SCCM Podcast

Marie R. Baldisseri, MD, an intensivist from the University of Pittsburgh, discusses her article from the June issue of Critical Connections, titled "Rapid Response Systems: Have They Made a Difference?" Dr. Baldisseri is an associate professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Raina M. Merchant, MD, a resident in emergency medicine at the University of Chicago, and Benjamin S. Abella, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in the section of emergency medicine at the University of Chicago, discuss their article published in the July issue of Critical Care Medicine. The article, "Therapeutic Hypothermia Utilization Among Physicians After Resuscitation From Cardiac Arrest," addresses whether physicians are cooling patients after cardiac arrest (Crit Care Med Volume 34, Number 5, Jul 2006 pp 1935-1940).

Shannon S. Carson, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and associate medical director of the medical and respiratory ICUs at the UNC Medical Center, as well as John P. Kress, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of Chicago, discuss their article from the May 2006 Critical Care Medicine, "A Randomized Trial of Intermittent Lorazepam vs. Propofol With Daily Interruption in Mechanically Ventilated Patients." (Crit Care Med Volume 34, Number 5, May 2006 pp 1326-1332)

Brian Jacobs, MD, project director of Integrating Clinical Information Systems, or ICIS, at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, discusses how efforts in computerized physician order entry relate to patient safety. The ICIS system is a computer-based system implemented Thuoughout the hospital Thuough which all medical orders are entered and documented electronically. The system, believed to be the most comprehensive in any pediatric hospital in the United States, is expected to reduce medical errors significantly.

Vera De Palo, MD, outlines several common questions healthcare professionals should consider to help prevent catheter-related bloodstream infections in the ICU. Her article "Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections: Can We Make it Safer For Our Patients?" appears in the April issue of Critical Connections. Dr. DePalo is associate chief of medicine and director of critical care at Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island. She also is an associate professor of medicine at Brown Medical School.(Crit Conn 2006 Vol.5 No.2)

Phil Barie, MD, MBA, FCCM, discusses his article from the April edition of Critical Connections on antibiotic prophylaxis. He addresses when this therapy is most useful as well as the consequences of overuse. Dr. Barie is professor of surgery and public health at Weill Medical College of Cornell University in New York City, and he sits on the executive committee of the Society of Critical Care Medicine. (Crit Conn 2006 Vol.5 No.2)

Jack Zimmerman, MD, FCCM, discusses his article in the May 2006 edition of Critical Care Medicine, "Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (or APACHE IV): Hospital Mortality Assessment for Today's Critically Ill Patients." Dr. Zimmerman is professor emeritus of anesthesia and critical care medicine at George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. (Critical Care Medicine Volume 34, Number 5, May 2006 pp 1297-1310)

Robert Truog, MD, discusses his article in the April issue of Critical Care Medicine, "Rationing in the Intensive Care Unit." Dr. Truog is professor of medical ethics and anesthesia, pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, Childrens Hospital Boston. The article focuses on how ICU caregivers distribute resources in the ICU.

Stanley Nasraway, MD, FCCM, discusses his article published in the April issue of Critical Care Medicine, titled "Morbid Obesity Is an Independent Determinant of Death Among Surgical Critically Ill Patients." Dr. Nasraway is associate professor of surgery, medicine and anesthesia at Tufts University and chief of the surgical intensive care units at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. His article addresses the growing number of morbidly obese patients entering the intensive care unit and suggests that customized processes be developed to address this unique and challenging patient population. (Critical Care Medicine Volume 34, Number 4, Apr 2006 pp 964-970)

Jean-Louis Vincent, MD, PhD, FCCM, discusses an article from the March issue of Critical Care Medicine, "Does dopamine administration in shock influence outcome? Results of the Sepsis Occurrence in Acutely Ill Patients (SOAP) Study." (Critical Care Medicine, Volume 34, Number 3, Mar 2006, pp 589-597.)