Conference committee

During my still young career my passion has always been the bedside care of the acutely ill patient. In medicine we often focus on the numbers and the disease, and we forget the patient. Safe healthcare consists of personalized attention to patient and disease. Communication and addressing wellbeing is of key importance. Acute care is often the first point of care and therefore a broad and accurate scope is needed. Physicians in the front line are the ones suited to fulfill this difficult task and therefore I am honored to host RESUS 2025 for the second time and to make a program that focuses on them and with this improves their patient’s journey. I hope to see you all to learn from each other in an inspiring environment.

I find a lot of joy in my work as an anesthesiologist. However, when I get involved with critically injured patient and I am able to make a difference, that’s where my heart lies. When minutes are sparse and it is crucial to make the right choices, when a well balanced team performes fluidly by communicating in the most efficient way, when the life of the patient is literally on the line, that is when I feel the most in touch with my craft. In order to optimise critical care, it is absolutely necessary to work together. To understand what each person brings to the table. ResusNL brings specialist from different sides of the critical care spectrum together and enhances collaborations. Therefore, I am honored to be part of the ResusNL team and I trust that we will build a informative and exiting program.

My name is Larissa van Essen-Karssies, and I’m an internist specializing in acute medicine at the Martini Hospital in Groningen. What I love most about acute care is its dynamic nature—bringing together rapid decision-making, a wide variety of patients and conditions, and the importance of teamwork.
I place great value on diversity, not only in patient populations and medical conditions but also in perspectives and expertise. This belief aligns perfectly with the theme of this congress, which brings together professionals from different fields to exchange ideas and broaden our understanding of acute care.
As an acute internist, I see it as my role to connect the dots in critical situations, working closely with other specialties to ensure patients receive the best possible care. The variety and unpredictability of acute medicine inspire me to keep learning and growing.
This year, I’m proud to co-organize this congress for the first time. I’m excited to gain fresh insights, embrace new perspectives, and strengthen the connections that are so essential to excellent acute care.

Working in critical care has taught me the importance of understanding different perspectives in acute care. Each specialty brings expertise to complex patient care situations, and effective collaboration makes a real difference in patient outcomes. This is why I’m looking forward to ResusNL – it offers an opportunity to connect with colleagues across specialties and learn from their experiences. By strengthening these professional connections and sharing knowledge and skills, we can enhance our collaborative approach to acute care.

Born and raised in Amsterdam, I worked as a Tropical Medicine Doctor in Malawi and Zambia. Now, I’m happy to be back in my own city for a fellowship at OLVG. I’ve always thrived under stress. Busy clinics, with sometimes very sick patients in rural Zambia, aren’t all that different from a hectic day in the emergency department of our capital city. Both can be extremely rewarding, and you learn to titrate your own adrenaline. My fellowship focuses on critical care and teamwork—making it the perfect match for helping organize this congress.

My medical interests are relatively broad but the common denominator did turn out to be the acute aspects of medicine. I am pleased to have been able to do my Emergency Medicine training and specialization and to spend my work days in the Emergency Department. The work day does not have many guarantees other than its unpredictability. But I do know that dealing with the sickest patients has an effect on me that lets me be the professional version of myself that I like the most. I enjoy working with a likeminded team that can appreciate good closed loop communication! Being able to contribute to this resuscitation conference with likeminded colleagues from multiple disciplines is a great opportunity. Enjoy the conference!