Mastering Intensive Care

Do you say “I don’t know” when you really don’t have an answer? Might seeking that knowledge help your patients? This is just one component of a wonderful conversation I held with Professor Flavia Machado when I interviewed her at the recent DasSMACC conference in Berlin. Flavia is doing a great job at raising the awareness of sepsis globally but her other great job is in running a large Intensive Care department in Sao Paolo, Brazil, where she told me that the resources are quite limited. To deal with this challenge she believes optimal communication is vital. How does Flavia lead her ICU on the issue of communication? She does this (1) by having an environment where her team members can ask important questions, (2) by using the WhatsApp messenger app on smartphones, (3) by teaching trainees using courses on how to break bad news, how to speak with families, and how to deal with doctors who have different clinical opinions, and (4) by saying “I don’t know” when finding the knowledge will help the patient. Fl