A Dose of Optimism

The neonatal intensive care unit is one of medicine's most remarkable achievements, and one of its most persistent challenges. In this episode of Dose of Optimism, three innovators share how they are working to improve care for some of the most vulnerable patients in healthcare: premature and critically ill newborns. Dean Koch, CEO at smallTalk, explains how a sensor-equipped pacifier and a s...

Healthcare has a habit of overlooking the obvious. In this episode, three innovators share how they are addressing some of medicine's most persistent blind spots, from a vital organ that has gone unmonitored for decades, to a fragmented system failing new mothers, to the children whose voices rarely shape the digital tools built for them. Todd Dunn, CEO of Accuryn Medical, shares why the kidn...

Children’s mental health challenges are rising worldwide, yet access to effective care remains limited. In this episode, we explore new approaches to pediatric mental health with three leaders working to expand access and improve outcomes. Kristina Saffran , CEO of Equip, explains why eating disorders are one of the most misunderstood public health crises affecting children and adults, and how evi...

Canadian healthcare innovators are proving that optimism, data, and thoughtful technology can reshape pediatric care. In this episode, three leading physician-innovators share how digital health, artificial intelligence, and smarter care models are transforming outcomes for children and families. Dr. Shazhan Amed discusses how her startup Haibu Health is using digital health platforms and data int...

Pediatric sleep care is undergoing a transformation, from hospital-based sleep labs to home-based, data-driven insights. In this episode, Dr. Eugene Kim and Conner Herman, explore how wearable technology and environmental behavioral sensors are reshaping how we understand children’s sleep. Dr. Eugene Kim shares how Apple Watch–based data collection could help identify sleep apnea risk before anest...

What does a “moonshot” look like in pediatric healthcare? In this episode, three visionary leaders share how artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and consumer-grade design thinking are transforming care for children worldwide. Dr. Timothy Chou introduces the Pediatric Moonshot, a global effort to deploy privacy-preserving AI across 500 children’s hospitals to reduce healthcare inequity and...

What if pediatric procedures could be less painful, less invasive, and safer for long-term health? In this episode, three leading physician-scientists from Children's Hospital Los Angeles share how breakthrough technologies are transforming children’s medicine. Dr. Jeffrey I. Gold explains how immersive virtual reality reduces pain, anxiety, and even eliminates sedation for certain procedures...

In this episode, we explore how pediatric healthcare leaders are redesigning systems to prevent harm before it happens. Anne Lyren, Chief Medical and Strategy Officer of the Solutions for Patient Safety (SPS) Network, explains how children’s hospitals across the country collaborate to reduce serious harm through shared data, transparency, and continuous improvement. Rebecca Egger, CEO of Little Ot...

In this episode, we explore what it takes to design pediatric care that truly meets children where they are, especially those with sensory sensitivities, autism, and anxiety. Healthcare operator Missy Krasner shares perspective from decades across government, big tech, venture capital, and digital health, reflecting on why real innovation in healthcare often comes down to execution, empathy, and s...

In this week’s episode of A Dose of Optimism, we explore how health policy, public trust, and emerging technology continue to shape the future of pediatric care. Tom Priselac reflects on decades of healthcare leadership, including his role as Chair of the American Hospital Association during the development of the Affordable Care Act. He shares how large health systems evolve, why access and quali...

In this deeply moving episode of A Dose of Optimism, we explore how parents, families, children and caregivers navigate trauma, grief, and loss and what meaningful support looks like in the aftermath of a crisis. Dr. David Schonfeld, Director at the National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, shares decades of experience helping schools and communities respond to disasters, violence, and lo...

In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, Omkar sits down with two leaders shaping the present and future of pediatric healthcare. Paul Viviano, CEO of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, shares a candid perspective on what it means to lead a children’s hospital during a period of unprecedented pressure. From workforce shortages and Medicaid uncertainty to research funding and equity in access, Paul ref...

We’re kicking off Season 2 by spotlighting parent-innovators who turned lived experience into action. This episode brings together founders who are reshaping pediatric mental health, literacy, and NICU care through empathy, technology, and perseverance. Hafeezah Muhammad, founder and CEO of Backpack Healthcare, shares how her son’s mental health crisis led her to build a technology-enabled, family...

Pediatric healthcare is shaped by systems that are often invisible to patients and families, yet deeply influential in how care is delivered. In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, Omkar Kulkarni is joined by three leaders working at the intersection of pediatrics, informatics, and digital transformation. Rod Tarrago, CMIO Pediatrics at Amazon Web Services, and Troy McGuire, CHIO at CHLA, share ho...

Improving children’s health requires more than medical care alone. It depends on access to nutritious food, early learning support, trusted information, and healthcare systems designed around families. In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, Omkar Kulkarni speaks with three leaders working across different parts of the pediatric ecosystem. Sam Polk, CEO of Everytable, shares how food access and aff...

Parents want fast, credible answers about their children’s health, and asynchronous care is opening a new path to get there.  In this episode, Omkar Kulkarni speaks with two leaders shaping how families access pediatric care. Ellen Da Silva, Founder and CEO of Summer Health, explains how message based pediatric support can deliver answers from real physicians within minutes. She shares how parents...

Once a year, a very special group gathers in person: the behind-the-scenes innovators, operators, clinicians, policymakers, and digital health leaders shaping the future of children’s healthcare. This year, that group met in Chicago at the KidsX Pediatric Health Innovation Summit, and we recorded the entire experience. In this unique live episode, Omkar shares highlights from the day: inspiring st...

Pediatric innovation has never been static, and today, children’s hospitals across the country are adopting new tools that make care more connected, supportive, and responsive to family needs. In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, Dr. Bimal Desai of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Dr. Zafar Chaudry of Seattle Children’s share how their teams are rethinking the patient and caregiver experi...

When a child becomes seriously ill, parents often find themselves navigating overwhelming information, emotions, and decisions, all while trying to stay present for their families. In this episode, we meet two remarkable innovators whose ideas were born from these very moments. Aubrey Kelly, CEO of Rabble Health, shares the story of her son’s leukemia diagnosis, the emotional and logistical realit...

Food allergies affect millions of children across the U.S., but what if many could be prevented before they start? In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, host Omkar Kulkarni speaks with Daniel Zakowski, CEO of Ready, Set, Food!, and Dr. Jaclyn Bjelac, pediatric allergist and immunologist at the Cleveland Clinic, about the groundbreaking science and strategies behind early allergen introduction. Da...

In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, host Omkar Kulkarni sits down with Dr. David Feinberg, Chairman of Oracle Health and one of the most influential leaders in modern medicine. From his beginnings as a pediatric psychiatrist to leading organizations like UCLA Health, Geisinger, Google Health, and now Oracle Health, Dr. Feinberg has always focused on one thing: making healthcare more compassiona...

What does the future of diabetes and nutrition look like for kids? In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, host Omkar Kulkarni speaks with two remarkable pediatricians shaping that future from different angles. Dr. Larry Deeb, a pioneer in pediatric endocrinology, looks back on five decades of diabetes care, from the days of urine glucose tests to the revolutionary technology of continuous glucose...

This episode of A Dose of Optimism explores how technology and compassion are reshaping the autism journey, from early diagnosis to innovative therapy. Host Omkar Kulkarni talks with Dr. Colleen Kraft, past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, about how pediatricians are identifying developmental differences earlier than ever. She explains how AI tools like Canvas Dx, developed by Cogn...

What if every family could access nutritious food as easily as sending a text message? In this week’s episode of A Dose of Optimism, Dr. Jessica Knurick, nutrition scientist and science communicator, and Adam Dole, co-founder and COO of Bento, explore the intersection of food, health, and equity. Jessica breaks down how food deserts, systemic policies, and income inequality affect children’s healt...

In this first episode of A Dose of Optimism, host Omkar Kulkarni explores how schools are becoming powerful allies in improving children’s health and well-being. Omkar speaks with Dr. Smita Malhotra , Chief Medical Director for the Los Angeles Unified School District, who shares how her team is reimagining schools as centers for mental, dental, and medical care, bringing services directly to stude...