EP 165: Healing Hearts Through Ecosystems of Care

About this episode

In this insightful episode of Parallax, Dr Ankur Kalra welcomes Dr Kim Smolderen, Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at Yale University and psychologist at Yale New Haven Hospital, for a conversation on the growing field of cardiovascular psychology. Together, they explore how psychological well-being, medical trauma and social determinants of health influence cardiovascular outcomes, and why integrating these factors into routine cardiovascular care is essential for delivering truly patient-centred medicine. Dr Smolderen discusses the evidence linking anxiety, depression and PTSD to longer hospital stays, repeat procedures and increased healthcare utilisation. She shares her vision for creating "healing eco-systems" that bridge traditional clinical silos, bringing psychology and cardiology together through integrated care pathways, psychosocial risk assessment and trauma-informed care. The discussion also examines the business case for cardiovascular psychology, from reducing readmissions and emergency department visits to improving efficiency and enhancing the patient experience. As cardiovascular psychology continues to gain momentum globally, this episode highlights how whol