September 2, 2025
What Happens When a Doctor Designs a Board Game? with Dr. Lakshman Swamy
Knock Knock, Hi! with the GlaucomfleckensAbout this episode
When your job is literally life and death, how do you explain what that feels like to patients, to families, to anyone outside the ICU? This week on Knock Knock Hi , Kristin and I talk with Dr. Lakshman Swamy , a critical care and pulmonary doc who decided the answer might be… a board game . We get into burnout, the broken systems of ICU care, and how a game called helps players understand the impossible choices clinicians face every day. Also: moral injury, insurance nightmares, what it's like to feel powerless as a physician, and why play might be one of the best tools for healing we've got. Takeaways: Hear how Dr. Swamy turned years of ICU trauma into a brutally honest board game . Explore the emotional toll of moral injury—and why it's reshaping the physician burnout conversation. Learn how Cost of Life recreates the pressure, compromise, and heartbreak of critical care. Why healthcare reform might start with storytelling—and maybe even game night . Discover what surprised Dr. Swamy most when he watched players take on the role of ICU doctor. — Want more Dr. Lakshman Swamy? Website: criticalcaregame.com @critcaregame on socials To Get Tickets to Wife & Death: You can visit Glaucomflecken.com/live We want to hear YOUR stories (and medical puns)! Shoot us an email and say hi! knockknockhi@human-content.com Can’t get enough of us? Shucks. You can support the show on Patreon for early episode access, exclusive bonus shows, livestream hangouts, and much more! – http://www.patreon.com/glaucomflecken Also, be sure to check out the newsletter: https://glaucomflecken.com/glauc-to-me/ If you are interested in buying a book from one of our guests, check them all out here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/dr.glaucomflecken If you want more information on models I use: Anatomy Warehouse provides for the best, crafting custom anatomical products, medical simulation kits and presentation models that create a lasting educational impact. For more information go to Anatomy Warehouse DOT com. Link: https://anatomywarehouse.com/?aff=14 Plus for 15% off use code: Glaucomflecken15 -- A friendly reminder from the G’s and Tarsus: If you want to learn more about Demodex Blepharitis, making an appointment with your eye doctor for an eyelid exam can help you know for sure. Visit http://www.EyelidCheck.com for more information. Produced by Human Content Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices