Chief’s message:

Memorial Day message.

On this Memorial day weekend, we take time to ensure we stop and remember those who have served our country and sacrificed for the freedoms and life we enjoy.  For those with the courage and calling to serve, we are thankful and blessed to have them as part of our community and country.  For those who have had the ultimate sacrifice and lost a life in the service of our country, we remain forever grateful to them and their families.

As this weekend is also a time for many graduations and transitions, we hope that you get to spend some time with family and friends.  We are also thankful for those of you in our Duke Heart community that are not in-hospital caring for patients and their loved ones.

We hope each of you has a safe and relaxing holiday weekend. Thank you for all you do.

Highlights of the Week

SCAI.23 Highlights

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) held its annual Scientific Sessions meeting from May 18-20 in Phoenix, AZ. A number of current and former Duke faculty helped shape the meeting.

Outgoing SCAI president, Sunil Rao, MD (now with NYU Langone) gave the presidential address to a packed room. Rao received a standing ovation for highlighting a number of SCAI accomplishments during his term including securing a formal NRMP Match process for interventional cardiology fellowship applicants; initiating a new “Ready to Launch” program to introduce future under-represented minority and female medical students to the field of interventional cardiology; establishing the SCAI Early Career Research Grant program, and supporting numerous advocacy and government relation efforts. Congrats, Sunil on all your contributions to the interventional community!

Raj Swaminathan, MD, current SCAI Board of Trustee member, presented primary results from his investigator-initiated national, multicenter ACCELERATION study evaluating the role of contrast FFR in physiologic assessment of intermediate coronary disease. He also participated in a number of events including presenting and serving as a panelist on a widely attended session on renal denervation.

Tony Gutierrez, MD co-presented data with Marc Bonaca on a novel drug being evaluated in ischemia-reperfusion injury following PCI. Gutierrez also spoke about optimal access site considerations for aorto-iliac disease and served as a mentor for the inaugural Ready to Launch program.

Jennifer Rymer, MD was recognized with one of SCAI’s top 30 in their 30s award! This prestigious award is given to physicians who demonstrate professional excellence in their clinical practice. Rymer also gave a presentation on stent strategies for coronary bifurcations and mentored in the Ready to Launch program.

Raj Swamy, MD, an experienced interventionalist in the Duke Cath Lab who leads the Duke Lifepoint/CCH cardiology practice in Sanford, NC gave two invited talks on Imaging & AI and new scoring & non-compliant balloons for the treatment of complex, calcified lesions.

Amit Vora, MD, MPH (now with Yale) attended as a member of SCAI’s competitive 2-year Emerging Leader Mentorship (ELM) program.  Recognized nationally as a leader in structural heart interventions, he served as a panelist on creative, advanced techniques in structural heart interventions and as a moderator in structural heart hemodynamic pearls.

Alexander Fanaroff, MD, MHS (now with U. Penn) was a recipient of one of SCAI’s Early Career Research Grants and presented his research on “Racial, Socioeconomic, and Geographic Disparities in the Management of PAD and CLI” as well as a featured science presentation on the “Development & Baseline Characteristics of a 1.13M-patient longitudinal cohort to assess CLTI quality of care.”

 

Strong work to all! We look forward to seeing a strong Duke presence at SCAI.24 in Long Beach, CA!

Friends of Nursing Gala & Duke Heart Winners

Duke’s Friends of Nursing held their 2023 Gala Celebration of Nursing Excellence on Saturday, May 20 at the Durham Convention Center. We’re pleased to celebrate all of the nurses who were nominated and those selected for awards this year, especially the eight winners from Duke Heart, which include:

Catie Dunn, RN received the 2023 Inez “Turk” James Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice. Catie is an RN and an assistant nurse manager for the DUH Patient Response Team. In her role she is responsible for the Behavioral Response Team and the Patient Response Team. This nominee is a powerful advocate for patients who are experiencing behavioral challenges. She strives to partner with the primary care team to identify the root cause of the behavior, rather than simply reacting to the behavior. Often, patients with behavioral challenges can be difficult to work with due to frequent refusal of care, sporadic communication, and caregiver discomfort. However, this nominee always remains unbiased and has an incredible ability to communicate calmly, concisely, and directly. Those who work with this nominee are proud to be her colleague due to her always ensuring that the patient is the focus and that each individual is treated with respect and dignity.

Ashley Frazier, RN, NMO received the 2023 Heart Center Award for Excellence in Cardiovascular Nursing in Recognition of Mary Ann Peter. She works on DUH 7100; Ashley is an exemplary model of a true, dedicated leader who is highly motivated to make a difference in the field of nursing. She promotes accountability, empowerment and team work as she analyze, investigates and obtain feedback to ensure service excellence will be provided.

Hope S. Miles, RN received the 2023 Nan & Hugh Cullman Heart Center Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice. Hope is an RN in the Duke Cardiopulmonary Lab at Duke University Hospital. She has more than 35 years of nursing experience, with 22 of those years serving the Duke community. She obtained her certification as a Certified Cardiac Rehabilitation Professional (CCRP) from the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehab Profession Certification Commission (AACVPR) in 2017. Her nominator wrote, “Her kind and caring heart is evident to all in the way she approaches each and every interaction. She is always smiling and has a warm and approachable demeanor. She takes the time to listen to her patients and colleagues, making others feel instantly comfortable in her presence. She seeks to truly understand her patient’s reality and the trauma that they have been through using compassion and empathy to make a connection. Through active listening, she engages the patient to examine and set personal goals at the start of the program that are measurable and achievable. She endorses a ‘you can do it’ attitude which motivates the patient to make lifestyle changes and face the future with hope.

Adam Millard, RN received the 2023 Award for Excellence in Critical Care Nursing. Adam is an RN and assistant nurse manager and CNIII on 7W, our Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU). He also has his CCRN certification. His nominator wrote, “This nominee strongly exemplifies Duke’s professional practice model through his commitment to patient care, performance improvement, and staff development, and multidisciplinary collaboration.” He oversees the quality improvement committee within the unit supporting prevention of hospital acquired infection (HAI), hospital acquired pressure injury (HAPI), patient falls, blood product wastage, and monitoring the unit based fast-track extubation practices. He has led efforts to establish an electronic rounding tool that captures multiple audits, which enables staff to audit efficiently and provide effective coaching where needed. Additionally, he supports unit team members overseeing equipment and medical supplies. Through this work, the unit has decreased null transactions resulting in decreased waste of supplies and improved finances. Moreover, he provides real time coaching at the bedside on a daily basis through his CL role.

Paige Romer, RN received the 2023 Ernestine Davis & Edward L. Cole Award for Excellence in Coronary Care Unit Nursing. Paige is currently applying for her CN3, is certified as a critical care nurse (CCRN) and is co-chair of the unit based healthy work environment committee. Her nominator wrote, “She supports the team in any way possible and always with a positive attitude. She really makes the unit a great place to work and her positivity and “can do” attitude is infectious. She’s currently in school and pursuing an advanced degree in nursing as family care practitioner. This nurse always strives to do the right thing and will hold others to the Duke and unit standards. I have often heard her giving constructive feedback to other nurses to ensure that we are providing the best care to our patients. She coaches in a way that is respectful and considerate, all while being understood clearly. I’ve over heard her helping family members understand the visitation policy and explains it in such a helpful way. She consistently makes sure that our patients’ needs are met, as well as the families’. This nurse makes herself approachable and often you’ll hear other nurses or physician ask her “what do you think?”

Amanda Rooney, RN received the 2023 Nan & Hugh Cullman Heart Center Award for Excellence in Nursing Practice. Her nominator wrote, “Amanda has been the gold standard of integrity. I have observed how she documents accordingly, how she speaks up and stands up for what is right, for implementing policy and protocols. She is consistent with what she says and what she does. Her great organizational skills, result-oriented mindset, proactiveness, promptness to act, and the most beautiful one is her positive attitude which is enormously contagious to the staff. She is the best cheer leader when the day is about to drown. You will know when she is around, aside from her charismatic patient greetings, the unit is in its tidiest and well-supplied state. Not to mention, her candy jar is always full and welcoming.”

Robert Stern, RN received the 2023 Fuchs Family Award for Excellence in Innovation. His nominator wrote, “This nominee is committed to the values of Duke nursing in his day-to-day practice. He is an innovator, who constantly strives to identify new challenges and implement solutions. This nominee is an active member on his home unit as well as an innovator in a multitude of initiatives throughout the hospital. He has a passion for health innovation and patient care. This nurse is certified with CCRN (Critical Care Certification). By achieving and maintain this certification, this nominee demonstrates his dedication to continuous learning and maintaining up-to-date Knowledge. Further this nominee is active in the professional organization American Association of Critical-Care Nurses through his sharing of learning at the organization’s national conference (National Teaching Institute).”

Shelley Thompson, RN received the 2023 Wilma Minniear Award for Excellence in Nursing Mentorship. Her nominator wrote, “She goes above and beyond patient care in ensuring that patients have everything they need prior to being discharged from the hospital. For example, on one occasion, a patient had difficulty with filling pill boxes at home which resulted in multiple hospital admissions. She called multiple pharmacies and found one that could provide blister packs instead, thereby reducing the stress and burden on the patient to ensure they could take all of their correct medications. This nurse is most giving of her time, both physically and emotionally. She contributes her time to volunteering through her home church and is recognized for the work she does in the volunteering space.

This nurse is a proud Duke Nurse who wears her Duke Nursing badge with pride. I recall many times when this nurse took extra time to sit with a patient and their family to share prognosis or explain the clinical situation. One patient, who will remain anonymous, was admitted to the hospital for end of life care. I had the pleasure to admit the patient where he promptly asked me, “How is my cousin ‘this nurse’ doing; can she come see me?” This nurse shared a similar name with this patient and the relationship they built of trust has stood out with me for many years. The patient’s family even voiced appreciation for this nurse as part of the patient’s memorial.”

Did you know? Duke Health is one of only a few (~6) organizations in the U.S. with an endowed program to support nursing? This is just one of the many reasons that Duke is a great place for nurses!

Congratulation to all winners across Duke Health – we are so proud of you and the work you do each day on behalf of our patients and team.

 

AACN NTI Conference Held

Last week, Duke Heart had a large representation at the American Association of Critical Care Nurses’ National Teaching Institute Conference held from May 22-24 in Philadelphia, PA. The AACN NTI is the largest conference in the United States held specifically for progressive and critical care nurses. We had 17 nurses representing several Duke Heart ICUs, stepdown units, and procedural areas. Our team delivered five podium and five poster presentations, with 13 different presenters.

The team disseminated their work on varying topics, including:

• Behavioral Response Team
• Appropriate Staffing
• Healthy Work Environment
• Onboarding and Orientation
• Leading with Science
• Electronic Debriefing Process
• CLABSI Reduction
• Delirium Prevention
• Patient Satisfaction in the ICU
• Ambulation of CRRT Patients

Several nurses from other healthcare organizations complimented the work ongoing at Duke Heart and even expressed interest in joining our teams! We received kudos on our outcomes related to clinical care, work environments, and interdisciplinary partnerships. Thank you to those who represented us at the conference, and to those who contributed to the work that was presented. Incredible job, all — way to go!

 

The Latest from Moi Teaching Hospital

Titus Ngeno traveled with Jerry Bloomfield, Chris Beyrer (the new director of Duke’s Global Health Institute), Wendy Omeara, John Lawrence, Cory Miller, Cynthia Binanay, and Gretchen Sanders to Moi Teaching Hospital in Eldoret, Kenya back in January. They held several training sessions on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and invasive hemodynamic monitoring. A catheterization lab and cardiac MRI are currently under construction there, and we’re looking forward to hearing more all about it from Andrew Wang, who will be visiting the space this summer! The Moi team now has a cardiac rehab space and they are working to set up CPET as well.

2023 Heart Walk Exec Kick-Off Held

The American Heart Association along with Drs. Rick Shannon and Manesh Patel hosted the Duke Health Executive Kick-off for the 2023 Triangle Heart Walk on Thursday, May 25. The breakfast event allowed the team to discuss the overall goals of the AHA, the need for team coaches and walkers for the fall event, as well as the many ways AHA funding comes back to Duke over time.

Stay tuned for information regarding the team captain and walker kick-off later this summer! Thanks to everyone who has been involved over the years with the American Heart Association and the Triangle Heart Walk.

Annual DOM End of Year Review: June 2

Department of Medicine (DOM) faculty and staff are invited to join Kathleen A. Cooney, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine and the George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Medicine, on Friday, June 2 at 8 a.m. for the annual DOM End of Year Review either in-person (Trent Semans Great Hall) or via Zoom. This event will take place during the regular time slot for Medicine Grand Rounds. Coffee/light breakfast will be provided at the Great Hall for those who choose to attend in person.

We look forward to celebrating and recognizing the numerous accomplishments across the department. If you plan to attend in person, please visit https://duke.is/p5p7y to RSVP by Thursday, May 25.

Thanks to all faculty who submitted accomplishments for the division of cardiology. Although it’s too late to be added to the DOM End of Year Review, we are still collecting items specifically for Duke Heart. If you haven’t yet submitted and would like to, send your list to Tracey Koepke.

 

DHIP Open Enrollment Deadline, May 28

As part of the transition to Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP), a special Open Enrollment for Duke Benefits** is currently underway through May 28.

Click here for resources and details – dhip.org/enroll

**Special enrollment does not apply to Duke-leased employees who already have access to Duke benefits. No changes or elections can be made during this time.

 

Quick Reminders & Updates

June 1-7 is National CPR & AED Awareness Week

The American Heart Association (AHA) is inviting all interested team members from Duke Heart and Duke Health to attend a virtual hands-only CPR awareness event on June 1^st from 11 a.m. to Noon. Attendees will hear from a survivor, members of the local chapter of the American Heart Association, and learn about the importance of hands-only CPR and how to perform it.

Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death throughout the world. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States. Almost three out of four of those happen at home.

By attending this session, participants will increase their knowledge and awareness about Hands-Only CPR and learn how to act in the event of an emergency. By the end of the activity, employees will be aware of how and when to use Hands-Only CPR, what to do when calling 9-1-1, and specific ways to take action and get involved with our local AHA affiliate.

Event will be held via Microsoft Teams. June 1, 11 a.m. to Noon. https://duke.is/mr792. If you would like to receive a calendar invitation, please email Tracey Koepke.

 

New: Back-up Care Service for Duke Health Employees

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, at Duke Health we ensure that you are supported in both work and in life with a comprehensive benefits package that lets you plan your future. We are excited to add another incredible service to our Total Rewards Program that will give you and your family support during difficult times.

We have entered into a new partnership with Bright Horizons Family Solutions that will provide affordable back-up dependent care for you and your families. A high-level overview of this new service is provided below, and we encourage you to view this video that provides a more comprehensive description of the service.

Services provided:

• 10 annual days of back-up care at discounted rates using Bright Horizons’ network of caregivers who provide temporary care when you have a disruption in your regular care.
• Bright Horizons’ center-based care is $15 per child per day or $25 per family.
• Bright Horizons’ in-home care for both children and adults is priced at $6 per hour.

Please sign up for this service at the following link: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/family/backup-care.

Once you complete the profile online, you will be able to make reservations as far out as 60 days in advance or as quickly as the same day care is needed.

Please note that all PDC employees joining the Duke Health Integrated Practice will be eligible for this service starting on July 1, 2023.

We are excited to offer this new service to you and your families so that you feel supported by our organization both as leaders in healthcare and leaders of your household.

 

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

 

DCRI Research Forum with John Scheyer

The Duke Clinical Research Institute team is excited to have rescheduled their Research Forum with special guest John Scheyer, head coach of the Duke Men’s Basketball program. Please join us on June 6, at 9 a.m. for the Forum, which will feature a fireside chat with Scheyer. This will be a virtual event; Scheyer will discuss his journey and the philosophy that keeps him focused on success — both his personal success and the success of his team. We’ll also address how his philosophy and resilience translates to healthcare and our approach to enhancing human health.

What: DCRI Research Forum: A Conversation with Duke Men’s Basketball Head Coach Jon Scheyer

When: Tuesday, June 6 from 9-10 a.m. ET

Zoom Link:  DCRI Research Forum

Cardiac Safety Research Consortium Think Tank Meeting, June 7

The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium will hold a Think Tank meeting on June 7. The event,  CSRC Think Tank: Update on Regulatory Status of Hypertension, Biomarkers and Arrhythmia Monitoring in Clinical Trials will be held at the FDA.

In Session 1, these leading industry professionals will speak on panels discussing:

• Regulations for ECG/QT
• The double-negative conundrum
• Alternative methods for assay sensitivity assessment in routine Phase 1 QT Studies
• Covid-19 and prolonged QT

In Session 2, we will discuss:

• Small increases in blood pressure and CV risk I
• Intermittent versus chronic use hypertension drugs

In Session 3, the meeting faculty will dive into:

• Biomarkers

In Session 4, the panelists will discuss hot topics in the field such as:

• Biologics/cardiomyopathy and vaccine development
• MACE
• Gene therapies
• Wearables

The event will include professionals from FDA Regulatory, Cardiac Safety Consultants, Ltd., Eli Lilly, Richmond Pharmacology, University of Connecticut, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Cleveland Clinic, Clario, Mass General, DSI, Penn Medicine, and UCSF.

There is a registration fee for attendance, for academics it is $275. Registration and more information is available here: https://cardiac-safety.org/

The meeting will be held in person; a recording of the meeting and slide presentations will become available a month after the event occurs.

 

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon, Wednesdays, to be considered for weekend inclusion.

 

Duke Heart in the News:

May issue — William Kraus

Scientific American

You Don’t Really Need 10,000 Daily Steps to Stay Healthy

https://duke.is/yhwhy

May 19 — Robert Mentz and Stephen Greene

HCPLive

Don’t Miss a Beat: ESC Heart Failure Association Preview

https://duke.is/84kr8

May 22 — Robert Mentz

Korea Biomed

Will Entresto’s reimbursement be expanded to heart failure with ejection fraction above 40%?

https://duke.is/2d6ac

(scroll down)

May 22 — Robert Mentz

tctMD

More ARNI Insights Fortify Role in ‘Below Normal’ LVEF: PARAGLIDE-HF

https://duke.is/geseg

May 22 — Adrian Hernandez

The Washington Post

An exercise trial for long covid is being criticized by some patients

https://duke.is/6ydwj

May 22 — Robert Mentz

HCPLive

PARAGLIDE-HF Offers Further Insight into Sacubitril/Valsartan in Heart Failure with Elevated EF

https://duke.is/p9v9p

May 23 — Robert Mentz

DAIC

Sacubitril/Valsartan Shows Benefit in Heart Failure with Ejection Fraction Above 40%

https://duke.is/4fwqr

May 24 — W. Schuyler Jones

mmm-online.com

In the ‘Wild West’ of outpatient vascular care, doctors can reap huge payments as patients risk life and limb

https://duke.is/5n6m9

May 24 — Jacob Schroder

Medical Stories

Heart Transplant: Strong Hearted

https://duke.is/nv9b6

May 25 — Jonathan Piccini

Medscape

Leadless Dual-Chamber Pacemaker Clears Early Safety, Performance Hurdles

https://duke.is/bp6pb

May 25 — Robert Mentz

Medscape

ARNI Bests ARB to Reduce NT-proBNP in Stabilized Preserved-EF HF

https://duke.is/cxvu4

May 26 — Stephen Greene

HCPLive

The Prospect of SGLT1/2i in Heart Failure: Cardiologists Await FDA Decision on Sotagliflozin

https://duke.is/j5k72

Chief’s message:

The spring is a time of graduations, meetings and some change.  It is bittersweet that we announce that Jack Haney will be leaving Duke to be the Chair of CT Surgery at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville (full note below).  He will be missed.  We also have had several meetings this week with full stories to come in upcoming weeks but some brief highlights and photos here from the:

SCAI Meeting – national interventional meeting, outgoing President of SCAI Sunil Rao, with several Duke Presenters and Jennifer Rymer named one of the 30 in their 30s by SCAI.

HRS – with many EP presentations including this presentation by Adam DeVore a CHF MD seen at the meeting.

European Heart Failure meetings in Prague with week with several Duke Late Breaking trials – Rob Mentz pictured with the Paraglide presentation.

Finally, spring awards and recognitions including our two endowed professorships this year.

Highlights of the week:

Haney Appointed Chair, CT Surgery at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville

John C. Haney, MD, MPH, assistant professor of surgery has accepted a position at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida as the next Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Dr. Haney’s final day with the Duke Heart team will be September 30, 2023.

Dr. Haney is a born and bred Blue Devil. He was born at Duke University Hospital, completed his medical education at the Duke University School of Medicine, and completed both his general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery residencies in the Duke Department of Surgery.

Dr. Haney joined the Duke faculty as an assistant professor of surgery in the Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery in 2014. He has served as program director for the Traditional Cardiothoracic Surgery and Integrated Thoracic Surgery Residency Programs since 2020, and as director of the Thoracic Surgery Transplant Fellowship Program since 2019.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision for me but I am convinced it is the right one, and I am looking forward to testing myself as a department chair and leader,” says Dr. Haney.

“It is an understatement to say that Duke has been a huge part of my life. It saved my life as a preemie, it is where I met my soul mate and life partner, it provided all of my medical and surgical training, and it has given me tremendous opportunities to develop as a professional. For all of these things I will remain incredibly grateful.”

As Surgical Director for the Duke Lung Transplant Program, which boasts one of the highest lung transplant volumes in the United States, Dr. Haney has been instrumental in the program’s success and growth. His dedication to and passion for mentoring new surgeons, evidenced by multiple teaching awards, has helped elevate Duke’s cardiothoracic training programs on the national stage.

“Jack has been at Duke his entire life (literally, he was born at Duke),” says Allan D. Kirk, MD, PhD, Chair of the Department of Surgery. “He’s contributed richly as an undergraduate, medical student, resident, fellow, and attending surgeon. He’s become an exceptional surgeon and superb educator and has navigated Duke’s lung transplant program into the highest transplant echelons. We’ll certainly miss him, but in the most fitting tribute, the team he has built is exceptional and will certainly continue providing the world-class care we have come to expect from Duke Surgery.”

From the Cardiology and Medicine perspective – we will miss Jack greatly.  He has been an ardent patient advocate, educator of residents, and a colleague who we have had the pleasure of being able to call on at all times of day and night to help.  He is a true colleague and leader we hope to continue to collaborate with.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Haney and wishing him well in this exciting new phase of his career. He will be missed by all of us on the Duke Heart team!

 

Mathew Receives Career Mentoring Award

Joseph P. Mathew, MD, MHSc, MBA, the Jerry Reves, M.D. Distinguished Professor of Cardiac Anesthesiology, was recognized this week during the 2023 School of Medicine Spring Faculty Celebration held on Wednesday, May 17 at the Doris Duke Center, Duke Gardens. Mathew received a Duke School of Medicine Career Mentoring Award in Clinical Science.

The SOM’s Research Mentoring Awards, which include the Career Mentoring Award, recognize faculty members in the SOM for excellence in research mentoring. Excellence can be demonstrated in many ways, such as by the accomplishments of individual mentees, by programs implemented by the mentor, or by exceptional creativity in mentoring.

Congratulations, Joe – this is a well-deserved recognition!

To see the full list of 2023 Spring Faculty Award winners, please visit: https://duke.is/9jwws.

 

Harrington Receives Excellence in Fellowship Award

We are thrilled to share that advanced training in cardiology fellow Josephine Harrington has received the Robert A. Harrington Excellence in Fellowship Award at the Duke Clinical Research Institute’s 2023 graduation ceremony.

The Excellence in Fellowship Award is designed to recognize a graduating DCRI research fellow who has contributed the most to the DCRI fellowship during his/her tenure and who has demonstrated excellence in academic accomplishments, in participation in clinical research operations, and in peer-to-peer mentoring. Fellows considered for this award are expected to have demonstrated the following key attributes during their DCRI tenure: a passionate pursuit of innovative clinical research, humility, inclusiveness, loyalty to colleagues, consensus-building, and selflessness.

Congratulations, Joey!

 

Annual Faculty Basketball Game Held

The annual Duke Faculty vs. Duke Internal Medicine Residents basketball game was held Friday, May 19. There was excellent representation by Duke Heart faculty including Terry Fortin, Don Hegland, and Nishant Shah playing for the faculty. Zach Wegerman served as a referee while Lonnie Sullivan was the team coach for the residents as well as the organizer of the event.

This is definitely a great tradition! We’re so pleased with the Duke Heart turnout – way to go!

 

Shout-out to Keenan!

A tremendous shout-out to cardiothoracic surgeon Jeffrey Keenan! He implanted a VAD in a patient with very few options and discharged him on Friday so that he would be able to walk his daughter down the aisle at her wedding, held yesterday. What a blessing for his family!

Jeff Keenen is truly a gifted surgeon, but an even more incredible human being who cares so much about our patients.

Nicely done, Jeff and team!

 

 

 

 

Kudos to Agarwal & Gomez!

Jamie Hilton shared with us this week a sweet message she received through our Press Ganey survey comments about Richa

Agarwal and Leilani Gomez.

Hi Dr. Agarwal and Leilani,  I wanted to share another WONDERFUL Press Ganey comment from surveys last week. Obviously spelled Leilani’s name wrong – but it was clear who they meant!” – Jamie Hilton, Clinic 2F/2G Nurse Manager, Operations

The patient wrote:

“Dr Argawal, her nurse Lalania their entire staff of 2F/2G are amazing. They’re very welcoming and  very smart. Dr. Agarwal takes the time to review every chart and is invested in her patients care. She understands the complexities of patients with many other co-morbidities. She’s caring and excited to see her patients do well, they are very good about getting back to people within the allotted time frame. Very impressed. I’m very blessed. Thank you all!” – a grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

Amazing job Richa and Leilani, thank you!!

 

Great Catch, Matteson!

Congratulations and a big thank you to Kacie Matteson, a Duke Heart nurse on 7 West. Kacie noticed that the flow rate that was displaying on an Alaris IV pump was different than on the patient’s MAR. She checked the pump and identified that it had been programmed correctly, but also recognized that the pump was from another Duke facility and so had a different Guardrails library. She isolated the pump, which ensured that it would not remain in circulation and possibly lead to a medication error.

Kudos for her attention to detail and raising up a concern to allow other teams to learn more — way to go, Kacie!

 

ICYMI: DOM Spotlights Granger, Shah

Following the receipt of their distinguished professorships, Christopher Granger and Svati Shah have each been spotlighted by the Duke Department of Medicine in their This Week in Medicine newsletter:

Christopher Granger, MD, Donald F. Fortin, MD, Distinguished Professor of Medicine (May 16)

Tell us about your clinical, academic, or research interest and why you are passionate about this topic or area of focus.

Chris Granger:

I am passionate about improving survival for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.  We are working with communities across North Carolina in the RACE CARS trial that is testing how patients can be more likely to get bystander CPR and early cardiac defibrillation.  We have shown that when patients get bystander CPR and have an Automatic External Defibrillator placed before EMS arrives, they are much more likely to survive.

Who has influenced you the most in life and why?

The person who has influenced my professional career the most is Rob Califf. This makes it especially appropriate that I follow him as the Donald F. Fortin MD Endowed Distinguished Professor!  Rob is an inspiring, passionate advocate for generation of high-level evidence to improve patient care, and he has certainly inspired and trained me to be part of that mission!

What do you feel is your most significant professional contribution(s) to the field of medicine?

My most significant contributions have been in helping to lead large clinical trials of treatments for heart disease, such as the ARISTOTLE trial of apixaban versus warfarin for atrial fibrillation, called one of the most important practice-changing trials in the last 20 years by the prior editor of New England Journal of Medicine.

 

Professor Svati H. Shah, MD, MHS, Cardiology, Ursula Geller Distinguished Professor of Research in Cardiovascular Diseases (May 8)

Tell us about your clinical, academic, or research interest and why you are passionate about this topic or area of focus.

Svati Shah:

I am a physician-scientist and a cardiologist. I have a translational research laboratory within the Duke Molecular Physiology Institute where I study the genetic and molecular determinants of cardiometabolic diseases. I am lucky to get to work with a multi-disciplinary team in my lab including biostatisticians, bioinformaticians and genetics experts. Using large human cohorts and clinical trials biorepositories, we have identified key metabolic pathways and related biomarkers that underlie cardiometabolic disease risk and we study monogenic cardiovascular disorders. I am also fortunate to be the Director of the Duke-Kannapolis clinical research site which conducts clinically oriented, community-engaged translational research.

I feel incredibly lucky to be able to do research but to also take care of patients. I founded and direct the Duke Adult Cardiovascular Genetics Clinic where we care for patients with monogenic cardiovascular disorders. I am passionate about the use of genetics to identify undiagnosed disease and improve patient care; while we think of these as rare diseases, in aggregate in fact they are not that rare and frequently go undiagnosed and untreated. My passion for this field started as a cardiology fellow at Duke University when I was seeing very young patients having heart attacks, and was further amplified after my son was hospitalized with a gastrointestinal bleed. After a several month diagnostic odyssey, both my sons were diagnosed with a genetic bleeding disorder. I am excited to lead a new genomic medicine program within the Duke School of Medicine where we will be expanding the use of genetics for undiagnosed diseases with the ultimate goal of improving patient care.

Who has influenced you the most in life and why?

My family has influenced me the most. My parents are immigrants from India; they worked tirelessly to escape the poverty in which they were raised. My mother was a single mother who struggled to raise my sister and me, but she never gave up and even while trying to put food on the table, she always pushed to improve herself. She inspires me to work hard and pursue excellence in everything I do, both professionally and personally.

 

Next Week: June 2, Annual DOM End of Year Review

Department of Medicine (DOM) faculty and staff are invited to join Kathleen A. Cooney, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine and the George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Medicine, on Friday, June 2 at 8 a.m. for the annual DOM End of Year Review either in-person (Trent Semans Great Hall) or via Zoom. This event will take place during the regular time slot for Medicine Grand Rounds. Coffee/light breakfast will be provided at the Great Hall for those who choose to attend in person.

We look forward to celebrating and recognizing the numerous accomplishments across the department. If you plan to attend in person, please visit https://duke.is/p5p7y to RSVP by Thursday, May 25.

 

DHIP Open Enrollment Deadline, May 28

As part of the transition to Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP), a special Open Enrollment for Duke Benefits** is currently underway through May 28.

Click here for resources and details – dhip.org/enroll

**Special enrollment does not apply to Duke-leased employees who already have access to Duke benefits. No changes or elections can be made during this time.

 

Quick Reminders & Updates

 

• May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. We join Duke Health in celebrating the contributions and achievements of our AAPI team members and communities this month and every month.
• May is also American Stroke Month. Thanks to each and every one of our team members for the work you do to help control and to diminish the risks of cardiovascular diseases in our patient population – especially those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and atrial fibrillation, all of which increase the risk of stroke.

 

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

 

Cardiology Grand Rounds

May 23: The Many Faces of Cardiopulmonary Dyspnea: More than ‘just HF-pEF’ with cardiology fellow Anthony Peters. 5 p.m. Zoom link.

 

AHA Virtual Hands-Only CPR Event, June 1

As National CPR Week approaches (June 1-7) and as a special thank you to corporate sponsors of the Triangle Heart Walk and Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association (AHA) is inviting all interested team members from Duke Heart and Duke Health to attend a virtual hands-only CPR awareness event on June 1^st from 11 a.m. to Noon. Attendees will hear from a survivor, members of the local chapter of the American Heart Association, and learn about the importance of hands-only CPR and how to perform it.

Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death throughout the world. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States. Almost three out of four of those happen at home.

By attending this session, participants will increase their knowledge and awareness about Hands-Only CPR and learn how to act in the event of an emergency. By the end of the activity, employees will be aware of how and when to use Hands-Only CPR, what to do when calling 9-1-1, and specific ways to take action and get involved with our local AHA affiliate.

Event will be held via Microsoft Teams. June 1, 11 a.m. to Noon. https://duke.is/mr792. If you would like to receive a calendar invitation, please email Tracey Koepke.

 

Cardiac Safety Research Consortium Think Tank Meeting, June 7

The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium will hold a Think Tank meeting on June 7. The event,  CSRC Think Tank: Update on Regulatory Status of Hypertension, Biomarkers and Arrhythmia Monitoring in Clinical Trials will be held at the FDA.

In Session 1, these leading industry professionals will speak on panels discussing:

• Regulations for ECG/QT
• The double-negative conundrum
• Alternative methods for assay sensitivity assessment in routine Phase 1 QT Studies
• Covid-19 and prolonged QT

In Session 2, we will discuss:

• Small increases in blood pressure and CV risk I
• Intermittent versus chronic use hypertension drugs

In Session 3, the meeting faculty will dive into:

• Biomarkers

In Session 4, the panelists will discuss hot topics in the field such as:

• Biologics/cardiomyopathy and vaccine development
• MACE
• Gene therapies
• Wearables

The event will include professionals from FDA Regulatory, Cardiac Safety Consultants, Ltd., Eli Lilly, Richmond Pharmacology, University of Connecticut, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Cleveland Clinic, Clario, Mass General, DSI, Penn Medicine, and UCSF.

There is a registration fee for attendance, for academics it is $275. Registration and more information is available here: https://cardiac-safety.org/

The meeting will be held in person; a recording of the meeting and slide presentations will become available a month after the event occurs.

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon, Wednesdays, to be considered for weekend inclusion.

Duke Heart in the News:

May 11 — Richard Krasuski

Medscape

1 in 5 Brain Injury Trials Show Errors, Signs of Spin

https://duke.is/6h8n8

 

May 12 — Patrick Pun (Nephrology)

Healio/Nephrology

Azithromycin correlated with risk of sudden cardiac death among patients on dialysis

https://duke.is/pdk6z

May 15 — Deepshikha Ashana (Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care)

tctMD

As US Abortion Access Grows Patchier, Cardiologist Concerns Mount

https://duke.is/rc6zg

May 15 — Kristen Peterson (Pharmacy, Oncology)

Pharmacy Practice News

Taking Cardiotoxicity to Heart in Cancer Patients

https://duke.is/5rs7d

May 16 — Amy Pastva (Ortho)

Medscape

Heart Failure With Preserved EF: New Insights, Respect for Exercise?

https://duke.is/bzsf5

May 18 — Duke Clinical Research Institute

The Courier Times

Initiative aims to improve cardiac event outcomes

https://duke.is/4mkgy

 

Chief’s message: Happy Mother’s Day

Happy Mother’s day to all of the moms and mother figures in the Duke Heart Community.  We appreciate the love, commitment to family, and support that you all provide.  Hopefully you all have had some time this weekend to spend with family. It is also graduation weekend around the Duke University and many of the schools in the area.  Congratulations to our graduating students from university and medical schools in the area.

Highlights of the week:

DUH, DRH Receive Platinum Rating for Treatment of MI

Duke University Hospital and Duke Regional Hospital have each received the American College of Cardiology’s NCDR Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award for 2023. The hospitals are two of only 262 hospitals nationwide to receive the honor.

The award recognizes Duke’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart attack patients and signifies that each hospital has reached an aggressive goal of treating these patients to standard levels of care as outlined by the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association clinical guidelines and recommendations.

To receive the Chest Pain  ̶  MI Registry Platinum Performance Achievement Award, a hospital must demonstrate sustained achievement in the Chest Pain  ̶   MI Registry for two consecutive years (2021 and 2022), and perform at the highest level for specific performance measures. Full participation in the registry engages hospitals in a robust quality improvement process using data to drive improvements in adherence to guideline recommendations and overall quality of care provided to heart attack patients.

Congratulations, team — way to go!

Celebrating Hospital Week & Nursing Week

We hope everyone had a chance to take part in some of the activities that were planned for Hospital Week and National Nursing Week. This past week has been a special time to recognize all of you and the truly amazing things you do. The quality of care we provide to those who trust us with their health makes us very proud. Our team, working together, makes a big difference in so many lives.

Across Duke Heart we have a lot to celebrate and look forward to. And it’s because of what everyone contributes!

Shown here as part of the celebration are just a few members of our cardiology APP squad: Sas Belbase, Sandra Anton, Jesslyn Doody, Brooke Moyer, and Henry Delgado Avila. Great pic!

And a shot from the Friday, May 12 gathering of the DUHS Cath/EP Ops Committee – they are loving their meeting!

Save the Date: June 2, Annual DOM End of Year Review

Department of Medicine (DOM) faculty and staff are invited to join Kathleen A. Cooney, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine and the George Barth Geller Distinguished Professor of Medicine, on Friday, June 2 at 8 a.m. for the annual DOM End of Year Review either in-person (Trent Semans Great Hall) or via Zoom. This event will take place during the regular time slot for Medicine Grand Rounds. Coffee/light breakfast will be provided at the Great Hall for those who choose to attend in person.

We look forward to celebrating and recognizing the numerous accomplishments across the department. If you plan to attend in person, please visit https://duke.is/p5p7y to RSVP by Thursday, May 25.

Shout-out to Glower & the DMP 6E Team

This week we received a terrific note from Dr. David Gallagher, the new Chief Medical Officer for Duke University Hospital,

regarding a patient compliment for cardiothoracic surgeon Don Glower, MD and members of the DMP 6E care team.

“I am the new DUH CMO, taking over for Dr. Pickett, and just wanted to forward you a very nice compliment towards the DMP 6E nurses, staff, and Dr. Glower and his team from the HCAHPS survey last week. Thank you for the great work you do!” — David Gallagher, MD, SFHM

The patient wrote:

“Excellent nurses included Shannon, Scott, and Mandi. 10 out of 10! Dr. Glower (and his team) was excellent at keeping me updated, explaining various concepts to me, and encouraging my recovery. 11 out of 10!!” – grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

(More) Kudos for Glower!

We received a note early last week from Dr. Lisa Pickett, the outgoing Chief Medical Officer for Duke University Hospital, regarding a patient compliment:

“Good Afternoon, Don — While reading the comments on our Patient Satisfaction Survey, I was just delighted to read this beautiful compliment about you and your team.  Thank you for your tireless dedication to patients and remarkable clinical excellence. Very Best Wishes, Lisa” – Lisa Pickett, MD

The patient wrote:

“Dr Glower and his PA’s were first class!  They were wonderful and took the time to answer any question I had.  As far as my nurses, they too were the absolute best!  They answered my questions and took care of my every need.  I would recommend Duke to anyone for Cardio Care!” – grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

 

Shout-out to Lampila!

We received a number of glowing comments this week about Beverly Lampila, one of our PAs in the Cardiothoracic Clinic, and staff members throughout the CT Surgery team. The comments are from various patients who completed a recent Press Ganey survey.

They wrote:

“Knowledgeable, kind, and efficient staff. They were able to break down what was happening with me into layman’s terms very well. They answered health and quality of life issues around my heart issue, its severity, and scheduling to repair it. All of this is about trusting people I don’t know to cut into my chest and work on my heart. I’m looking forward to having these folks do that. I expect the same level of competence, care, and empathy will be maintained through my time recovering care at Duke.” – grateful patient of Dr. Glower, name withheld for privacy

“Beverly, the PA, was so kind and so perky! We loved talking with her! The girl that took my blood was so good, I hardly felt the needle. The woman who did the EKG was friendly and I felt she took time with me, accompanied Me showing the way out, and offering assistance as to my next appointment,” – grateful patient of Dr. Gaca, name withheld for privacy

“Dr. Hughes and staff are terrific!” – grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

Great job Beverly and CT Surgery team!

 

Kudos to Burkett!

We received a note from Jamie Hilton regarding Melissa Burkett and a recent Press Ganey survey comments:

“Dr. Hughes’, Nurse Practitioner, Melissa, is a real asset to this practice. She actually provided answers to all my questions, even before I saw Dr. Hughes. She seems to be very knowledgeable, and this reinforces my confidence in her. I was extremely fortunate with my visit to Duke. Arriving early and being taken early for each of my tests, as well as my visit with Dr. Hughes made for a pleasant experience.” – grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

“Melissa, Thank you so much for ALWAYS creating such an amazing patient experience for our patients in 2F2G!!” — Jamie Hilton, Clinic 2F/2G Nurse Manager, Operations

“Kudos, Melissa, and thanks again for being an amazing provider and Duke Heart team member! Celebrate your awesomeness.” – Jill Engel, Service Line Vice President – Heart & Vascular

Nicely done!

 

DHIP Special Open Enrollment

DHIP special Open Enrollment is coming May 15-28, 2023. As part of the transition to Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP), a special Open Enrollment for Duke Benefits** will take place May 15-28.

Click here for resources and details – dhip.org/enroll

**Special enrollment does not apply to Duke-leased employees who already have access to Duke benefits. No changes or elections can be made during this time.

 

Quick Reminders & Updates

• May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. We join Duke Health in celebrating the contributions and achievements of our AAPI team members and communities this month and every month.
• May is also American Stroke Month. Thanks to each and every one of our team members for the work you do to help control and to diminish the risks of cardiovascular diseases in our patient population – especially those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and atrial fibrillation, all of which increase the risk of stroke.

 

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Cardiology Grand Rounds

May 16: Heart Failure and Obesity: Weighing the Evidence with cardiology fellow Joey Harrington. 5 p.m. Zoom link.

May 23: topic TBD with cardiology fellow Anthony Peters. 5 p.m. Zoom link.

 

New: AHA Virtual Hands-Only CPR Event, June 1

As National CPR Week approaches (June 1-7) and as a special thank you to corporate sponsors of the Triangle Heart Walk and Go Red for Women, the American Heart Association (AHA) is inviting all interested team members from Duke Heart and Duke Health to attend a virtual hands-only CPR awareness event on June 1^st from 11 a.m. to Noon. Attendees will hear from a survivor, members of the local chapter of the American Heart Association, and learn about the importance of hands-only CPR and how to perform it.

Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death throughout the world. Each year, more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States. Almost three out of four of those happen at home.

By attending this session, participants will increase their knowledge and awareness about Hands-Only CPR and learn how to act in the event of an emergency. By the end of the activity, employees will be aware of how and when to use Hands-Only CPR, what to do when calling 9-1-1, and specific ways to take action and get involved with our local AHA affiliate.

Event will be held via Microsoft Teams. June 1, 11 a.m. to Noon. https://duke.is/mr792. If you would like to receive a calendar invitation, please email Tracey Koepke.

 

Cardiac Safety Research Consortium Think Tank Meeting, June 7

The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium will hold a Think Tank meeting on June 7. The event,  CSRC Think Tank: Update on Regulatory Status of Hypertension, Biomarkers and Arrhythmia Monitoring in Clinical Trials will be held at the FDA.

In Session 1, these leading industry professionals will speak on panels discussing:

• Regulations for ECG/QT
• The double-negative conundrum
• Alternative methods for assay sensitivity assessment in routine Phase 1 QT Studies
• Covid-19 and prolonged QT

In Session 2, we will discuss:

• Small increases in blood pressure and CV risk I
• Intermittent versus chronic use hypertension drugs

In Session 3, the meeting faculty will dive into:

• Biomarkers

In Session 4, the panelists will discuss hot topics in the field such as:

• Biologics/cardiomyopathy and vaccine development
• MACE
• Gene therapies
• Wearables

The event will include professionals from FDA Regulatory, Cardiac Safety Consultants, Ltd., Eli Lilly, Richmond Pharmacology, University of Connecticut, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Cleveland Clinic, Clario, Mass General, DSI, Penn Medicine, and UCSF.

There is a registration fee for attendance, for academics it is $275. Registration and more information is available here: https://cardiac-safety.org/

The meeting will be held in person; a recording of the meeting and slide presentations will become available a month after the event occurs.

 

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon, Wednesdays, to be considered for weekend inclusion.

 

Duke Heart in the News:

 

May 3 — Vishal Rao and Neha Pagidipati

Today’s Dietitian

Can Weight Loss Benefit the Heart Even if Some Pounds Return?

https://duke.is/62qek

May 8 — Nada El Husseini

Healio/Primary Care

Top in cardiology: Cognition screening; novel ablation strategy

https://duke.is/przx2

May 8 — Richard Shannon

Physician Leadership Journal

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: What Physician Leaders Need to Know

https://duke.is/4dt8m

May 9 — Stephen Greene

HCP Live

FDA Expands Dapagliflozin Label to Include Reducing Risk of CV Death in Heart Failure

https://duke.is/9tpbv

 

Highlights of the week:

Shah, Granger Among Duke Faculty Members Awarded Distinguished Professorships

We are pleased to congratulate Christopher B. Granger, MD, and Svati Shah, MD, MHS, on their newly awarded distinguished professorships! Granger and Shah are among 44 Duke faculty members from across all Schools and Institutes to receive the designations from Duke University this year. The honorees were formally recognized by President Vincent Price and Interim Provost Jennifer Francis during a ceremony at the Washington Duke Inn Thursday evening, May 4. A total of 27 faculty from the Duke University School of Medicine were honored.

Granger has been named a Donald F. Fortin, M.D. Distinguished Professor of Medicine. Shah has been named an Ursula Geller Distinguished Professor of Research in Cardiovascular Diseases.

“I am so appreciative to have this honor that is a tribute to the fellows, faculty and other collaborators with whom I have been fortunate to work,” said Granger, Donald F. Fortin, MD Distinguished Professor of Medicine. “It is especially meaningful to have the named professorship established by Don Fortin, who was a Duke Cardiology fellow with me, and was previously held by Rob Califf.”

Distinguished professorships are awarded to faculty who have demonstrated extraordinary scholarship in advancing science and improving human health.

“I am so honored to have received this,” says Shah, Ursula Geller Distinguished Professor of Research in Cardiovascular

Diseases. “When I started as a cardiology fellow at Duke over 20 years ago, I would never have imagined this could happen for me. I am grateful to all of my incredible mentors for their support, to my cardiology colleagues who have enabled our collaborative research, and to Dr. George Barth and Ursula Geller for generously supporting this professorship.”

To read the full list of professorships awarded, please visit Duke Today. To see a piece exclusively about the SOM recipients, please visit the DUSOM news story.

Such terrific news and well deserved, Svati and Chris! Congratulations!

 

Gallagher Named Chief Medical Officer, Duke University Hospital

Mary Martin, interim President and Chief Operating Officer of Duke University Hospital (DUH), announced this week that Dr. David Gallagher has been named the new Chief Medical Officer of DUH.

“After an extensive internal search with 16 well-qualified applicants, I am pleased to announce that David Gallagher, MD, SFHM, has been named Chief Medical Officer for Duke University Hospital, effective May 1, 2023.

In this role, Dr. Gallagher will work in conjunction with the DUH Senior Leadership Team to oversee all hospital operations, lead the development of standard work, ensure the delivery of effective care, and manage medical staff matters and concerns. Specifically, he will also manage the DUH medical directors and champion initiatives related to access, patient safety, and quality efforts in conjunction with the DUH Chief Quality Officer, department chairs, and Clinical Services vice-chairs.

Dr. Gallagher has been with Duke since 2006. He has served as the Chief of Duke Hospital Medicine Programs since 2012 and the Associate Chief Medical Officer since 2014. He is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine within the Division of General Internal Medicine. He has a Senior Fellow designation from the Society of Hospital Medicine and treats patients on the Duke General Medicine Inpatient Service, where he also teaches.

Dr. Gallagher’s vast clinical experience, academic accomplishments, and leadership excellence make him an ideal fit for this vital position at our hospital during this very important time in healthcare.

Outside of work, Dr. Gallagher is devoted to his wife, Jennifer, their two daughters, and their many pets. He also enjoys surfing whenever he can get to the ocean.

“I am excited, honored, and humbled to have been chosen for this role,” Dr. Gallagher said. “I look forward to continuing to partner with all the incredible people at Duke University Hospital and across the health system to further our healthcare journey with continued focus on caring for our patients, their loved ones, and each other.”

Information regarding interim hospital medicine leadership is forthcoming.

Martin extended her gratitude to the DUH Chief Medical Officer search committee for their commitment to a fair and transparent process: Ted Boyse, Adia Ross, Jennifer Phillips, Joe Govert, Kristie Barazsu, Sherri Pearce, Cathy Kuhn, Shilpa Shelton, Bryan Mallory, Matt Barber, and Holly Garon Colley.

We join all of Duke Health in congratulating David on his new senior leadership role at Duke University Hospital.

Celebrating Nursing Week

It’s National Nursing Week, and here at Duke Health, it is also Mary Ann Fuchs Week. On behalf of Duke Heart, we recognize Dr. Fuchs for her incredible nursing career at Duke, as well as our entire team of nurses for their many professional accomplishments and contributions in caring for Duke Heart patients over the past year. The past several years held great challenges, as we all know, and we’re so grateful for the amazing care you provided. With a growing population throughout North Carolina, there are more patients than ever in need of the highly specialized care that our Duke Heart team provides.

Duke Heart Nurses are foundational to Duke’s ability to provide best-in-class cardiovascular care. Each of you have been a part of many ‘firsts’ in the U.S. and at Duke throughout the years; you’ve cared for patients and partnered with our cardiology and cardiac surgery providers in clinical trials; you have been driving excellence across our quality and safety measures; and you’ve supported bed and tower expansion, unit moves, site visits, and growth throughout all areas of Duke Heart. Our outpatient teams continued to support our patients and families using new technologies and approaches, including enhanced telehealth and expansion of our rehabilitation programs. None of these accomplishments would be possible without the amazing care across our outpatient, rehabilitation, procedural, diagnostic and the inpatient cardiology and surgical units.

In the midst of a another very busy clinical year, each of you continued to show tremendous compassion for not only Duke patients and families, but also each other and our community. The Duke Heart Nursing team possesses unmatched talent, dedication and teamwork that exemplifies living the Duke Values.

Our successes across the Duke Heart team would not be possible without each one of you!

As part of this special week, this year’s Friends of Nursing guest speaker is Rebecca Love, MSN, BS, RN, FIEL, who will present The Power of Nursing.  All are welcome to participate. You can log in on your own or join teammates at a watch party location where snacks and drinks will be provided to watch her presentation.

Tuesday, May 9 from 2-3 p.m. Via Zoom.

Virtual Watch Party Locations (No RSVP needed):

• DUH: DN 2002
• DRH: Behavioral Health Community Room
• DRaH: Cardinal/Dogwood in North Pavilion

The purpose of Love’s presentation is to inspire nurses to develop their unique, experience-based solutions to patient care and staffing issues into strategies and products that can be utilized across health care settings and organizations. The activity will include time for questions and answers.

Everyone is welcome to hear the National Nurses Week speaker; no registration is necessary.

Duke’s National Nurses Week speaker is made possible by The Martha White Blalock Nurse Scholar Endowment Fund. For questions about this and other activities supported by Friends of Nursing, please email: friendsofnursing@dm.duke.edu or call 919-681-5094.

For a full list of all Nursing Week events across the DUHS enterprise, please visit Duke Health Now’s Celebrating Nurses Week page. There, you can also download a Zoom background to help celebrate our Duke Health nurses.

It’s Hospital Week

We Appreciate You! May 7 – 13 is Hospital Week. Here, throughout Duke Health, there will be celebrations focused on demonstrating the appreciation we have for each and every one of our employees. It’s because of ALL of our teammates together, that we are able to advance the health of those we serve. We hope you will take time to join in some of the celebrations during this special week.

There are fun events scheduled each day – among the planned celebrations there will be a carnival, a Blessing of the Hands event, a scavenger hunt, and opportunities to contribute to a school supply drive to support Durham Public Schools. For all the details and a full list of events at each hospital, please visit the Celebrating Hospital Week page on the Duke Health Now SharePoint site.

Please take part when and where you’re able! Thank you for all you do!

Perfusionists Celebrated

Perfusion Week ended yesterday and we want to give another shout-out to our amazing perfusionists! Here is a group shot of them sporting matching celebratory scrub caps. Thanks for all you do!

DHIP Special Open Enrollment

DHIP special Open Enrollment is coming May 15-28, 2023. As part of the transition to Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP), a special Open Enrollment for Duke Benefits** will take place May 15-28.

Click here for resources and details – dhip.org/enroll

**Special enrollment does not apply to Duke-leased employees who already have access to Duke benefits. No changes or elections can be made during this time.

Information Sessions for Transitioning PDC Physicians:

Zoom link to join

• 7-8 AM, Friday, May 5
• 5-6 PM, Tuesday, May 9

Information Sessions for Transitioning PDC Direct Employees and Managers:

Zoom link to join

• 12-1 PM, Friday, May 5
• 7-8 AM, Tuesday, May 9

Quick Reminders & Updates

• May is Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. We join Duke Health in celebrating the contributions and achievements of our AAPI team members and communities this month and every month.
• May is also American Stroke Month. Thanks to each and every one of our team members for the work you do to help control and to diminish the risks of cardiovascular diseases in our patient population – especially those with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and atrial fibrillation, all of which increase the risk of stroke.
• Masking Updates: Masking is now optional in ambulatory surgical centers and low-risk ambulatory clinics that are not attached to a hospital. Masks are still required in all hospital patient care areas, emergency departments, clinics within or contiguous with hospitals (e.g., Duke South clinics), oncology clinics, and infusion clinics. Masking also continues to be required for patients coming to a clinic with respiratory symptoms, any accompanying family/visitors, or for anyone caring for patients with respiratory symptoms. Signage will be distributed to communicate that expectation. Thank you for your attention and commitment to patient and team member safety.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Cardiology Grand Rounds

May 9: topic TBD with Abdulla Damlujji of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 5 p.m. Zoom link.

May 16: topic TBD with cardiology fellow Joey Harrington. 5 p.m. Zoom link.

May 23: topic TBD with cardiology fellow Anthony Peters. 5 p.m. Zoom link.

 

AI Health Virtual Seminar: Challenges in Bring-Your-Own-Device Design-based Digital Health Studies to Develop Reliable and Generalizable Artificial Intelligence Tools for Healthcare Application

Thursday, May 10, 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. (Eastern time)

Virtual seminar via Zoom, open to anyone in the world, but registration is required.

Presented by:  Md Mobashir Hasan Shandhi, PhD; American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, with host Andrew Olson, MPP; Associate Director, Policy Strategy and Solutions for Health Data Science, Duke AI Health

Description:  

Longitudinal digital health studies combine information from digital devices, such as commercial wearable devices, and patient-reported data, such as surveys, from participants. While the ubiquitous adoption of smartphones and access to the internet supports the development of large-scale and distributed digital health studies, there are challenges in collecting representative data as a result of low adherence to, engagement with, and regularity of performing study tasks such as filling out surveys and charging and wearing devices. These challenges may result in a study population that is not representative of the general population or the population group of interest. Artificial Intelligence tools developed based on a non-representative population have a higher chance to fail to generalize in the real-world deployment of such technologies and may not work for underrepresented and underserved communities. In this seminar, the speaker will share his research group’s experience in conducting longitudinal digital health studies for COVID-19 monitoring, the challenges the researchers faced to collect data from a representative population, and how his team developed a guideline to mitigate demographic imbalance in bring-your-own-device (BYOD) design-based digital health studies. Furthermore, the speaker will also share how his team developed a machine learning method based intelligent allocation method for COVID-19 diagnostic testing in a resource-limited setting (when we have limited diagnostic tests, like the earlier phase of the pandemic and onset of new variants) using wearable and survey data collected during the longitudinal CovIdentify study.

Please join us for this lunchtime virtual seminar. The presentation will be accessible to a broad audience, including those with no prior background in health data science or artificial intelligence.

 

Deadline May 12: 2023 Loan Repayment Program

The Duke Department of Medicine has announced the 2023 Loan Repayment Program to Promote Diversity and Inclusion in Medicine (LRPDIM). This award is part of a series of mentored career development opportunities offered by the Department of Medicine and is designed to fund members of groups underrepresented in medicine who, as a group, are disproportionately impacted by student loans. This financial burden impedes the retention, recruitment, and diversification of research faculty in our department.

We encourage investigators from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who are under-represented in Medicine to consider applying. The LRPDIM award repays up to $50,000, annually for up to two years, of a researcher’s qualified educational debt in return for a commitment to engage in research.  Up to two applicants will be funded (July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2025).  The award recipient must remain a full-time employee of the DOM to receive the full amount of the award. Award funds are not restricted and can be used at the awardee’s discretion. If the research commitment is not met, recipients must pay back the amount awarded.

The 2023 LRPDIM Award application deadline is May 12, 2023, at 5 p.m.  Eligibility criteria, detailed information about the Award, and the application form are available on the DOM Loan Repayment Program to Promote Diversity and Inclusion website. For program-related questions, please contact Kimberly Dorman, Special Assistant to the Vice Chair for Faculty Development and Diversity in the Chair’s Office.

 

Cardiac Safety Research Consortium Think Tank Meeting, June 7

The Cardiac Safety Research Consortium will hold a Think Tank meeting on June 7. The event,  CSRC Think Tank: Update on Regulatory Status of Hypertension, Biomarkers and Arrhythmia Monitoring in Clinical Trials will be held at the FDA.

In Session 1, these leading industry professionals will speak on panels discussing:

• Regulations for ECG/QT
• The double-negative conundrum
• Alternative methods for assay sensitivity assessment in routine Phase 1 QT Studies
• Covid-19 and prolonged QT

In Session 2, we will discuss:

• Small increases in blood pressure and CV risk I
• Intermittent versus chronic use hypertension drugs

In Session 3, the meeting faculty will dive into:

• Biomarkers

In Session 4, the panelists will discuss hot topics in the field such as:

• Biologics/cardiomyopathy and vaccine development
• MACE
• Gene therapies
• Wearables

The event will include professionals from FDA Regulatory, Cardiac Safety Consultants, Ltd., Eli Lilly, Richmond Pharmacology, University of Connecticut, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Cleveland Clinic, Clario, Mass General, DSI, Penn Medicine, and UCSF.

There is a registration fee for attendance, for academics it is $275. Registration and more information is available here: https://cardiac-safety.org/

The meeting will be held in person; a recording of the meeting and slide presentations will become available a month after the event occurs.

 

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart at tracey.koepke@duke.edu. We would love to hear about your latest accomplishments, professional news, cool happenings, and any events or opportunities that may be of interest to our Duke Heart family. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon, Wednesdays, to be considered for weekend inclusion.

Duke Heart in the News:

April 28 — Nenad Bursac

Washington Post

Gene-edited cells move science closer to repairing damaged hearts

https://duke.is/cp5h8

April 29 — Rita Deimler (oncology)

Oncology Nursing News

Cardiac Event Management Is a Key Aspect of Safely Treating Patients With Ribociclib in Advanced Breast Cancer

https://duke.is/wwjsz

April 29 — Jacob Schroder and Jason Banner

CBS News

New method revolutionizes heart transplants

https://duke.is/jj2pr

*story has been updated from a version that aired in February.

April 30 — Andrew Landstrom

ANI (India)

Study reveals genetic tests show how genes linked to heart disease

https://duke.is/ycay9

May 1 — Nada El Husseini (neurology)

American Heart Association News

Cognitive impairment after stroke is common, and early diagnosis and treatment needed

https://duke.is/rh3kp

May 1 — Camille Frazier-Mills

Healio/Cardiology

FDA approves two next-gen miniaturized, leadless pacemakers with extended battery life

https://duke.is/zm8dk

May 2 — Camille Frazier-Mills

Medical Device Network

FDA approves Medtronic’s next-generation Micra pacemakers

https://duke.is/6remw