CURRENTS: Honoring Through Action: The HEARD Center Story

In this episode of the NCS Podcast Currents series, host Lauren Koffman, DO, MS, speaks with Tommy Thomas, MD, PhD, and Aimee Aysenne, MD, MPH, co-directors of the Henderson Equity and Research on Disparities (HEARD) Center, about the center's origins and its mission to advance equity in neurocritical care. Drs. Thomas and Aysenne reflect on the legacy of Galen Henderson, MD, whose mentorship, leadership and commitment to systems-level change inspired the establishment of the HEARD Center. They discuss how disparities in neurocritical care are shaped by factors such as access, geography, education, socioeconomic conditions, as well as the broader systems that influence whether patients receive high-level care. The conversation also highlights the center's three core pillars: mentorship, research and community outreach, including efforts to support early-career professionals, fund solutions-focused disparities research  and partner with communities to identify needs from the ground up. The episode concludes with practical insights on how clinicians can begin addressing disparities in their daily practice, from listening more closely to patients' lived experiences to recognizing gaps in who reaches the ICU and strengthening partnerships with community and rural providers to improve access to neurocritical care. To read the full article that inspired this conversation, visit "Honoring Through Action: The HEARD Center Story" on NCS Currents. The views expressed on the NCS Podcast are solely those of the hosts and guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or official positions of the Neurocritical Care Society.