A Dose of Optimism

Omkar Kulkarni
  • 4.9 (31)
  • Medicine

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.” 

  1. Pigs, Texts & Sim

    3d ago

    Pigs, Texts & Sim

    Three very different innovations. Three very different settings. One shared direction: pediatric care moving closer to children and families. Dr. John Cleveland, Associate Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, shares the science and the hope behind xenotransplantation, the use of genetically modified pig hearts as a bridge to human heart transplantation for infants dying on the waiting list. With baboon models now surviving over two years with pig hearts, and human trials potentially one to two years away, this may be the most significant breakthrough in pediatric cardiac care in a generation. Dr. Katie Richardson, CEO of Lantern, describes a deceptively simple but genuinely valuable solution to one of pediatrics' oldest problems: parents don't get enough guidance between well visits. Lantern delivers free, expert-vetted, age-specific child development information directly to parents via text message (in English, Spanish, and Arabic) paired with hyperlocal resources linked to the family's zip code. Dr. Todd Chang, Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician and simulation expert at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, explains why simulation matters more in pediatrics than almost anywhere else, because pediatric emergencies are rare, which means clinicians never get enough practice unless they simulate. He also shares a compelling vision for what AI and advanced technology could do for healthcare simulation, and for parent education, in the years ahead. Episode Resources: Children's Hospital Los Angeles: Heart Institute Las Madrinas Simulation Center at CHLA The Society for Simulation and Healthcare Aaron Kornblith, MD, MS LinkedIn Connect with Dr. John Cleveland: Dr. John Cleveland CHLA Connect with Dr. Katie Richardson: Dr. Katie Richardson LinkedIn Dr. Katie Richardson Instagram Lantern Website Lantern LinkedIn Lantern Instagram Connect with Dr. Todd Chang: Dr. Todd Chang CHLA Dr. Todd Chang LinkedIn Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    41 min
  2. Diabetes & Obesity Management

    Jun 23

    Diabetes & Obesity Management

    For too long, diabetes and obesity in children have been treated as failures of willpower, by the child, by the parent, by the family. In this episode, three innovators share how they are rewriting that story. Dr. Jennifer Raymond, Division Chief of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at CHLA, describes her community-based research with Latinx families living with type 1 diabetes, and what she has learned about the role of spirituality, peer support, language, and parental guilt in diabetes management. She also shares a striking clinical observation: that GLP-1 medications, most often discussed for their metabolic effects, are producing dramatic improvements in mental health and food anxiety in some of her young patients. Dr. Alaina Vidmar, Medical Director of the Obesity Medicine and Bariatric Surgery Program at CHLA, makes a clear and evidence-based case: obesity is a complex chronic disease, it is not the child's fault or the parent's fault, and the toolkit for treating it, including GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery, is more effective, more accessible, and more underutilized than most people realize. Since launching the bariatric surgery program at CHLA in August 2023, her team has completed 150 surgeries with no insurance denials. Shireen Abdullah, founder of Yumlish, shares how she built a culturally adapted, web and text-based diabetes prevention platform for low-income Hispanic communities, after her own doctor told her to "eat healthy" without any meaningful guidance. Yumlish has achieved CDC full recognition, with at least 60% of completers achieving weight loss or A1c reduction, and recruits 95% of participants through federally qualified health centers. Episode Resources: Weight Management for Adults with Obesity - Wegovy® Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) National Diabetes Prevention Program When Should Kids Get Bariatric Surgery? Obesity Medicine Experts Share the Science CHLA Bariatric Surgery Program Peer Support Lowers HbA1c in Adolescents and Young Adults With Diabetes Connect with Dr. Jennifer Raymond: Dr. Jennifer Raymond CHLA Dr. Jennifer Raymond LinkedIn Connect with Dr. Alaina Vidmar: Dr. Alaina Vidmar CHLA Dr. Alaina Vidmar LinkedIn Connect with Shireen Abdullah: Shireen Abdullah LinkedIn Yumlish Website Yumlish LinkedIn Yumlish Instagram Yumlish: Diabetes and Multicultural Nutrition Podcast Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    46 min
  3. Phone Calls, Home Visits, and Virtual Hearts

    Jun 16

    Phone Calls, Home Visits, and Virtual Hearts

    What does it look like to meet a child where they are, not just physically, but technologically, emotionally, and clinically? In this episode, three innovators share how they are redesigning pediatric care delivery around the child rather than around the hospital. Dr. Caitlin Sayegh, clinical psychologist and researcher at CHLA and USC Keck School of Medicine, describes her work using cell phone coaching to help teenagers with chronic illness take their medications. The insight that drives it: a small dose of human accountability (a phone call or text from a coach who sees a teen as a whole person) can produce meaningful improvements in medication adherence across a wide range of conditions, from HIV to sickle cell disease to organ transplants. Taylor Beery, co-founder of Imagine Pediatrics, shares how his company is delivering integrated medical, behavioral, and social support to children with complex special healthcare needs (at home, virtually, and at no cost to families) through value-based contracts with Medicaid health plans. His personal story of losing his son Walker to pediatric brain cancer, and founding Imagine Pediatrics a week after his funeral, is one of the most powerful origin stories in this podcast's history. Dr. Sassan Hashemi, Assistant Professor at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Heart Institute, explains how virtual surgical planning (using 3D models derived from imaging data, viewed in virtual and augmented reality) is changing how surgeons prepare for complex congenital heart procedures, enabling interventions that once seemed impossible, and building toward an AI-enabled future of pediatric cardiac care. Episode Resources: ▶️Randomized pilot trial of cell phone support to improve medication adherence among adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions ▶️Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine CHLA ▶️Kids Join The Fight: Nonprofit ▶️Heart Institute | Cincinnati Children's Connect with Dr. Caitlin Sayegh: Dr. Caitlin Sayegh LinkedIn Dr. Caitlin Sayegh CHLA Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California Website Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California LinkedIn Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California Instagram Connect with Taylor Beery: Taylor Beery LinkedIn Imagine Pediatrics Website Imagine Pediatrics LinkedIn Imagine Pediatrics Instagram Connect with Dr. Sassan Hashemi: Dr. Sassan Hashemi LinkedIn Cincinnati Children's Hospital Website Cincinnati Children's Hospital LinkedIn Cincinnati Children's Hospital Instagram Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    41 min
  4. HPV Vaccine 20 Year Anniversary Episode

    Jun 9

    HPV Vaccine 20 Year Anniversary Episode

    Twenty years ago, the HPV vaccine was approved in the United States. It is one of the most powerful cancer prevention tools ever developed, protecting against 90% of HPV-related cancers, with a safety record spanning more than 500 million doses worldwide. And yet today, only about 63% of eligible adolescents in the US are fully vaccinated. In this special anniversary episode, six voices from across the HPV prevention landscape share what 20 years of this vaccine has taught us, and what still needs to happen. Dr. Heather Brandt, Senior Director of the HPV Cancer Prevention Program at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, explains what HPV is, how the vaccine works, what the science says about safety and efficacy, and how to address the most persistent myths, including the infertility myth, the promiscuity myth, and the "it's too new" myth. Antoinette Barrett, Nurse Practitioner with Cedars-Sinai's COACH for Kids mobile health program, shares 30 years of frontline experience vaccinating underserved children in Los Angeles, and how the conversation around HPV vaccination has shifted over two decades. Cynthia Au and Catherine Peters of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network discuss the policy landscape, including Guam's new school entry requirement, what states with mandates have achieved, and the full range of levers available to close the vaccination gap. Dr. Paul Offit, Director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and co-inventor of the rotavirus vaccine, offers a candid reflection on where the HPV vaccine recommendation worked, what works to drive uptake, and what vaccine advocates need to do differently in an era of growing anti-vaccine sentiment. Judy Klein, founder of Unity Consortium, makes the case that framing matters enormously, that calling this a cancer prevention vaccine, not an STI vaccine, is the message that breaks through, and that community-level trust is the most powerful lever we haven't fully used. Episode Resources: 20 years of HPV vaccination in the U.S. - Join us on Friday, June 12 from 12-1 pm Central Time History Of HPV Vaccination - St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Prevent 6 Cancers with the HPV Vaccine - American Cancer Society Know Your Vax - Recommended Vaccines Schedule for Adolescents and Young Adults, Unity Consortium Amanda Kanowitz Foundation Connect with Dr. Heather M. Brandt: Heather M. Brandt Faculty Profile Heather M. Brandt Linkedin St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Website St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital LinkedIn St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Instagram Connect with Antoinette Barrett: Antoinette Barrett, RN, CPNP Cedars-Sinai COACH for Kids Cedars-Sinai Website Cedars-Sinai LinkedIn Cedars-Sinai Instagram Connect with Cynthia Au: Cynthia Au LinkedIn American Cancer Society Website American Cancer Society LinkedIn American Cancer Society Instagram Connect with Catherine Peters: Catherine Peters LinkedIn American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Website American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) LinkedIn American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) Instagram Hawaii Cancer Action Center Connect with Dr. Paul Offit: Dr. Paul Offit Website Dr. Paul Offit LinkedIn Dr. Paul Offit - The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Website The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia LinkedIn The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Instagram Connect with Judy Klain: Judy Klein LinkedIn Unity Consortium Website Unity Consortium LinkedIn Unity Consortium Instagram Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    1h 5m
  5. Biofeedback, AI, and Anxiety

    Jun 2

    Biofeedback, AI, and Anxiety

    What if the most effective treatments for children looked nothing like traditional medicine? In this episode, three innovators share how games, biofeedback, and AI are being used to treat some of the most overlooked conditions in pediatric healthcare. Juliette Hawa, pediatric physical therapist and founder of PFRx, describes how a gamified biofeedback device is helping children with pelvic floor dysfunction (a condition affecting around 10 million kids) learn to control muscles that cause constipation, incontinence, and pain. Designed with Children's Hospital Colorado and built for home use, PFRx turns muscle training into a video game children can play from the couch. Dika Vilic, Senior Clinical Scientist in AI at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London, shares what it looks like to build AI from the inside of a health system, including why pediatric AI is uniquely challenging, why children's hospitals tend to produce more innovators than adult hospitals, and what happens when a drug calculator accidentally attracts 10,000 users and has to be taken offline for regulatory compliance. Raj Amin, CEO and co-founder of Arcade Therapeutics, explains how a game called StarStarter for Anxiety is using attention bias modification (a subconscious, neuroscience-backed form of cognitive behavioral therapy) to reduce anxiety symptoms in children and adults. A published clinical study showed a 68% reduction in symptoms within 30 days. And a depression version is now in clinical trials, funded by an NIMH grant. Episode Resources: Children's Hospital Colorado StarStarter for Anxiety, App by Arcade Therapeutics Attention Bias Modification (ABM) Connect with Juliette Hawa: Juliette Hawa LinkedIn Connect with Dika Vilic: Dika Vilic LinkedIn Guy's and St Thomas'​ NHS Foundation Trust Website Guy's and St Thomas'​ NHS Foundation Trust LinkedIn Connect with Raj Amin: Raj Amin LinkedIn Arcade Therapeutics Website Arcade Therapeutics LinkedIn Arcade Therapeutics Instagram Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    21 min
  6. Standout Insights From the First 30 Episodes

    May 26

    Standout Insights From the First 30 Episodes

    Thirty episodes in, and this is a special one. Over the first 30 episodes of A Dose of Optimism, host Omkar Kulkarni has sat down with physicians, founders, researchers, and change makers working at the edges of what's possible in pediatric healthcare. In this episode, he revisits some of the moments that stayed with him the longest, ideas that challenged conventional thinking, insights that sparked optimism, and reflections that encouraged deeper thinking about the future of children's health. Featuring standout moments from: Dr. Bimal Desai on  how digital check-ins are supporting medically complex children at home. Dr. Solfrid Raknes on how children in conflict zones describe a digital mental health game as "a school break, a break from the war." Andrew Post on the measurable impact of school-based health services: up to 11 fewer days of absenteeism, and nearly $2,800 in reduced annual healthcare costs per child served. Dr. Sucheta Joshi on the coming era of gene therapy for epilepsy, and the shift from treating symptoms to treating disease at the cellular level. John Brownstein on where AI is heading in healthcare: beyond documentation and into patient-facing equity, access, and a future where physicians can't imagine going back. Carla Small on why AI tutoring may be the most important application of AI for children, and why 98% of kids who need high-dose reading support aren't getting it. Dr. Jonathan Santoro on preventive neurology: using genetics and family risk scores to stop neurological disease before it starts. David Feinberg on why he is, by his own admission, wildly optimistic about the future of healthcare, and why that might just be a character flaw. Episode Resources: From Minecraft to Remote Monitoring: Innovating the Patient Experience Trauma, Grief and Resilience Schools: A Hub for Children's Healthcare Pediatrics, Everywhere: Telehealth for Rural Kids and the Future of Epilepsy Care Public Health: Policy, Trust, and Emerging Technology Season 2 Premiere: Return of the Parentrepreneurs! Closing the Gap in Pediatric Care Oracle Health: David Feinberg, MD → For more episode resources, please check out our blog Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    15 min
  7. From Pregnancy to Pain: Closing Gaps for Kids

    May 19

    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 navigating the perinatal period, and children living with pain from complex medical conditions. Priya Iyer, Founder & CEO of Our Roots, describes how her virtual peer coaching platform is working to prevent and address perinatal anxiety and depression in BIPOC and low-income communities, where mood disorders occur at twice the rate of the general population, and where access barriers, language gaps, and a shortage of culturally concordant care mean that too many mothers never receive the help they need. With a 65% reduction in depression and anxiety scores observed among participants, and a reimbursement pathway through Medicaid, Our Roots is pioneering what virtual peer coaching in maternal mental health can look like at scale. Francesca Wuttke, CEO and Founder of nen, shares how her company has gamified cognitive behavioral therapy to help children with complex medical conditions understand and manage their pain. Children with cancer and other serious illnesses are placed on waitlists for pain psychology support that can stretch 12 to 18 months. nen is designed to fill that gap, with virtual companions, game-based CBT modules, and a clinical trial now expanding to potentially reach 80 to 90% of all children with cancer in Mexico. Episode Resources: CalAIM (California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal) Alameda Alliance for Health Dr Diana Ramos Surgeon General in California Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) Harper Cancer Research Institute - University of Notre Dame Una Nueva Esperanza A.B.P. Secretaría de Salud | Gobierno de Mexico UNICEF España Connect with Priya Iyer: Priya Iyer LinkedIn Our Roots Website Our Roots LinkedIn Connect with Francesca Wuttke: Francesca Wuttke LinkedIn nen Website nen LinkedIn Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    29 min
  8. Teens, Tech, and Belonging: What the Data Says About Youth Well-Being

    May 12

    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 lives. In this episode, two researchers and innovators share what the data actually shows about youth well-being, and what's being done to help. Dr. Kristine Gloria, founder of YoungFutures, describes how her organization is working to fund, connect, and amplify the community programs already helping young people build the resilience, life skills, and social connections they need, and why the narrative about technology and teens needs to make more room for solutions, not just problems. Dr. Sema Sgaier, founder of Surgo Health, shares how her team is building a behavioral intelligence layer for healthcare, and what their youth mental health research is revealing about how different groups of teens are using AI. The findings challenge the dominant narrative: AI use among youth is more a reflection of their lives and needs than a cause for alarm, and the role of parents and trusted adults turns out to be central to nearly everything. Episode Resources: Clinton Global Initiative Connect with Dr. Kristine Gloria: Dr. Kristine Gloria LinkedIn Young Futures Website Young Futures LinkedIn Young Futures Instagram Connect with Dr. Sema Sgaier: Dr. Sema Sgaier LinkedIn Surgo Health Website Surgo Health LinkedIn Connect with us: KidsX Website KidsX LinkedIn Children's Hospital L.A. Website Children's Hospital L.A. Instagram Children's Hospital L.A. LinkedIn

    21 min
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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
31 Ratings

About

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.” 

Information

  • Creator
    Omkar Kulkarni
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    39
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 A Dose of Optimism
  • Show Website
    A Dose of Optimism

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