This interview is with Dr. Daniel Salazar MD, MS, D.ABA, Pediatric & Adult Anesthesiologist | Founder, EveryWipe™, Dr. Salazar Care.
Daniel, as a double board-certified pediatric and adult anesthesiologist and the founder of EveryWipe™, how would you describe the perspective you bring to improving patient care and anesthesia services?
My perspective is unique in that I care for patients across the entire age spectrum, from newborns to older adults with complex medical needs. Ive learned that the smallest details are incredibly important, and seemingly minor decisions can have a meaningful impact on safety and the overall patient experience. Working with children has also made communication and trust especially important, since Im caring not only for the young patient but also helping their family feel informed and comfortable. I aim to combine evidence-based medicine with empathy, and I strive to treat every patient as if they were a member of my own family.
What experiences in hospital and health care led you to build a career spanning both pediatric and adult anesthesiology, and eventually to found EveryWipe™?
Throughout my medical training, I realized how much I enjoyed caring for patients of every age, whether one day old or over 100 years old. My interest in global health led me to pursue specialized training in pediatric anesthesia so I could care for the most vulnerable patients both at home and internationally.
Over the years, working with children and their families gave me a new appreciation for the everyday challenges parents face, especially after becoming a parent myself. That experience ultimately inspired me to create EveryWipe™ — I saw an everyday problem and wanted to create a better, simpler solution.
Across pediatric and adult cases, what is one preoperative conversation you believe most improves a patient’s safety and confidence, and how can anesthesia teams make it more effective?
I believe the most important conversation is ensuring that the patient and their family members understand what to expect before, during, and after anesthesia.
There is a lot of anxiety simply from not knowing what will happen. I make a point of explaining each step in a very simple, easy-to-understand way. I also give them the opportunity to share their concerns and to ask any questions they may have.
Anesthesia teams can make these conversations more effective by:
- slowing down;
- making sure patients feel heard; and
- avoiding unnecessary medical jargon.
A few extra minutes of clear communication can make the entire experience feel much less intimidating.
How has caring for children as well as adults shaped the way you individualize an anesthesia plan, particularly when patients or families are anxious about going to sleep for a procedure?
Caring for patients every day has taught me there is no “one size fits all” approach to anesthesia. Every patient has their own considerations, especially when it comes to their medical conditions and the type of surgery they are having.
I’ve learned that patients have different reasons for being anxious. Common examples include a fear of waking up during surgery, experiencing postoperative pain, or not waking up at all. I like to ask questions so I can identify and address specific concerns each patient may have. Ultimately, I want patients and families to feel that their concerns are heard and that there is a thoughtful plan specifically for them.
From your experience with perioperative pain management, what practical step can surgical teams take before the day of surgery to help patients have a smoother recovery with less reliance on opioids?
One practical step is ensuring there is a pain management plan before the day of surgery, rather than waiting until the patient is in recovery.
I often communicate with the surgeon via secure messaging if I have specific concerns to address.
Whenever possible, I use opioid-sparing techniques and combine non-opioid medications to help control pain:
-
Opioid-sparing techniques
- Regional nerve blocks
- Neuraxial anesthesia (spinal and epidural)
-
Non-opioid medications
- Acetaminophen
- Ketorolac
- Ketamine
- Dexmedetomidine
- Dexamethasone
Using several different approaches to pain control can help patients have a smoother recovery while reducing reliance on opioids.
You have highlighted the perioperative implications of GLP-1 medications; what workflow has helped your team identify and safely prepare patients taking these drugs before sedation or general anesthesia?
I think the most important part is identifying GLP-1 users well before the day of surgery. Anesthesiologists have become more vigilant in identifying these patients, especially in the pre-op clinic and during inpatient pre-op evaluations.
Often we rely on screening tools and nursing staff to make sure we ask the important questions regarding these drugs, including:
- which medication they are taking
- the dose
- when it was last taken
- whether they are experiencing any gastrointestinal symptoms
From there, we can determine whether any additional precautions are necessary before proceeding with anesthesia. The main concern is aspiration risk, but we must balance minimizing that risk with avoiding unnecessary cancellations or interruptions of a medication that may be important to the patient’s health.
In busy operating rooms and procedural areas, what infection-prevention or hygiene gap did you observe that motivated you to create EveryWipe™, and what can other health care teams learn from that experience?
One gap I noticed was how many different products we use for basic cleaning, both in healthcare settings and at home. That mindset carried over to my home life as a dad, where I found myself using different wipes for diaper changes, dirty hands, tomato sauce faces, messy high chairs, pizza stains, markers, and everything in between. It made me question whether there could be a simpler option that families could feel comfortable using for multiple everyday needs. That ultimately inspired me to create EveryWipe™.
I think the broader lesson for healthcare teams is that some of the best opportunities for improvement may come from finding simpler solutions to the small, repetitive problems we face every day.
For clinicians looking to introduce a new patient-safety or workflow product such as EveryWipe™ into an established anesthesia service, what early step has been most important for earning frontline staff buy-in?
I think the most important early step is involving the people who will actually use the product in the decision-making process. In healthcare settings, even a great idea can create frustration if it adds unnecessary steps to an already busy environment. The goal should always be to make their jobs easier, not to add complexity.
Starting with a small trial can give the team an opportunity to use the product and provide honest feedback before making a larger change. When people feel their opinions are valued, they are much more likely to embrace change.
Whether you are preparing for a demanding clinical day or following a fast-moving sport such as MMA, what principle about preparation and performance has most influenced how you lead in anesthesiology and innovation?
The principle that has influenced me the most is that preparation creates confidence when things become unpredictable.
In anesthesiology, a routine day can suddenly turn into an emergency; when every second matters, you have to be fully prepared with plans B, C, D, and beyond. The more prepared you are, the easier it is to remain calm, think clearly, and make good decisions.
I think the same is true in sports and business: the work you put in beforehand often determines how well you perform under pressure. As a leader, I try to be prepared, stay calm, and adapt quickly when things don’t go according to plan.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you'd like to add?
One of the main things I’ve learned throughout my career is to always stay curious and look for ways to improve. Medicine is constantly evolving, and I believe it is my responsibility as a physician to stay up to date with the latest innovations and research so I can provide the best care for my patients.
Becoming a father has given me a different perspective on what it means to care for someone, and it has made me appreciate even more the honor and responsibility of caring for a patient under anesthesia.