt...
Extubation With T-Piece: When and Why
Sometimes, "minimal vent settings" is not sufficient to truly test spontaneous breathing in a ventilated patient. In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa discusses why that is. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss t...
Just like the Airline Industry, Safety Has to be Nonnegotiable in Hea…
In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa reflects over a flight delay on one of his work trips. It reminded him that compromising passenger safety for customer convenience is a nonstarter in the Airline industry. The same should be tr...
Lectures from the ICU: Hypoxic Respiratory Failure
Dr. Hassaballa discusses hypoxic respiratory failure and oxygen delivery and why he doesn't care about pO2. Read more about oxygen delivery here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/essential-equations-for-anaesthesia/ox...
Lecture from the ICU: Sepsis
In this episode of Healthcare Musings podcast, we discuss sepsis: its definition and principles of management. Relevant References: Sepsis 3 Definition: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2492881 Surviving Seps...
Lecture Series: Mechanical Ventilation
This lecture is about the basics of mechanical ventilation, given in the ICU on August 9, 2023. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit healthc...
The Unsustainable Math of Medicare Physician Payment Cuts
CMS is proposing another 3.34% cut in physician payments, on top of what has already been cut. The math is simply unsustainable. It is not about "greedy doctors." It is about the financial viability of medical practices. Dr. ...