The Emergency Mind Podcast EP 129 - Christine Stead on Systems of Innovation in ECMO
Mar 2, 2026
Christine Stead, CEO of ELSO and leader in global ECMO coordination, shares how networks of people, data, and organizations drive innovation. She recounts rapid data-sharing during COVID, the shift from centralized labs to collaborative systems, challenges of crisis decision-making, and bold ideas for expanding ECMO access through coordinated EMS, transport, and engineering advances.
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ECMO Teams Create Calm Under Pressure
- Christine Stead describes watching ECMO teams bring calm and organization to chaotic ICU situations, making the intervention feel confidence-inspiring.
- She traces her start at Bob Bartlett's lab as an undergrad and how that mentorship and team culture shaped her commitment to ECMO systems.
Shared Data Turned ECMO From Pockets Into A Network
- ELSO was founded to unite scattered ECMO centers and create a shared registry so collective data could drive progress.
- The registry began from hand-written patient data and now covers over 260,000 runs from ~800 centers in 66 countries.
Push Live Data Out Fast During Crises
- Share real-time observations and adapt tools quickly during crises rather than waiting for perfect evidence.
- ELSO made daily global calls, WhatsApp groups, and built a COVID addendum to the registry in about a month to drive practice change.