49 - Hugh Montgomery - We've got to act right now

Nov 17, 2019

01:33:11

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Climate change is a conversation we need to be having in Intensive Care circles.

Right now.

If the environmental catastrophe that is unfolding around us continues unabated there may no longer even be Intensive Care Units.

The rising global temperatures, the melting ice, the extreme weather events, and their impact on agricultural crops and human habitation may well lead to such a fall in the economy that our healthcare system may not have the financial resources it does now.

And given ICUs are the most expensive part of our hospitals, have a guess what might disappear first.

So who is there better to listen to about the climate crisis than British intensivist, Professor Hugh Montgomery, a deeply passionate and highly intelligent man, who was a founding member of the UK Climate and Health Council, and who has helped raise awareness about climate change for over 2 decades.

In this episode Hugh outlines some simple things you can do today to help fight climate change.

Hugh is a Professor and the Director of the Institute for Human Health and Performance at University College London. He obtained a 1st class degree in cardiorespiratory physiology and neuropharmacology before graduating from the Middlesex Hospital Medical School in 1987. He has since obtained specialist accreditation in Cardiology, General Internal Medicine and Intensive Care medicine, and practices as a Consultant Intensivist in North London in the UK. Hugh obtained his MD(Res) in 1997, is known for his pioneering genetic research, and has published over 450 peer reviewed papers, three in Nature. Hugh is also an author of children's books, and most recently of the medical thriller 'Control'.

Hugh has a such diverse array of interests and expertise that it's hard to understand how he fits it all in. He has presented on television shows, climbed tall Himalayan mountains, run ultra-marathons, jumped naked from a plane at 14,000 feet, holds the world record for underwater piano playing, and also consults as a medical expert on Artificial Intelligence. Despite all of this, he continues to work as a clinical intensivist, publishes in the medical literature about important critical care topics, and is working to raise patient awareness about their end of life wishes.

To me this is one of the most important Mastering Intensive Care episodes so far, as in a wide-ranging conversation Hugh talks about:

How he became interested in physiology and then intensive care
The intensivists that shaped his career
Climate change and why we all need to care
What actions we can take today as Intensive Care professionals to help the environment
His own views on diet, renewable energy and international flights
Some perspectives on the ICU ward round
The importance of relationships and building connection with patients in clinical medicine
How his father's experience in hospital informed Hugh
How "wisdom of the crowd" assists in making diagnoses
Dealing with uncertainty at the bedside
The importance of speaking to patients about end of life before they are admitted to the ICU
How he speaks to families of the dying
An end of life project he and his colleagues are working on
Why he researches what he does
Some tips for public speaking
How the emergence of artificial intelligence might play out in healthcare
Why we need to be engaged with Big Tech
His own attitudes and practice of self-care and self development
His non-medical writing, including his new medical thriller book "Control"

I can not recommend more highly that you settle in and listen to this amazing man, Professor Hugh Montgomery.

Andrew Davies

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About the Mastering Intensive Care podcast: The podcast is aimed to inspire and empower you to bring your best self to the intensive care unit, through conversations with thought-provoking guests. The hope is you'll glean insights to move you closer towards being the best and most human healthcare professionals you can be, so you can make the most valuable contribution to your patient's lives.

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Links related to Hugh Montgomery

Hugh Montgomery at UCL

Hugh Montgomery at Whittington Hospital

Hugh Montgomery at ISEH

Hugh Montgomery profile

Hugh Montgomery on Twitter

PubMed search for Hugh Montgomery

Book "Control" (by Hugh Montgomery)

Book "Cloudsailors" (by Hugh Montgomery)

Book "Voyage of The Arctic Tern" (by Hugh Montgomery)

Review of "Control" (by Hugh Montgomery)