A Dose of Optimism
A Dose of Optimism is a podcast dedicated to exploring the world of healthcare innovation and the optimists driving meaningful change.
Hosted by Omkar Kulkarni, this show shines a light on bold ideas, transformative solutions, and the passionate individuals working every day to make healthcare better for children and their families.
Each episode dives into the real-world challenges facing the healthcare industry and highlights the people and organizations pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. From tackling mental health and food allergies to reimagining hospital care and harnessing Artificial Intelligence for better outcomes. Listeners will discover game-changing solutions, hear stories of creativity and resilience, and gain inspiration from leaders who believe in building a healthier, more hopeful future.
From medical professionals and entrepreneurs to patients and community advocates, the podcast brings together diverse voices united by a shared commitment to improving healthcare delivery. Whether you’re working inside the industry or simply curious about the innovations shaping tomorrow’s care, A Dose of Optimism offers insight, connection, and inspiration.
“The content, views, opinions, and information presented on this podcast do not reflect the views of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles or of the sponsors of the podcast. CHLA does not endorse the views, opinions and information presented on this podcast and CHLA specifically disclaims any legal liability or responsibility for the podcast’s content.”
Episodes
33 episodes
From Pregnancy to Pain: Closing Gaps for Kids
What happens when the people who need care most are also the least likely to receive it?In this episode, two innovators share how they are building solutions for populations that healthcare has consistently underserved, BIPOC mothers nav...
Teens, Tech, and Belonging: What the Data Says About Youth Well-Being
Teenagers today are navigating something genuinely new, a world where the pressure to belong, the weight of social expectations, and the tools of social media and AI are all arriving at once, during the most identity-defining years of their liv...
Closing Gaps for Moms and Teens
What does it take to reach a pregnant mother in rural Kenya, and a teenager in America who's been told not to trust vaccines? In this second episode recorded at the Clinton Global Initiative, two innovators share how they are working to close t...
Care Without Borders: Neonatal Innovation and Humanitarian Health in Crisis Settings
What does it take to deliver healthcare to the children who are hardest to reach, in conflict zones, refugee settlements, and communities where the health system has collapsed entirely? In this episode, recorded in the context of the Clinton Gl...
Pediatrics, Everywhere: Telehealth for Rural Kids and the Future of Epilepsy Care
Half of children in the United States don't have easy access to quality pediatric care. And for children with epilepsy, even accessing the right diagnosis (let alone the right treatment) has until recently been out of reach for many families. I...
Art, Music and Games... in a Hospital
What does healing look like beyond the medical chart? In this episode, two practitioners at Children's Hospital Los Angeles share how art, music, and virtual reality are playing meaningful roles in pediatric care, not as extras, but...
Closing the Gap in Pediatric Care
Some of the most common conditions affecting children today remain among the most underserved, and some of the rarest are only just beginning to be understood. In this episode, four innovators share how they are rethinking the diagnosis, treatm...
NICU Innovations
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...
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The Love Metric
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 ...
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New Behavioral Health Care Models for Kids
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.<...
Optimistic Canadians
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...
Sleep Studies... from Home?
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 behavi...
Moonshots in Pediatric Healthcare
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.<...
Researchers at Children's Hospital Los Angeles
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 transformi...
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Honoring the ‘12th Man’ in Pediatric Care
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 childre...
Designing Comfort: Special Experiences for Kids with Sensory Needs
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 decad...
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Public Health: Policy, Trust, and Emerging Technology
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 rol...
Trauma, Grief and Resilience
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, Dire...
Leading Pediatric Care Through Challenge and Change
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 c...
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Season 2 Premiere: Return of the Parentrepreneurs!
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 pers...
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CMIOs: Speaking Multiple Languages to Deliver Innovation
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 inters...
Community Health Innovations
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...
Inside the New Asynchronous Pediatrics
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 D...
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40 Optimists in One Room in Chicago
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 Kids...
From Minecraft to Remote Monitoring: Innovating the Patient Experience
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...
