Raymond Malapero, MD MPH, is a dual board-certified anesthesiologist with a remarkable record of practice. He attended Rice University where he completed his undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences. He obtained his Medical Degree from Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School in 2013 and concurrently completed a Master of Public Health with a Concentration in Healthcare Administration.
Dr. Malapero completed his anesthesiology residency and adult cardiothoracic anesthesiology fellowship at Harvard University – Brigham & Women’s Hospital. Besides his American Board of Anesthesiology and National Board of Echocardiography certifications, Raymond also holds active medical licenses in Massachusetts and New Jersey.
He is mainly responsible for patient wellbeing and safety in the perioperative period. He does his work with exceptional attention to detail and carefully observing standard procedures and guidelines.
He is also an accomplished researcher and author with immense contributions to anesthesiology and the medical field at large. He has numerous peer-reviewed publications, including:
● Joint preoperative transthoracic and intraoperative transesophageal echocardiographic assessment of functional mitral regurgitation severity provides better association with long-term mortality.
● Unplanned Reintubation Following Cardiac Surgery: Incidence, Timing, Risk Factors, and Outcomes.
● COVID-19 patients may suffer from proximally displaced endotracheal tubes misdiagnosed as cuff leaks.
● Etomidate derivatives: Novel pharmaceutical agents in anesthesia.
● Efficacy of spinal cord stimulation as an adjunct therapy for chronic refractory angina pectoris.
● An Anesthesia Medication Cost Scorecard — Concepts for Individualized Feedback.
● Remimazolam: Pharmacologic Considerations and Clinical Role in Anesthesiology.
Where did the idea for your career come from?
I always aspired to be a medical professional beginning as a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician when I was a teenager. I have always enjoyed working in a fast-paced environment that requires quick decision-making. The operating room provided that environment and anesthesiology provided that specialty. Cardiothoracic anesthesiologists are the experts of airway management, central and peripheral venous access, arterial access, cardiac echocardiography, physiology, and pharmacology. Working in a team environment dedicated to the best patient outcome possible was my goal.
What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?
Anyone who does not want to do the same thing every day should consider anesthesiology. While my day always starts early, at around 5:30 am, the rest of the day usually varies based on the patients, the surgical procedures, and the acuity of the patient’s conditions and co-morbidities. On the same day, I might find myself in one long, complex surgery, or multiple shorter surgeries. Almost no day is an easy, straight-forward day.
I make my day productive by focusing on one patient and one outcome at a time. I focus on one person at a time to ensure success before moving to the next.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Having a background in hospital administration and leadership, I feel that incorporating a team approach with enthusiastic and dedicated leadership secures success. I enjoy harnessing the team’s energy to bring an idea to life and encourage shared buy-in and promotion by the entire team.
What’s one trend that excites you?
The increasing adoption and use of Anesthesia Information Management Systems (AIMS), which helps improve:
● Operations management
● Cost savings
● Operating room efficiency
● Patient Safety
● Quality of care
● Technology in Medicine
● Research
What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
I listen more and talk less. To be successful in whatever you do, you should listen to everyone around you: patients, colleagues, employees, and advisors. Seek knowledge, understand the options, and present the best plan available. It is ok to fail, and failure should always be used as a learning opportunity.
Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.
Time is the most critical resource in life, and everything else revolves around it. Many of us believe that money/cost is the most important resource. We can never recover time lost, but we can always generate more money through cost savings or revenue generation.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
I always take the time to appreciate my progress and celebrate the milestones achieved. Many people have already set their minds on the next challenge once they achieve a milestone. However, a short pause allows time for the team to regroup, reenergize, and continue on to another successful endeavor.
What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?
I always take the time to appreciate my progress and celebrate the milestones achieved. Many people have already set their minds on the next challenge once they achieve a milestone. However, a short pause allows time for the team to regroup, reenergize, and continue on to another successful endeavor.
What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?
ASAHQ.org. Every anesthesiologist should utilize this resource. From clinical guidelines to patient care protocols and continuing education, this is the website that hosts it all and allows us to stay up to date. The annual national meeting by the American Society of Anesthesiologists is also an event I never miss. In order to keep my skills, knowledge, and patient care at the top of my profession, this event is the best way to stay at the forefront of medical development and education.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
For any aspiring medical professional, Mountains Beyond Mountains, is the book to read. Tracy Kidder writes about the incredible story of Dr. Paul Farmer. It may seem cliché to choose a Pulitzer Prize winning book, but the accomplishments and motivations of Dr. Farmer can be appreciated by any human. With my background in public health, this book is a clear winner.
Key Learnings:
● Seek knowledge and use that knowledge to educate those around you and those that seek to increased their knowledge.
● A supportive team is essential for success. Work with people who believe in each other.
● Never stop investing in your mind through education and coursework.
Steve (Stefan) Junge hails from Germany and helps with the day-to-day publishing of interviews on IdeaMensch. While he and Mario don’t share a favorite soccer club, their enthusiasm to help entrepreneurs is a shared passion.