TopMedTalk

Andy Cumpstey welcomes Joseph Alderman, a clinical lecturer in anaesthesia at the University of Birmingham, to discuss the hurdles AI faces in the healthcare sector. Dr. Alderman, who has a background in cell biology and immunometabolism, shares his insights into why AI technologies often fail to reach patients. He identifies three primary challenges: misalignment between AI development and healthcare needs, inadequate resourcing, and premature solution-oriented thinking. The conversation also touches on the importance of involving patients and clinicians in the AI development process and an exciting new initiative by Dr. Alderman's team to create a health chatbot user guide. The episode concludes with a look into regulatory challenges and the need for better patient empowerment and risk management in AI-driven healthcare.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

Michelle Chew is a Professor of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, and editor for the British Journal of Anaesthesia.

Hear her sharing her Perioperative Profile on TopMedTalk with Andy Cumpstey.

After initial anaesthesia training in Denmark, she moved to Lund University, Sweden, combining clinical work and research, later establishing her own experimental haemodynamics group studying septic and haemorrhagic shock and myocardial changes. She balances academic and family life by prioritizing rather than seeking "life balance," noting challenges for women in academia despite Scandinavian support.

She explains journal editing—from rapid assessment, literature checks, peer review coordination, to feedback synthesis—and entered the field via the European Journal of Anaesthesiology, later serving at BJA and other journals. She also describes developing clinical guidelines, emphasizing expert panels, systematic reviews, consensus, and local adaptation, with involvement in Scandinavian and European anesthesia societies.

Throughout, she highlights lessons from mentors and family, especially her grandmother, stresses taking opportunities and putting in the work, and emphasizes that science and clinical medicine ultimately serve patients.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), and Desiree Chappell hosts Professor Michael Scott from the University of Rochester and Dr Wael Saasouh, director of research for NorthStar Anesthesia.

The discussion centers on the evolution of patient-centered monitoring, the importance of continuous hemodynamic monitoring, and the broader implications of hemodynamic instability. The guests delve into their recent consensus paper with the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation and highlight the need for more comprehensive monitoring technologies that are accessible and cost-effective. The conversation also explores international collaborations, differences in practice settings (academic vs. private), and the future of enhanced recovery and post-operative care.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

Desiree Chappell, Kate Leslie, and Mike Grocott welcome Harriet W. Hopf, a physician-scientist and professor of anesthesiology and adjunct professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Utah, UK. Dr Hopf is known for her leadership in academic governance, medical education, and healthcare research.

She shares insights on her distinguished career focusing on surgical site infections and faculty development. We discuss pivotal research on the importance of oxygen in wound healing, mechanisms behind surgical site infections, and the significance of maintaining normothermia during surgery. The conversation also touches on the impact of thermoregulation, volume status, and the use of oxygen in improving patient outcomes. Dr. Hopf emphasizes the necessity of hand hygiene and proper surgical practices to mitigate infections.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

This piece takes us to The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meeting in San Antonio, ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 where Andy Cumpstey is joined by co-host Desiree Chappell and guest Dr Joyce A. Wahr — Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota Medical School (Minneapolis, USA) and former Executive Medical Director of Perioperative Services at M Health Fairview and Vice-Chair for Quality & Safety.

Joyce shares her journey from surgery residency to becoming a cardiac and thoracic anesthesiologist, and her involvement in patient safety. She discusses her Severinghaus Lecture titled 'It's Not Your Fault: The Cognitive Basis of Error,' discussing how subconscious processes generate errors beyond our control, and how we can implement barriers to prevent these errors from harming patients.

The conversation delves into the cognitive mechanisms behind errors, the importance of system-level protections, and the role of technology in enhancing patient safety.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

Kate Leslie and Andy Cumpstey join special guests at the British Journal of Anaesthesia's annual meeting in Dublin, Ireland. The discussion focuses on the experiences and motivations of three BJA editorial fellows; Allison Janda, Anesthesiologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan; Brett Doleman, clinical academic and anaesthetist from the University of Nottingham; and Christina Boncyk, critical care anesthesiologist and Associate Professor at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

The conversation delves into their roles, the peer review process, and the mentorship that shapes their contributions to medical science. They emphasize the importance of constructive feedback, scientific rigor, and encouraging participation from new reviewers.

The episode underscores the professional growth afforded by editorial roles and highlights ways to enhance the author and reviewer experience in academic publishing.

Andy Cumpstey discusses the significance of perioperative screening in improving patient outcomes with three experts from the field: Helen Andersen from University Hospitals Plymouth, Ruth de La Casas from Norfolk Norwich University Hospitals, and Neelaksi Desai from the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Glasgow.

They delve into the challenges and advancements in preoperative screening methods, with a particular focus on digital approaches and interdisciplinary cooperation. Key themes include optimizing patient care through early assessments, leveraging digital tools for efficient triage, and overcoming obstacles such as funding and system fragmentation. The discussion also highlights the importance of collaboration between primary and secondary care and the potential of digital solutions to streamline the screening process.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

In today's TopMedTalk Andy Cumpstey interviews James Bowness, consultant anaesthetist, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and an Honorary Associate Professor of Anaesthesia at University College London (UCL), at Anaesthesia Research 2025 in Birmingham.

They discuss the definition and scope of AI, its applications in healthcare, and its potential to improve medical practices. The conversation emphasizes the importance of clinicians' involvement in the development and implementation of AI technologies. It also highlights ongoing efforts to identify and address key clinical problems through multidisciplinary collaboration, aiming to advance AI's role in anaesthesia, preoperative medicine, and acute pain management. The conversation underscores the need for a strategic, coordinated approach to integrate AI into healthcare effectively.

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Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025, Andy Cumpstey and Kate Leslie speak with Ruthi Landau, Virginia Apgar, Professor of Anesthesiology, Columbia University Medical Center and recently appointed editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia.

The conversation dives deep into the importance of writing, reviewing, and publishing high-quality research. Dr. Landau highlights the significance of addressing relevant research questions, improving patient outcomes, and the evolving landscape of scientific publishing. The episode also explains strategies for reviewers and authors aiming to contribute impactful studies and the value of editorials in contextualizing research. The discussion concludes with the importance of social media and digital tools in disseminating and engaging with published content.

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Super Early Bird registration is now open for The Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London, but it ends on 31 January!

We are right now offering the best available rates to attend the Congress. We encourage you to register early and take advantage of this opportunity while you still can.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/

Andy Cumpstey takes the chair to speak with Professor Lee Fleischer, Emeritus Professor of Anesthesia and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania and the former Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Lee shares his remarkable journey, from his early interest in science and medicine to his pivotal roles in clinical research, healthcare policy, and national advisory boards. He discusses his efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of balancing professional commitments with family life, and his ongoing passion for advancing evidence-based perioperative practice. The conversation also explores his work with the CMS, contributions to healthcare policy, and his future aspirations.

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Super Early Bird registration is now open for The Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London, but it ends on 31 January!

We are right now offering the best available rates to attend the Congress. We encourage you to register early and take advantage of this opportunity while you still can.

Register here -

https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/