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PODCAST

Healthcare Musings

Hesham A. Hassaballa, MD, FCCP

This is the official podcast of Hesham A. Hassaballa, MD, a NY Times-featured Pulmonary and Critical Care Physician, Author, and Healthcare Executive. Healthcare Musings discusses healthcare delivery and healthcare policy, including the effects of artificial intelligence on the medical field.

health & fitness medicine

All Episodes

9:13

2026 Sepsis Guidelines: The 17 Strong Recommendations...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/04/07

The 2026 Surviving Sepsis Guidelines were released last March in Chicago. Among the dozens of recommendations, there are 17 “strong” recommendations.In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa speaks about these 17 strong recommendations and its implications on clinical practice. Surviving Sepsis Guidelines: https://sccm.org/survivingsepsiscampaign/guidelines-and-resources/surviving-sepsis-campaign-adult-guidelines

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10:35

2026 Sepsis Guidelines: What Changed & What Has Not —...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/04/01

The new Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines were released late last month in Chicago. This week’s episode highlights the most important changes to Dr. Hassaballa. Hint: Dr. Hassabolus is vindicated again. Read the entire guidelines here: https://www.sccm.org/survivingsepsiscampaign

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7:17

The Why of CDI: Why Doctors Need to Care

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/03/24

Physicians’ jobs today are very hard. There are so many demands on their time, and there is not enough time in the day to do everything they need to do. So it is understandable that a busy clinician would ask “Who Cares?” When it comes to Clinical Documentation Improvement, or CDI.In reality, Doctors need to care about this stuff. In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa explains why. Article on physician subsidies:

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9:14

Obesity or Malnutrition: Document It Every Time It’s...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/03/17

Both obesity and protein calorie malnutrition are major comorbid conditions (MCC), and they are frequent targets of post-discharge denials by payers. In this episode of Healthcare Musings, Dr. Hassaballa explains why it is so important that these diagnoses are not only documented, but why our plan to address these conditions must always be documented. GLIM Criteria: https://www.espen.org/education/glim

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29:05

Fear and the COVID Response: A Conversation with Dr....

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/03/10

It has been six years, almost to the day, since I saw my first Covid patient in the ICU. So much has changed since then. In this insightful interview, Dr. Joseph Marine, a Johns Hopkins Cardiologist and Professor of Medicine, reflects on the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing what was learned, what could have been done differently, and the future of public health responses. Gain expert perspectives on fear, masking, vaccines, and trust in health authorities.Dr. Marine on X: https://x.com/DrJMarine

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8:55

Returning Goals of Care Conversations to Where They...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/03/03

The hospital ED or ICU is the absolute worst place to have a goals of care conversation.

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36:40

Do We Need A PCP For Everything?: My Conversation...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/02/24

Primary Care is in trouble. The job is very hard, doesn’t pay as much as it should, and the numbers of PCPs is dwindling. How can we save the field? Dr. Bobby Scott has another novel idea to help reduce the burden on Primary Care Physicians. Our conversation is the subject of this week's episode on Healthcare Musings. Dr. Bobby Scott: https://substack.com/@bobbyscottmd Sensible Medicine article: https://www.sensible-med.com/p/on-the-conservation-of-primary-care

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31:39

Saving Primary Care: Dr. Colleen Smith’s Novel Idea

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/02/17

There is a dire shortage of Primary Care Physicians, and it is projected to get even worse. We need Primary Care Physicians, and creating more Residency slots takes years to come to fruition. This week’s guest on the Healthcare Musings Podcast, Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Colleen Smith, has a novel idea to help relieve the shortage. Dr. Smith’s Substack: https://substack.com/@drcolleensmith

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39:16

What’s It Really Like To Run A Hospital?: My...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/02/09

There is a common perception that hospitals are nonstop, money making machine machines. Reality, however, it’s quite different. In this episode, I sit down with Mr. Ken Kaufman, a Managing Director at Kaufman Hall. He gives an eye-opening assessment of what It’s really like to run a hospital. About Ken Kaufman: https://x.com/kenkaufman12

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52:34

What's the Deal With the New Dietary Guidelines? I...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/02/02

There has been an uproar on the part of some over the new dietary guidelines published by the government (www.realfood.gov). Is the uproad justified? I asked the perfect person: America's Cardiologist, Dr. Mohammed Alo (https://www.dralo.net/). We had a great conversation.

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36:55

A Day in the Life of a TeleIntensivist Leader: Dr....

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/01/26

Telecritical care is part of the future of Critical Care Medicine in the United States and world. There are various models of implementing TeleICU programs, and one of them is a “hybrid” between on site and tele ICU. How can this work in the most effective manner? I asked the perfect person: Dr. Mirko Villanueva of Sound Physicians. He is both a TeleIntensivist and Program Director. His insights are truly invaluable. To know more about what it’s like to be a teleIntensivist, see my conversation

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8:24

Acute Hypoxic Respiratory Failure: Decoding What It...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/01/19

Acute hypoxic respiratory failure is diagnosed by one of these three criteria: PaO2 less than 60 mm Hg SpO2 less than 90% PaO2/FiO2 ratio < 300 That's it. Payers like to add all sorts of clinical criteria alongside this. This is totally wrong, and we should not let them get away with this when they dispute the presence of acute hypoxic respiratory failure during post-discharge DRG denials. During this episode, Dr. Hassaballa goes into the criteria of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure, so

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10:25

Get Off The SOFA: Winning the Fight Against Sepsis...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/01/12

Increasingly, insurance companies and third-party auditors are denying sepsis claims and DRGs based on the “Sepsis-3” article published almost 10 years ago. Specifically, they contend that if there is no SOFA score of 2 or greater there is no sepsis. Not so fast. The article never said that, and this is crucial when fighting sepsis denials. On this episode of the podcast, Dr. Hassaballa discusses this crucial fact to help hospitals and other providers fight these ever increasing sepsis

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16:19

Leadership, Compassion, and the Future of AI in...

Healthcare Musings ·

2026/01/05

I was honored to be a guest on the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast. During the episode, I discussed how AI is transforming clinical care; the irreplaceable human elements of medicine; and the leadership values that guide my work. I also shared insights on physician excellence, system level improvement, and what inspires me as I look ahead to 2026.

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8:48

The Soundtrack of My Grief: "You Are The Piece of Me...

Healthcare Musings ·

2025/12/30

Ever since the death of my daughter on June 7, 2009, I have written and reflected on many things that remind me of her, including many popular songs. It is one of the ways the Lord saved my life after her death. Today, on her birthday, I embark on a new series on Healthcare Musings: "The Soundtrack of My Grief," where I discuss those songs that have helped me cope with her death. The first song upon which I will reflect is "Clarity," by Zedd. Song link:

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28:52

Can AI Chatbots Make End-of-Life Decisions?

Healthcare Musings ·

2025/12/22

Can an AI Chatbot version of you make an end-of-life decision if you cannot make it on your own?This possibility was brought up to me on a previous episode with Eiman Abdelmoneim. I was so intrigued by the possibility that I sat down with Dr. Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad, Resident Fellow at the Harborview Medical Center (UW Medicine). He is also Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at University of Washington Bothell and Affiliate Faculty member at Responsible AI Systems

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8:27

Metabolic Encephalopathy: Essential Guide to Accurate...

Healthcare Musings ·

2025/12/15

Metabolic encephalopathy is a state of global cerebral dysfunction caused by systemic metabolic or toxic disturbances. Its presence raises the severity of illness of those patients afflicted with it, and it is a frequent denial target of payers. It is essential that clinicians document this condition in the record when it is present. In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa discusses this diagnosis and provides essential tips on how to properly document this condition.

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57:03

The Sepsis Confusion: SIRS, SOFA, and CDI…Oh My!!!

Healthcare Musings ·

2025/12/08

There are two competing definitions of sepsis, called "Sepsis-2" and "Sepsis-3." They are vastly different, and it is causing enormous confusion with respect to diagnosing and coding for sepsis. I assembled a panel of experts to discuss the proper coding of sepsis. Does a UTI with fever and tachycardia really constitute sepsis? Does CMS mandate a specific definition of sepsis? What about SOFA scores? We delve into all of this and more. The panel for this episode is: Dr. Erin Boyd Dr. Ronald

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44:17

Seeing Healthcare From 30,000 Feet: My Conversation...

Healthcare Musings ·

2025/12/01

Scott Becker, Founder and Publisher of Becker's Healthcare, has a unique perspective on the state of the healthcare system in the United States. So, I wanted to sit down with him and get his insights as well. He had amazing observations and thought-provoking suggestions regarding: Healthcare Coverage for all Healthcare Quality Healthcare Cost Healthcare Access We delved into each during this fantastic conversation.

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18:05

More People Are Turning To AI Chatbots: How Doctors...

Healthcare Musings ·

2025/11/24

The NY Times had an article detailing how people are turning to chatbots because they are frustrated with the medical system. As a physician and patient myself, I completely sympathize with both groups. We need to fix this problem. In this episode, Dr. Hassaballa Summarizes the NY Time article (linked below) Explains why this phenomenon occurs Suggests what physicians need to do about this fact. NY Times article:

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