title: Pediatric transport medicine and the dawn of the pediatric anesthesiology and critical care medicine subspecialty: an interview with pioneer Dr. Alvin Hackel.
abstract: Dr. Alvin 'Al' Hackel (1932-) Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, and Pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine, has been an influential pioneer in shaping the scope and practice of pediatric anesthesia. His leadership helped to formally define the subspecialty of pediatric anesthesiology ('who is a pediatric anesthesiologist?') and the importance of specialization and regionalization of expertise in both patient transport and perioperative care. His enduring impact on pediatric anesthesia and critical care practice was recognized in 2006 by the American Academy of Pediatrics when it bestowed upon him the profession's highest lifetime achievement award, the Robert M. Smith Award. Of his many contributions, Dr. Hackel identifies his early involvement in the development of pediatric transport medicine as well as the subspecialty of pediatric anesthesiology as his defining contribution. Based on a series of interviews held with Dr. Hackel between 2009 and 2014, this article reviews the early development of transportation medicine and the remarkable career of a pioneering pediatric anesthesiologist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.|Department of Anesthesia, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.affiliation: Anesthesia Associates of Ann Arbor, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Zulfiqar
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Valley Anesthesiology and Pain Consultants, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
authors.forename: Aubrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maze
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Fatima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Noorulla
authors.affiliation: Departments of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine and Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Myron
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaster
mesh_terms: D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000266:history*; D002648:Child; D003422:Critical Care / Q000266:history*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006801:Humans; D007186:Incubators, Infant; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000266:history*; D014187:Transportation of Patients / Q000266:history*; D014481:United States
keywords: Alvin Hackel; credentialing; facility regulation and control; incubators; infant; pediatric anesthesia; transportation of patients