Robert Scott Watson, MD, MPH

Robert Scott Watson, MD, MPH

Critical Care, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

On staff since August 2014

Children's Title: Associate Division Chief, Division of Pediatrics Critical Care Medicine

Academic Title: Professor

Research Center: Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development

"Caring for children and their families in the midst of critical illness with an amazing, dedicated team of PICU nurses and respiratory therapist is an honor and a privilege. The extraordinary resilience of our patients is inspiring."

  • R. Scott Watson, MD, MPH is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Watson attended medical school at the University of Pennsylvania, pediatrics residency and pediatric critical care fellowship at Seattle Children's, and received an MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Washington School of Public Health.

    Dr. Watson's research has been focused on understanding critical care and critical illness in the larger contexts of medical, social, and family systems. He serves on the editorial boards of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine and on the Scientific Steering Committee of the Pediatric Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI www.PALISI.org). His primary research endeavors have focused on two areas: 1) the epidemiology and patterns of care of critical illnesses and 2) investigations of patient-centered and socially-relevant outcomes of critical care and critical illness. His research has been funded by NICHD and NHLBI and has included multi-center studies of long-term, patient-centered outcomes of newborns, infants, and older children with acute respiratory failure to determine the relationship between severe, acute illness and long term physical, psychological, cognitive, and family functioning, as well as the impact on overall health-related quality of life and resource use.

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  • Award Name Award Description Awarded By Award Date
    PCCM Faculty Teaching Award Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh 2014
    Research Citation Finalist, senior author Society of Critical Care Medicines 2009 Symposium 2008
    Society of Critical Care Medicine Presidential Citation Society of Critical Care Medicine 2008
    Best Doctors in America 2005 - 2015
    Outstanding Intensivist, Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh 2004 - 2006
    Healthcare Industry award, co-author Society of Critical Care Medicine 32nd Symposium Specialty Award 2003
    Society of Critical Care Medicine 30th Symposium In-training Award 2001
    Healthcare Industry award, co-author Society of Critical Care Medicine 30th Symposium Specialty Award 2001
    Alpha Omega Alpha University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine 1992
    Cum laude Yale University 1988
    Distinction in Biology Yale University 1988

  • Manuscripts in Refereed Journals

    • The Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference Group
      Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Consensus Recommendations From the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference.
      25647235 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2015 Feb 2
    • Mourani PM, Kinsella JP, Clermont G, Kong L, Perkins AM, Weissfeld L, Cutter G, Linde-Zwirble WT, Abman SH, Angus DC, Watson RS, Prolonged Outcomes after Nitric Oxide (PrONOx) Investigators
      Intensive care unit readmission during childhood after preterm birth with respiratory failure.
      24388320 The Journal of pediatrics, 2014 April : 164(4)749-755.e3
    • Moreau JF, Fink EL, Hartman ME, Angus DC, Bell MJ, Linde-Zwirble WT, Watson RS
      Hospitalizations of children with neurologic disorders in the United States.
      23842588 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2013 Oct. : 14(8)801-10 PMCID:PMC3795828
    • Moreau JF, Fink EL, Hartman ME, Angus DC, Bell MJ, Linde-Zwirble WT, Watson RS
      Hospitalizations of children with neurologic disorders in the United States.
      23842588 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2013 Oct. : 14(8)801-10 PMCID:PMC3795828
    • Matos RI, Watson RS, Nadkarni VM, Huang HH, Berg RA, Meaney PA, Carroll CL, Berens RJ, Praestgaard A, Weissfeld L, Spinella PC, American Heart Associations Get With The GuidelinesResuscitation (Formerly the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) Investigators
      Duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and illness category impact survival and neurologic outcomes for in-hospital pediatric cardiac arrests.
      23339874 Circulation, 2013 Jan 29 : 127(4)442-51
    • Goodman DM, Hall M, Levin A, Watson RS, Williams RG, Shah SS, Slonim AD
      Adults with chronic health conditions originating in childhood: inpatient experience in children's hospitals.
      21708805 Pediatrics, 2011 July : 128(1)5-13 PMCID:PMC3124106
    • Hartman ME, Linde-Zwirble WT, Angus DC, Watson RS
      Trends in admissions for pediatric status asthmaticus in New Jersey over a 15-year period.
      20876177 Pediatrics, 2010 Oct. : 126(4)e904-11
    • de Toledo JS, Adelson PD, Watson RS, Gaines B, Brown SD, Kochanek PM, Wisniewski SR, Fink E, Bayir H, Clark RS, Bell MJ
      Relationship between increases in pancreatic enzymes and cerebral events in children after traumatic brain injury.
      19669945 Neurocritical care, 2009 Dec. : 11(3)322-9
    • Han YY, Carcillo JA, Venkataraman ST, Clark RS, Watson RS, Nguyen TC, Bayir H, Orr RA
      Unexpected increased mortality after implementation of a commercially sold computerized physician order entry system.
      16322178 Pediatrics, 2005 Dec. : 116(6)1506-12
    • Thiagarajan RR, Coleman DM, Bratton SL, Watson RS, Martin LD
      Inspiratory work of breathing is not decreased by flow-triggered sensing during spontaneous breathing in children receiving mechanical ventilation: a preliminary report.
      15215009 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2004 July : 375-8
    • Han YY, Carcillo JA, Dragotta MA, Bills DM, Watson RS, Westerman ME, Orr RA
      Early reversal of pediatric-neonatal septic shock by community physicians is associated with improved outcome.
      14523168 Pediatrics, 2003 Oct. : 112(4)793-9
    • Curley MAQ, Wypij D, Watson RS, Grant MJC, Asaro LA, Cheifetz IM, Dodson B, Franck LS, Gedeit RG, Angus DC, Matthay MA for the RESTORE Study Investigators and the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury and Sepsis Investigators (PALISI) Network
      Protocolized sedation versus usual care in pediatric patients mechanically ventilated for acute respiratory failure: A cluster-randomized trial
      JAMA, 2015 : 313(4)379-89
    • Quasney MW, Lopez-Fernandez YM, Satnschi M, Watson RS
      The outcomes of children with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome: Proceedings from the Pediatric Acute Lung Injury Consensus Conference.
      Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 2015 : 15(5 (Suppl 1)S118-S131
    • Bennett TD, Spaeder MC, Matos RI, Watson RS, Typpo KV, Khemani RG, Crow S, Benneyworth BD, Thiagarajan RR, Dean JM, Markovitz BP
      Existing data analysis in pediatric critical care research
      Frontiers in Pediatrics, 2014 : 2(79)
    • Goldstein B, Giroir B, Randolph A for the International Pediatric Sepsis Consensus Conference
      Definitions for sepsis and organ dysfunction in pediatrics
      Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 2005 : 6(1)2-8

    Other Publications

    • Dervan LA, Watson RS
      Incorporating Morbidity Into PICU Quality Measures: A "TOPICC" of Critical Importance.
      26181120 Critical care medicine, 2015 Aug. : 43(8)1781-2
    • Fink EL, Berger RP, Clark RS, Watson RS, Angus DC, Richichi R, Panigrahy A, Callaway CW, Bell MJ, Kochanek PM
      Serum biomarkers of brain injury to classify outcome after pediatric cardiac arrest*.
      24164954 Critical care medicine, 2014 March : 42(3)664-74 PMCID:PMC4478619
    • Strawbridge H, Kurland G, Watson RS, Sheetz M, Wilkinson S, Weiner DJ
      Radiation exposure from diagnostic imaging in the pediatric intensive care unit.
      22460775 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2012 July : 13(4)e245-8
    • Goodman DM, Winkler MK, Fiser RT, Abd-Allah S, Mathur M, Rivero N, Weiss IK, Peterson B, Cornfield DN, Mink R, Nozik Grayck E, McCabe ME, Schuette J, Nares MA, Totapally B, Petrillo-Albarano T, Wolfson RK, Moreland JG, Potter KE, Fackler J, Garber N, Burns JP, Shanley TP, Lieh-Lai MW, Steiner M, Tieves KS, Goldsmith M, Asuncion A, Ross SL, Howell JD, Biagas K, Ognibene K, Joshi P, Rubenstein JS, Kocis KC, Cheifetz IM, Turner DA, Doughty L, Hall MW, Mason K, Penfil S, Morrison W, Hoehn KS, Watson RS, Garcia RL, Storgion SA, Fleming GM, Castillo L, Tcharmtchi MH, Taylor RP, Ul Haque I, Crain N, Baden HP, Lee KJ
      The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education proposed work hour regulations.
      21209582 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2011 Jan. : 12(1)120-1
    • Yende S, Watson RS
      Understanding genetics of acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome in children: steps in the right direction.
      18997594 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2008 Nov. : 9(6)650-1
    • Watson RS
      Is it time to put procalcitonin to the (randomized, controlled) test?
      18496402 Pediatric critical care medicine : a journal of the Society of Critical Care Medicine and the World Federation of Pediatric Intensive and Critical Care Societies, 2008 July : 9(4)446-7
    • Watson RS, Bernard GR, Connors A
      The Connors et al PAC Study, with expert commentary by Dr Gordon Bernard.
      16139162 Journal of critical care, 2005 June : 20(2)181-6
    • Han YY, Carcillo JA, Dragotta MA, Bills DM, Watson RS, Westerman ME, Orr RA
      Early reversal of pediatric-neonatal septic shock by community physicians is associated with improved outcome.
      14523168 Pediatrics, 2003 Oct. : 112(4)793-9
    • Watson RS
      Location, location, location: regionalization and outcome in pediatric critical care.
      12386496 Current opinion in critical care, 2002 Aug. : 8(4)344-8
    • Watson RS
      Location, location, location: regionalization and outcome in pediatric critical care.
      12386496 Current opinion in critical care, 2002 Aug. : 8(4)344-8
    • Watson RS, Hartman ME, Angus DC
      Proving the point: Evidence-based medicine in pediatric critical care
      Pediatric Critical Care, 5th edition
    • Watson RS, Hartman ME
      Epidemiology of critical illness
      Pediatric Critical Care Medicine: Basic Science and Clinical Evidence, 2nd edition, 2012
    • Hartman ME, Linde-Zwirble WT, Angus DC, Watson RS
      Trends in the epidemiology of pediatric severe sepsis
      Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, 2013 : 14(7)686-93
    • Aspesberro FP, Zimmerman JJ, Watson RS
      Long-term outcomes following critical illness in children
      Pediatric Critical Care, 5th edition
    • Watson RS, Angus DC
      Cost-effectiveness of nitric oxide in the hypoxemic newborn
      Proceedings from a special symposium on Use of Inhaled Nitric Oxide in the Hypoxic Newborn, 2006
    • Hartman ME, Watson RS, Carcillo JA, Angus DC
      The epidemiology of severe infections in children
      Infectious Diseases in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
    • Watson RS, Angus DC
      Outcomes, biostatistics, and evidence-based medicine
      Pediatric Multiprofessional Critical Care Review

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  • Grant Title Grantor Amount Award Date
    A trial to improve surrogate decision-making for critically ill older adults NIH / NIA: 1R01AG045176-01 Sept. 2013 - June 2014
    Sedation Strategy and Cognitive Outcome after Critical Illness in Early Childhood (RESTORE-cognition) NIH / NICHD: R01HD074757-01A1 $3,738,000 (total costs) Sept. 2013 - May 2018
    Pairing re-engineered ICU teams with nurse-driven education and outreach (PARTNER program) University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Oct. 2012 - June 2014
    Regionalized pediatric emergency care in rural Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh Medical Center June 2012 - May 2014
    Show-N-Tell: Computerized assessment of pain in children NIH / NINR: R43 NR10663 2009 - 2011
    Critical pertussis in U.S. children: Severe morbidity, sequelae, and mortality Design of follow-up evaluation protocol NIH / NICHD: 1 U10 HD049983-01 Sept. 2005 - Nov. 2005
    Consequences of surviving critical illness in childhood NIH / NICHD: K23 HD046489 $716,719 (total costs) June 2004 - June 2010
    Sedation management in pediatric patients supported on mechanical ventilation NIH / NICHD: R21 HD045020 & Gustavus and Louise Pfeiffer Foundation Sept. 2003 - Dec. 2006
    Long-term outcomes of NO for ventilated premature babies NIH / NHLBI: R01 HL69991 $3,234,446 (total) Dec. 2002 - Nov. 2008
    Epidemiology, healthcare resource use, and cost of infection, sepsis, and acute organ dysfunction in a tertiary medical center GlaxoSmithKline $183,477 (total cost) Sept. 2001 - Feb. 2002

Overview

Board Certification(s)

Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

Medical/Professional School

University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Residency

University of Washington School of Medicine GME, Seattle, WA

Fellowship

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Clinical Interests

Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (PARDS), severe sepsis, and multiple organ failure

Research Description

Long-term patient-centered outcomes, epidemiology, and health services research in pediatric critical illness