Three very different innovations. Three very different settings. One shared direction: pediatric care moving closer to children and families.
Dr. John Cleveland, Associate Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, shares the science and the hope behind xenotransplantation, the use of genetically modified pig hearts as a bridge to human heart transplantation for infants dying on the waiting list. With baboon models now surviving over two years with pig hearts, and human trials potentially one to two years away, this may be the most significant breakthrough in pediatric cardiac care in a generation.
Dr. Katie Richardson, CEO of Lantern, describes a deceptively simple but genuinely valuable solution to one of pediatrics' oldest problems: parents don't get enough guidance between well visits. Lantern delivers free, expert-vetted, age-specific child development information directly to parents via text message (in English, Spanish, and Arabic) paired with hyperlocal resources linked to the family's zip code.
Dr. Todd Chang, Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician and simulation expert at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, explains why simulation matters more in pediatrics than almost anywhere else, because pediatric emergencies are rare, which means clinicians never get enough practice unless they simulate. He also shares a compelling vision for what AI and advanced technology could do for healthcare simulation, and for parent education, in the years ahead.
Episode Resources:
Children's Hospital Los Angeles: Heart Institute
Las Madrinas Simulation Center at CHLA
The Society for Simulation and Healthcare
Aaron Kornblith, MD, MS LinkedIn
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