SCCM Podcast

Pediatric sepsis and septic shock are leading causes of mortality worldwide, with the burden falling disproportionately on resource-limited settings. In this episode of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Podcast, host Elizabeth H. Mack, MD, MS, FCCM, speaks with Vanessa Denny, MD, MS, and Justicia Amisah, MD, about their study, Pediatric Emergency Department Care for Septic Shock in Sub-Saharan Africa: Single-Center Outcomes Before-Vs.-After Implementation of a Telesimulation Program, 2023–2024, published in the July 2026 issue of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

Drs. Denny and Amisah discuss their longstanding collaboration with the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Ghana and their efforts to improve outcomes for children with sepsis and septic shock. At the start of the project, pediatric sepsis mortality at the hospital approached 50%. A needs assessment identified opportunities to strengthen clinician education and sepsis management, leading the team to develop a contextualized telesimulation and debriefing program tailored to the hospital's specific resources and challenges.

Using a free, low-bandwidth platform and locally produced training videos, the program provided realistic clinical scenarios designed to enhance sepsis recognition, decision-making, and team communication. Debriefing sessions focused on practical, evidence-based approaches to care that could be implemented within the local healthcare environment. After implementation of the program, mortality among children with sepsis decreased from 36% to 10%, highlighting the potential impact of targeted educational interventions in low-resource settings.

The speakers also discuss the importance of sustainable global partnerships, locally driven solutions, and scalable training models that can be adapted to other hospitals and regions. Building on these encouraging results, the team is exploring opportunities to expand the program throughout Ghana and beyond.

Listeners will gain valuable insight into pediatric sepsis care in Ghana and learn how innovative, context-specific educational initiatives can improve patient outcomes in resource-limited settings around the world.

Resources referenced in this episode:  

Denny VC, Amisah J, Appiah JA, et al. Pediatric emergency department care for septic shock in Sub-Saharan Africa: single-center outcomes before-vs.-after implementation of a telesimulation program, 2023-2024. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2026;27(7):806-815.

Denny VC, Appiah JA, Nadkarni VM, et al. Barriers and facilitators when seeking healthcare for septic children in Ghana: a single-centre qualitative study of patient caregivers and emergency department clinicians. BMJ Paediatr Open. 2024;8(1):e002814.

Generative AI is rapidly reshaping healthcare, creating new opportunities and raising new questions about how to use the technology effectively and ethically. In this episode of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Podcast, host Maureen A. Madden, DNP, RN, CPNP-AC, CCRN, FCCM, speaks with Brandon Hunter, MD, FAAP, about his article, “Feasibility of a Large Language Model Chatbot to Support Parental Understanding in the PICU,” published in the April 2026 issue of Critical Care Explorations.

Dr. Hunter explores the potential role of large language model (LLM) chatbots in helping families navigate the complexity of pediatric critical illness. The study evaluated a HIPAA-compliant chatbot that was connected to selected electronic health record data and allowed parents to ask questions about their child’s condition, treatments, laboratory results, and prognosis. The results were promising, with the chatbot answering most questions accurately and returning personalized responses shaped by available clinical information.

The podcast discussion examines both the opportunities and challenges of AI-powered communication tools. Dr. Hunter explains how modern LLMs generate responses; highlights the importance of validating chatbot outputs; and describes hazards such as hallucinations, bias, and sycophancy, in which models may overly agree with users rather than prioritize accuracy. The conversation further explores the growing use of AI across healthcare; the need for rigorous governance and evaluation frameworks; and the importance of ensuring that technological innovation serves patients, families, and clinicians safely and equitably.

This episode offers a thoughtful examination of one of the most rapidly evolving areas in healthcare, highlighting both the opportunities and responsibilities that accompany the integration of AI into critical care practice.

Resources referenced in this episode:

Hunter RB, Thammasitboon S, Rahman S, et al. Feasibility of a large language model chatbot to support parental understanding in the PICU. Crit Care Explor. 2026;8(4):e1378.

Omar M, Soffer S, Agbareia R, et al. Sociodemographic biases in medical decision making by large language models. Nat Med. 2025;31:1873–1881.

Central venous access remains foundational to the delivery of critical care, yet the techniques used for central line insertion have evolved minimally since the introduction of the Seldinger method more than 70 years ago. This relative stagnation persists despite increasing patient complexity and heightened expectations for procedural safety, efficiency, and reliability.

This episode of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Podcast examines how procedural variability and fragmented workflows continue to contribute to risk during central venous catheter insertion in critically ill patients. It also considers the growing need to reassess long-standing approaches that may no longer align with the demands of contemporary ICU practice. Host Kyle B. Enfield, MD, speaks with Adnan Javed, MD, about emerging insertion techniques and integrated technologies designed to simplify procedural steps, reduce variability, and support more consistent performance at the bedside.

Through a focused exploration of innovation in procedural design, this discussion highlights how streamlined, integrated approaches may enhance clinician performance, improve safety, and advance the standard of care in high-acuity environments. This episode provides a critical perspective on the future of central venous access and the role of innovation in transforming a commonly performed, yet high-stakes, procedure.

This episode is sponsored by BD.

Learning Objectives

Describe how procedural complexity and workflow variability contribute to risk during central venous catheter insertion in critically ill patients

Understand the potential of emerging insertion techniques and integrated, simplified approaches to improve procedural safety, consistency, and clinician performance

 

Resource referenced in this episode:

Pronovost P, Needham D, Berenholtz S, et al. An Intervention to Decrease Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections in the ICU. N Engl J Med. 2006;355(26):2725-2732. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa061115

Effective transitions of care are vital, particularly for children who have spent months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In this episode of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Podcast, host Maureen A. Madden, DNP, RN, CPNP-AC, CCRN, FCCM, speaks with Philip D. Cohen, MD, MSc, about his article, “Non-Emergent Neonatal ICU-to-PICU Transfers in the United States: Cross-Sectional Survey of Neonatologists and Pediatric Intensivists,” published in the May 2026 issue of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine.

Drawing on responses from neonatologists and pediatric intensivists across the United States, Dr. Cohen examines the challenges associated with transferring patients from the NICU to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) for ongoing care. Although these transfers occur infrequently, with a median of only five to six non-emergent transfers annually per institution, they often involve children with prolonged hospitalizations, significant medical complexity, and deeply established relationships with NICU care teams.

Survey findings suggest broad agreement among neonatologists and pediatric intensivists that standardized protocols are needed and that structured approaches improve the effectiveness of transfers. Key themes include multidisciplinary handoffs, earlier identification of transfer candidates, family-centered communication, and greater collaboration between NICU and PICU teams before and after transfer.

Dr. Cohen also explores opportunities for implementation science to advance this work, emphasizing the importance of incorporating perspectives from parents and caregivers, nurses, and advanced practice providers. This discussion will educate and inspire pediatric critical care teams seeking to improve continuity of care through adaptable, evidence-informed frameworks.

Resources referenced in this episode:

Cohen PD, Boss RD, McKinney RL, Kudchadkar SR. Non-Emergent Neonatal ICU-to-PICU Transfers in the United States: Cross-Sectional Survey of Neonatologists and Pediatric Intensivists. Pediatr Crit Care Med. 2026;27(5):568-574.

Cohen PD, Boss RD, Stockwell DC, et al. Perspectives on non-emergent neonatal intensive care unit to pediatric intensive care unit care transfers in the United States. World J Crit Care Med. 2024;13(4):97145.

Sepsis management has traditionally focused on timely antibiotic treatment, hemodynamic support, and source control, but emerging evidence suggests that outcomes may be shaped long before patients reach the ICU. In this episode of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Podcast, host Diane C. McLaughlin, DNP, AGACNP-BC, CCRN, FCCM, speaks with Sayed Abdulmotaleb Almoosawy, MBChB (Hons), about his article “The Association Between Socioeconomic Position and Mortality in Patients With Sepsis and Septic Shock—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” published in the April 2026 issue of Critical Care Medicine.

Drawing on 13 observational studies that encompassed nearly 4 million patients, the analysis evaluates how factors such as insurance status, income, education, and neighborhood deprivation relate to short-term mortality outcomes. The findings reveal a consistent association between lower socioeconomic position and increased mortality, with lack of private insurance demonstrating the strongest signal—likely reflecting barriers to timely access to care and delayed presentation.

This episode challenges clinicians and researchers alike to recognize the link between socioeconomic disadvantages and worse sepsis outcomes, highlighting the need to collect equity-relevant data and reduce gaps in care to improve survival for critically ill patients.

Resources referenced in this episode:

Almoosawy SA, Fernando SM, Rochwerg B, et al. The association between socioeconomic position and mortality in patients with sepsis and septic shock—a systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Care Med. 2026;54(4):692-700.

Prescott HC, Antonelli M, Alhazzani W, et al. Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2026. Crit Care Med. 2026;54(4):725-812.