Neurocritical Care Society Podcast

This INSIGHTS episode revisits a core topic from Neurocritical Care ON CALL®, originally released in August 2023. Listen to the third episode of the NCS INSIGHTS series on acute ischemic stroke (part 1 of 2). The INSIGHTS series is hosted by Casey Albin, MD, and Salia Farrokh, PharmD, and covers topics from Neurocritical Care ON CALL®, the only up-to-date, comprehensive resource dedicated exclusively to the practice of neurocritical care. Learn more about ON CALL®. This episode is sponsored by Biogen. Science that transforms patient lives. Science that seeks to solve societal problems. Science that acts with purpose. Science that is inspired by the diversity and passion of our people. Discover where science meets humanity at Biogen. The NCS Podcast is the official podcast of the Neurocritical Care Society. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

This INSIGHTS episode revisits a core topic from Neurocritical Care ON CALL®, originally released in July 2023. Listen to the second episode of the NCS INSIGHTS series on status epilepticus (part 2 of 2). The INSIGHTS series is hosted by Casey Albin, MD, and Salia Farrokh, PharmD, and covers topics from Neurocritical Care ON CALL®, the only up-to-date, comprehensive resource dedicated exclusively to the practice of neurocritical care. Learn more about ON CALL®. This episode is sponsored by Ceribell. Time is brain when it comes to seizures. Ceribell point-of-care EEG empowers the bedside team to detect or rule out seizure activity in minutes. To learn more, visit ceribell.com. The NCS Podcast is the official podcast of the Neurocritical Care Society. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

This INSIGHTS episode revisits a core topic from Neurocritical Care ON CALL®, originally released in July 2023. Listen to the first episode of the NCS INSIGHTS series on status epilepticus (part 1 of 2). The INSIGHTS series is hosted by Casey Albin, MD, and Salia Farrokh, PharmD, and covers topics from Neurocritical Care ON CALL®, the only up-to-date, comprehensive resource dedicated exclusively to the practice of neurocritical care. Learn more about ON CALL®. This episode is sponsored by Ceribell. Time is brain when it comes to seizures. Ceribell point-of-care EEG empowers the bedside team to detect or rule out seizure activity in minutes. To learn more, visit ceribell.com. The NCS Podcast is the official podcast of the Neurocritical Care Society. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

In this discussion, Ryan Hakimi, a neurointensivist and expert in billing and coding, sheds light on critical gaps in billing education within medical training. He emphasizes the necessity for institutions to appoint billing leaders for better physician training. Ryan highlights common documentation pitfalls that diminish billable credit and discusses the vital role of advanced practice providers (APPs) in neurocritical care, advocating for investment in their integration to enhance team efficiency and hospital revenue.

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Currents series, host Lauren Koffman, DO, MS, speaks with Nilufer Yalcin, MD, a neurointensivist at Boston Medical Center, about her Currents article on the use of virtual reality in neurorehabilitation. Together, they explore the neuroscience behind virtual reality–based therapies, including multisensory engagement, cortical reorganization and the role of motivation and reward pathways in recovery. Their conversation also examines different VR modalities, the current evidence supporting motor and cognitive rehabilitation and emerging applications in the ICU setting. Dr. Yalcin further highlights practical considerations such as feasibility and standardization, as well as future directions for the field, including brain-computer interfaces and tele-rehabilitation. To read the full article, visit Currents: Virtual Reality for Neurorehabilitation: Mechanisms, Modalities, and Clinical Applications. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Perspectives series, host Nicholas Morris, MD, speaks with Cherylee Chang, MD, division chief of neurocritical care and professor of neurology, neurosurgery and medicine at Duke University. Dr. Chang reflects on her journey from an early interest in cardiothoracic surgery to neurology, and ultimately, to the "intersectional" work that drew her to neurocritical care. She discusses her early training in the field, efforts to establish certification and fellowship accreditation pathways and the challenges of defining the essential components of what constitutes neurocritical care. Dr. Chang also shares insights from Duke's advanced practice provider model, her work to broaden multidisciplinary inclusion within NCS and her current focus on leadership development, workforce shortages and strategies to better attract the next generation to the field. Dr. Chang recommends the following books for those interested in developing their leadership potential:Difficult Conversations by Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton and Sheila HeenExtreme Ownership by Jocko Williams Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger InstituteThe Fearless Organization by Amy EdmonsonThe Leader's Guide to Mastering Feedback by Joan HibdonThe Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Hot Topics series, host Richard Choi, DO, FNCS, speaks with Katharina Busl, MD, MS, FNCS, division chief of neurocritical care at the University of Florida and assistant editor for Neurocritical Care journal, about transfusion strategies in patients with acute brain injury. They discuss recent randomized trials and a new systematic review examining restrictive versus liberal red blood cell transfusion thresholds across traumatic brain injury, intracerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Their conversation highlights the physiologic rationale behind transfusion, challenges in interpreting trial and meta-analysis data, and how overlapping hemoglobin ranges complicate bedside decision-making. Dr. Busl also shares how this evolving evidence is influencing clinical practice and the importance of individualized transfusion decisions. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Hot Topics series, host Richard Choi, DO, FNCS, speaks with Katharina Busl, MD, MS, FNCS, division chief of neurocritical care at the University of Florida and assistant editor for Neurocritical Care journal. They explore new research on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) clearance after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. They also discuss the study Prospective Trial of Cerebrospinal Fluid Filtration After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: The Lumbar Catheter Extension (PILLAR XT) Trial, which evaluates a dual-lumen intrathecal catheter designed to filter CSF and accelerate removal of red blood cells and inflammatory byproducts. Their conversation highlights the rationale behind CSF drainage, how prior work like the Early Drain trial shaped the field, and what this early-phase device trial reveals about feasibility, safety, and reductions in CSF RBC and protein levels. Dr. Bussel and Dr. Choi also touch on implementation challenges and the need for larger trials before this approach can move into broader clinical use. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Masterclass series, hosts Jon Rosenberg, MD, and Stephan Mayer, MD, speak with Jamie Podell, MD, assistant professor of neurocritical care and emergency medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Together, they explore paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity – how it develops after brain injury, why symptoms differ among patients and what current research suggests about its underlying neural networks. Dr. Podell offers practical guidance on recognizing patterns, avoiding anchoring bias and distinguishing PSH from other causes of instability. The conversation also covers common treatment approaches, scoring tools used at the bedside and areas of ongoing study. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Perspectives series, Nicholas Morris, MD, speaks with Werner Hacke, MD, PhD, DSc (hon. mult.), FAHA, FESC, senior professor of neurology at Heidelberg University and a major leader in vascular neurology and neurocritical care. Professor Hacke reflects on his path from psychiatry and psychology to helping establish Germany's early neurological intensive care units and advancing modern acute stroke care. He discusses his contributions to thrombolytics, intra-arterial therapy and the DESTINY trials in decompressive surgery. Professor Hacke also shares perspectives on the evolution of neurocritical care training in Europe, ethical challenges in randomized trials and the importance of collaboration among neurology, neurosurgery and neuroradiology. He touches on individualized decision making, standard-of-care gaps and the ongoing need for progress in hemorrhagic stroke research. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.