Central Line by American Society of Anesthesiologists - a podcast series for the anesthesia community

Inside the Monitor – The COVID Issue

Dr. Steve Shafer, Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at the Stanford University Medical Center and Editor-in-Chief of the Monitor, returns to the show to discuss the January issue, on the topic of COVID, with articles addressing therapeutics, vaccines, herd immunity, staffing and more. Dr. Shafer also touches on what he’s learning from modeling COVID numbers and shares his plans for 2021 issues of the Monitor. Recorded December 2020.

Inside the Monitor – Critical Care

Dr. Adam Striker interviews Dr. George Williams, Vice Chair and Division Chief of Critical Care Medicine and Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine at McGovern Medical School, in this episode of Central Line. Listen in as they discuss how critical care has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic; which topics Dr. Williams will tackle in the pages of the Monitor; and current trends and bright spots in critical care. Recorded December 2020.

Inside the Monitor – The Curious Economist

Tom Miller, PhD, MBA, ASA’s Director of Analytics and Research Services, joins Dr. Striker for a lively conversation about the economics of health care and the topics he’ll address in his ongoing Monitor articles, The Curious Economist. Listen in as they consider the Medicare payment disparity, what’s unique about health care economics, how the finances of anesthesiologists have been impacted by COVID, the future of the health care, and more. Recorded November 2020.

Quality Improvement Solutions: NACOR Benchmarking

In this episode of Central Line, Dr. Adam Striker and Dr. Tim Clement, physician anesthesiologist with Confluence Health, discuss quality improvement solutions. Listen in to hear how—and why—Dr. Clement’s group selected NACOR, how they’re using it for benchmarking, and what they’re learning from the process. The conversation touches on the role of iterative learning, corporate culture, the factors that went into their decision making process, and more. Recorded June, 2020.

Inside the Monitor – Brain Health

Dr. Daniel Cole, Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at UCLA and past president of the ASA, joins Dr. Adam Striker to share his plans for ongoing contributions to the Monitor on the topic of brain health. Tune in as they discuss COVID’s effect on the brain, the human and financial costs of postoperative cognitive disfunction, the effects of anesthesia on dementia, and more proposed Monitor topics.

The Opioid Crisis

In this special episode, Dr. Bonnie Milas, an anesthesiologist and mother, shares her own heartbreaking story with Dr. Striker. They’re joined by Dr. Armand Dagal and Dr. Joseph Szokol in a wide-ranging conversation that touches on personal loss, policy considerations, the science of addiction, and the ways anesthesiologists can best support their patients.

Diversity in Anesthesia – The Black Experience with Dr. Williams

Listen in on this candid conversation regarding race and the specialty, hosted by Dr. Striker, as Dr. Karen Williams gets real about her personal history, shares her thoughts on why representation matters, identifies ways bias affects care, and considers the path forward. Recorded October 2020.

Diversity in Anesthesia – Empowering Shifts with Dr. Wright

Dr. Striker discusses the compensation gap, unconscious bias, mentorship, and social determinants of health with Dr. Crystal Wright, Chair of ASA’s Committee on Professional Diversity. Listen in on this eye-opening discussion of race, gender, the specialty, and pathways for allying and empowering shifts. Recorded August 2020.

Pain Management

To mark Pain Awareness Month, Dr. Dave Dickerson discusses pain management with Dr. Adam Striker. This wide-ranging conversation tackles the impact of COVID-19, the pros and cons of telehealth, the use of opioids and other treatments, the challenges of balancing risks and rewards, and the latest trends in pain management. Recorded September 2020.

Brain Health Revisited

Listen in on curated conversations about brain health previously recorded by ASA. Dr. Miles Berger discusses improving perioperative brain health for older patients with Dr. Stacie Deiner, who picks up the conversation with Dr. Michael Avidan. The episode also includes Dr. Sharon Inouye and Dr. Carol Peden’s discussion about improving brain health after surgery, best practices, and more.