A Dose of Optimism

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 Da Silva, Founder and CEO of Summer Health, explains how message based pediatric support can deliver answers from real physicians within minutes. She shares how parents use text, photos, and videos to get both urgent and everyday questions addressed without needing live appointments. Then, designer and digital health leader Arna Ionescu Stoll describes how Wavely Dx is turning the smartphone into a diagnostic tool, starting with ear infection detection through sound analysis and expanding to concussion screening. Together, they explore how asynchronous care can reduce unnecessary visits, improve access, and give parents confidence in moments of uncertainty.Connect with Ellen Da Silva:Summer Health WebsiteSummer Health LinkedInSummer Health InstagramEllen DaSilva InstagramEllen DaSilva LinkedInConnect with Arna Ionescu Stoll:Wavely Diagnostics WebsiteWavely Diagnostics LinkedInWavely Diagnostics InstagramArna Ionescu LinkedInConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedInLearn more about our sponsor:Nabla WebsiteNabla LinkedIn

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 KidsX Pediatric Health Innovation Summit, and we recorded the entire experience.In this unique live episode, Omkar shares highlights from the day: inspiring stories from leaders like AVIA CEO Clay Holderman, discussions on patient experience and digital tools from Stacy Zoucha, insights into pediatric AI from Ali Nasser, and conversations about policy, innovation pathways, device development, and the role of federal agencies with Stephen Konya and Dr. Juan Espinoza.It’s a rare look at the community of “innovation enablers” working to make healthcare better for children, the people who build connections, remove barriers, and help new ideas find their way into practice.Episode Resources:Cancer Moonshot℠ - NCIMAHA reportCTIP - FDA-funded MedTech acceleratorFDA Pediatric Device Consortia (PDC) Grants ProgramConnect with summit speakers:Clay Holderman - CEO at AVIAStacy Zoucha - Director of Digital Health and Innovation at Children's NebraskaAli Nasser - Manager, Insights & Advisory at AVIAStephen Konya - Chief, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships for the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesDr. Juan Espinoza - Chief Research Informatics Officer at Lurie Children’s HospitalConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedInKidsX Summit was sponsored by:AVIA Health WebsiteAVIA Health LinkedInGozio Health WebsiteGozio Health LinkedInLearn more about today’s podcast episode sponsor:Q-rounds WebsiteQ-rounds LinkedInLearn more about our podcast sponsor:Nabla WebsiteNabla LinkedIn

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 Desai of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Dr. Zafar Chaudry of Seattle Children’s share how their teams are rethinking the patient and caregiver experience through digital innovation. Dr. Desai discusses the unique realities of pediatric remote patient management, how digital check-ins are supporting medically complex children at home, and why small, high-need populations are often the biggest drivers of meaningful impact.  Dr. Chaudry then shares how Seattle Children’s is approaching AI thoughtfully (emphasizing culture, trust, and workflow) and why tools like their Minecraft hospital world are giving young patients a sense of agency during their hospital stay.Together, they offer a grounded and hopeful look at how digital health, careful design, and cross-disciplinary collaboration can make care more supportive for families, while keeping clinicians at the center of decision-making.Episode Resources:Infant Single Ventricle Monitoring and Management Program (ISVMP) at CHOPCHOP Neonatal CATCH ProgramRemote patient management (RPM) at CHOPCHOP's Compass CareSeattle Children’s, Mojang Studios and Hive Games Partner to Craft Unique Minecraft World for Kids in the HospitalInside the AI-powered assistant helping doctors work faster and better at Seattle Children’s HospitalConnect with Dr. Bimal Desai:The Children's Hospital of PhiladelphiaLinkedInConnect with Dr. Zafar Chaudry:Seattle Children’s HospitalLinkedInConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedInLearn more about our sponsor:Nabla WebsiteNabla LinkedIn

When a child becomes seriously ill, parents often find themselves navigating overwhelming information, emotions, and decisions, all while trying to stay present for their families. In this episode, we meet two remarkable innovators whose ideas were born from these very moments.Aubrey Kelly, CEO of Rabble Health, shares the story of her son’s leukemia diagnosis, the emotional and logistical realities of living at a children’s hospital, and how that experience reshaped her understanding of patient support. Drawing on her biopharma background, she explains why she created Rabble Health to help families access information, resources, and shared decision-making tools when they need them most.We also meet Ella Casano, the Stanford student who invented Medi-Teddy at age 12 after seeing how intimidating IV bags looked to children receiving treatment. What began as a school project has now supported more than 15,000 pediatric patients worldwide through a nonprofit committed to making care feel a little less frightening.This conversation highlights how families, through lived experience, creativity, and determination, can drive meaningful improvements in pediatric healthcare.Connect with Aubrey Kelly:Aubrey Kelly LinkedInRabble Health WebsiteRabble Health LinkedInMyRabble AppConnect with Ella Casano:Medi Teddy WebsiteMedi Teddy InstagramElla Casano LinkedInElla Casano InstagramMake a tax-deductible donation to 501(c)3 nonprofit at www.medi-teddy.orgConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedInLearn more about our sponsor:Nabla WebsiteNabla LinkedIn

Food allergies affect millions of children across the U.S., but what if many could be prevented before they start?In this episode of A Dose of Optimism, host Omkar Kulkarni speaks with Daniel Zakowski, CEO of Ready, Set, Food!, and Dr. Jaclyn Bjelac, pediatric allergist and immunologist at the Cleveland Clinic, about the groundbreaking science and strategies behind early allergen introduction.Daniel Zakowski shares how a personal family experience led to the creation of Ready, Set, Food!, a company making it simple for parents to safely introduce common allergens like peanut, egg, and milk during infancy. He explains the public health impact, from insurance coverage to Medicaid partnerships and legislative progress across states.Dr. Bjelac brings the clinical perspective, breaking down decades of research and the pivotal LEAP study that changed everything, proving that early exposure can reduce peanut allergy by more than 70%. She explains the connection between eczema and food allergies, and why empowering parents with the right information can transform lives.It’s an inspiring look at how science, innovation, and advocacy are reshaping the future of childhood health, one spoonful at a time.Episode Resources:Centene Corporation: Managed Care & Healthcare SolutionsAetna: Health Insurance PlansMedicaid: Keeping America HealthyLearning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP)Oral immunotherapy (OIT)Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT)Epicutaneous Immunotherapy (EPIT)Peanut Allergy DropAllergy Therapeutics advances peanut allergy vaccine with promising early trial dataConnect with Dr. Jaclyn Bjelac:Cleveland Clinic - Dr. Jaclyn BjelacCleveland Clinic Instagram Dr. Jaclyn Bjelac LinkedInDr. Jaclyn Bjelac InstagramConnect with Daniel Zakowski:Ready. Set. Food! WebsiteReady. Set. Food! InstagramDaniel Zakowski LinkedInConnect with us:KidsX WebsiteKidsX LinkedInChildren's Hospital L.A. WebsiteChildren's Hospital L.A. InstagramChildren's Hospital L.A. LinkedInLearn more about our sponsor:Nabla WebsiteNabla LinkedInThe content, views, opinions, and information presented on this podcast do not reflect the views of Children’s Hospital Los Angeles or of the sponsors o