ICU Management & Practice, Volume 16 - Issue 2, 2016
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The Story Behind Cappucino With Claudio Ronco
Video on demand (VOD) is a popular way to keep updated in intensive care. ICU Management & Practice spoke to Prof. Claudio Ronco and Marta Scabardi, from the International Renal Research Institute, Vicenza Italy, about what’s involved with their video subscription channel “Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco.”
What’s the idea behind Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco?
Marta Scabardi (MS): Dance is my big passion, and I keep up to date through social networks such as Instagram and YouTube. On YouTube an ex-ballerina opened a channel where she posts tutorials. That gave me the idea to record a short video of Prof. Ronco discussing his ideas about nephrology and his areas of research interest and posting it online in a YouTube channel. As Prof. Ronco’s executive assistant, and one of the Vicenza Course meeting planners I cooperate with Prof Ronco every day and I know the energy and the power of his communication. Prof. Ronco loves new challenges, all kinds of technology and instruments for communication and he found this idea interesting. When I explained that the format should be short videos, starting and finishing in the same way every time, to be memorable for viewers, Prof. Ronco suggested sharing the morning coffee moment. Every morning Prof. Ronco, my colleague Anna Saccardo and I take a coffee together, and in these 10 minutes or so we discuss all the important topics and issues for our events. It’s the morning briefing. Prof. Ronco noted that this is a very Italian way of working, so we decided to call our video channel “Take a Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco” (cappuccino is 100% more Italian than coffee!).
Claudio Ronco (CR): In Italy the cappuccino is a ritual two minutes’ time dedicated to friendship and a small space in the day devoted to chatting in a real bar with real friends. I wanted to reproduce a space and time on YouTube with my videos, sharing with friends and followers two minutes’ conversation on a hot topic in science, on a recently published paper, specific research or on recent results of a trial. I am Editor-in-Chief of Blood Purification; one paper every issue has the logo “Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco” and I make a virtual journal club for all our followers on that paper.
Other cappuccinos are shot in different locations around the world with experts and leading scientists to get their opinion on one specific question. Other times they describe the highlight of a congress or they express their frank opinion. Everything is designed to bring young physicians closer to their idols and mentors in research in the friendly environment of a virtual bar stand with cappuccino time. Young physicians are very busy with their routine, they have no time and they want some hints on new research at a glance. The two minutes of a cappuccino are ideal for that.
How often do you produce a video?
We do one per week most of the time, occasionally more. Sometimes we give some space between two cappuccinos to avoid burning the content of the previous one.
You have invited many distinguished doctors to take a cappuccino. Who is on your list to invite?
MS: We have no list as such due to Prof. Ronco’s very tight schedule. He is often abroad for congresses where he meets esteemed researchers and doctors that over the years have become friends. He personally invites them for a cappuccino, and they are always happy to do it.
CR: This is a dynamic club of friends. Imagine being in a worldwide university and you meet at the cafeteria the most important investigators of the moment. Whoever is leading research and has new stories to tell is a candidate for future cappuccinos. At the same time, sometimes I want to invite young fellows to express their wishes and their ideas in research. The meaning is to make this club alive and really entertaining.
Where have you filmed?
CR: I travel like crazy and we have filmed almost everywhere on all continents. The greetings at the beginning are in four languages, but I tend to insert the fifth of the place where the cappuccino is filmed (Japan, China, Greece etc).
MS: Some have even been filmed on vacation (sailing, on a mountain).
What were the set-up costs?
MS: There were no set-up costs: I shoot with my Iphone. We just invested in a better phone to give better resolution and microphone.
CR: The main actor comes for free 
What has been the most watched video?
Currently it is no 77. The 2015 ERA-EDTA congress in London
- https://iii.hm/332
What video is a particular favourite?
CR: My favourite cappuccino is the one I took before
a hockey game where I was playing with the old
glories and I spoke about traumatic AKI (No. 54: Polytrauma and AKI - https://iii.hm/333).
Hockey is a brutal sport and sometimes trauma can occur. AKI in this type of
sport is quite rare whilst in other traumatic situations this is frequent.
Which YouTube channels do you follow?
- ERA-EDTA (European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association) (https://iii.hm/336)
- International Society of Nephrology (https://iii.hm/37s)
Further Information
Subscribe to Take a Cappuccino with Claudio Ronco at https://iii.hm/338
Prof. Ronco’s Zoom On profile is published on the ICU Management & Practice website https://iii.hm/37s
Critical Care Channels
ICU Management & Practice I-I-I Interviews https://iii.hm/3am
ISICEM
Society of Critical Care Medicine
Social Media and Critical Care (SMACC)
Critical Care Survival Guide – prepare for your ICU rotation (Indiana University)
