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Duke Heart Pulse — September 24, 2023

September 24, 2023 / Leave a comment

Highlights of the week:

Pendyal Joins Duke Heart Team

This weekend we are introducing another of our newest cardiology faculty members. Akshay Pendyal, MD, MHS, joined the Duke Heart team as an assistant professor of medicine in cardiology on August 30. He came to us from Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center in Charlotte where he practiced as a general cardiologist.

Pendyal is a Chapel Hill, NC native who holds a BA from the University of Pennsylvania, and who then returned to Chapel Hill to earn his MD at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. His internal medicine residency was conducted at the University of Colorado Hospitals in Denver; he then went on to cardiology fellowship at Oregon Health & Science University before earning an MHS through the National Clinician Scholars Program (formerly called the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program) at Yale University.

At Yale, he did advanced research training in health services, research outcomes, and health policy. Pendyal says he wasn’t really using his academic background while with Novant, and he really missed it. He says a big part of the appeal in joining the Duke faculty is the opportunity to work again in an academic environment, to conduct research, and to teach.

Pendyal enjoys being a general cardiologist because it allows him to see adult patients with a wide spectrum of cardiovascular disease — common conditions such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and heart rhythm problems. In particular, he values the opportunity to develop longitudinal relationships with patients, and helping them maintain their care over time in partnership with sub-specialists.

“One thing I’ve learned over the years is the care of the patient in the hospital just kind of the beginning,” says Pendyal. “After that, I think, is the much more important piece, which is making sure that somebody is on the right set of medications, that we can adjust those medications accordingly, and quite honestly that we’re not imposing too much of a treatment burden on patients.”

He says this is something he finds important to incorporate in his clinical practice.

“It’s really hard, I think, to be a patient — especially a patient with a complex chronic cardiovascular illness. This ties into my research interest, which is the treatment burden imposed on patients who are already vulnerable and who are already facing numerous kinds of social barriers. In particular, I think it is important to consider housing instability, or homelessness. That was a big focus of my research when I was at Yale. I’m particularly interested in vulnerable or marginalized patients and their interactions with the healthcare system and seeking ways to improve this.”

Akshay and his wife, Meredith Niess, have two sons ages 3 and 5. When Pendyal has a bit of free time, he enjoys creative writing and poetry.

Please give him a warm welcome when you see him!

30^th Annual Meeting of NC & SC Chapters, ACC: Highlights

The 30^th anniversary conference of the NC and SC chapters of the American College of Cardiology has been taking place this weekend, Sept. 22-24, at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.

Duke fellows have had a huge presence there, and we are thrilled to announce that our Duke cardiology team of Manasi Tannu, Mark Kittipibul, and Belal Suleiman won the NC/SC Fellows-in-Training (FIT) Jeopardy Championship today!

Additionally, Kiki Osude led a FIT Seminar that was well-attended; Nishant Shah gave a talk on the revolution of cardiometabolic diseases, and Manasi Tannu and Jenn Rymer were formally awarded the Disparities Research Grant from the ACC NC chapter for their project that aims to increase screening for PAD at historically black churches in the Durham area.

Special thanks to Jenn Rymer, Nishant Shah, and Anna Lisa Chamis for submitting photos. A huge congratulations to all on a successful and fun weekend!

Jackson Featured in AHA AFib Webinar

Electrophysiologist Larry Jackson, II, MD, appeared in a Sept. 12 American Heart Association (AHA) webinar to help promote awareness and understanding of ablation therapy for

atrial fibrillation. The webinar, ‘AFib Ablation — Who, What, and Why?’ can be found here (free registration required to view).

The webinar was offered by the AHA as part of their AFib Awareness Month series. More than 300 people registered for the event and, as of last week, nearly as many people had viewed the recording. Jackson spoke on the history of catheter ablation, the biophysics of ablation, patient selection, safety, post-ablation management and care, and the dynamics of health equity regarding AFib.

The webinar is well worth checking out!

Nicely done, Larry. Great work!

Upcoming Bed Relocation: DN2200, 7200

Duke University Hospital has a master plan to increase the capacity of Emergency Department beds. As a result, several changes will occur in October involving the relocation of two units.

Duke North 2200 will close on October 26 and the Emergency Department will relocate from Duke North 7200 to 2200 for a gain of 8 beds for their department. On October 30, 8 Cardiology Step-Down beds will open on 7200 (7201-7208) for a total of 24 Cardiology Step-Down beds between 3200 and 7200.

The move will allow Heart Services to be located on the 3rd and 7th floors in Duke North. Stay tuned for additional details on the upcoming move. We’ll share it here in Pulse!

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

September is National AFib Awareness month and Women in Medicine month
We’re celebrating National Advanced Practice Provider (APP) week: September 25-29. Thank you to all of our Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners, and CRNAs throughout Duke Heart!
Sept. 15 – Oct. 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Flu vaccination at Duke began this week – make sure to get yours!
Masking for patients, visitors, and team members is strongly recommended throughout all clinical areas during respiratory virus season (Sept. 15- Mar. 1, 2024).

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Sept. 26: Research Funding and Applications, Including the Current DOMRA/ORA Landscape, Rules, and Regulations with Chris Holley, Denise Wynn, and Krista Camigula. 5 p.m. DN 2002 or via Zoom.

CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference

Sept. 29: Diabetes and Heart Disease with Nishant Shah. Noon. Zoom only.

ICYMI: Medicine Grand Rounds, Sept. 15

Medicine Grand Rounds welcomed Chet Patel on Sept. 15 for his lecture, Heart Transplant at Duke: Tradition and Innovation. Recording available here.

DCRI Research Forum

Sept. 26: A fireside chat with NIMHD director Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, MD. Noon. Zoom only.

NCHA: Creating Healthier Communities, Part 1 (Urban), Sept. 26

The NC Healthcare Association will host a virtual town hall – “Creating Healthier Communities” – on Tuesday, Sept. 26 from 11 a.m.- 12 p.m. The town hall will focus on community benefits provided by North Carolina’s hospitals and health systems, highlighting work with local employers, schools, faith organizations and other partners to build healthier, vibrant communities. Debra Clark Jones, Associate Vice President for Community Health at Duke Heath, will participate as a panelist with other healthcare leaders from around the state. Free. Register here.

Duke Football Healthcare Appreciation Day: Sept 30

Duke Football invites all Duke Health employees to Healthcare Appreciation Day on Saturday, September 30 when they take on Notre Dame in Wallace Wade Stadium! As a token of appreciation, all healthcare workers, families, and friends can purchase discounted tickets here: https://duke.is/9/ne4n

Sept. 30: Duke Football vs. Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. Wallace Wade Stadium.

Call for Applications: 2024 Leadership Programs

The Office for Faculty announced this week the call for applications for their 2024 Leadership Programs, including ADVANCE-UP, ALICE, DCLP, and LEADER. Click here to learn more. Applications are due Nov. 3.

Register Now: 15^th Annual Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium

The 15^th annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium will be held on Friday, November 17^th at the Durham Convention Center. Faculty directors will be H. James Ford, MD, director of the PH program at UNC, and Terry Fortin, MD, co-director of the Pulmonary Vascular Disease Center at Duke. Registration is now open: https://duke.is/9/7rs5. Please join us!

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:

September 15 — Robert Mentz

Managed Healthcare Executive

Intravenous Iron for Patients With Heart Failure? Recent Research Goes Against the Grain.

https://duke.is/8/w9tw

September 15 — David Harpole

Cancer Network

Durvalumab Combo Yields No Clear Benefit in Early-Stage EGFR+ NSCLC

https://duke.is/2/3avb

September 18 — Robert Mentz

AJMC

Since FDA Approval, Several Studies Highlight Benefits of IV Ferric Carboxymaltose

https://duke.is/w/m887

September 18 — Larry Jackson

Healio

Top in cardiology: BP control declines during winter; National AF Awareness Month

https://duke.is/p/a3n5

September 18 — Manesh Patel

Medscape/The Bob Harrington Show

SCD in Athletes: Lessons From High-Profile Cases

https://duke.is/6/sbmv

September 19 — Duke Health

Becker’s Hospital Review

26 health systems preferred twice as much as competitors

https://duke.is/r/4j5y

September 19 — Jacob Schroder and Carmelo Milano

Shared

How Scientists Make our Lives Brighter, Longer and More Convenient

https://duke.is/2/7xyn

September 19 — Pamela Douglas

tctMD

‘Shocking’ Sexual Misconduct in Surgery Survey Prompts New Calls for Change

https://duke.is/g/dyg8

September 21 — Duke Hospital

Cardiovascular Business

The 50 best hospitals in the world for cardiac surgery

https://duke.is/8/273c

Duke Heart Pulse — September 17, 2023

September 17, 2023 / Leave a comment

Highlights of the week:

Duke Heart Welcomes Moghaddam and Aslam

This weekend we are introducing two of our newest cardiology faculty members – Drs. Nima Moghaddam and M. Imran Aslam.

Former advanced heart failure and transplant fellow Nima Moghaddam, MD, joined the Duke Heart team on July 1 after completing his fellowship in Duke’s Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant program. He will round on the Heart Failure and Transplant service as well as in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit and will see patients in our transplant and biopsy clinics.

Born in Iran and raised in Canada, Moghaddam was drawn to medicine from an early age. He says he always admired his father, a cardiologist, and wanted to follow in his footsteps. He became fascinated with the physiology of the heart and liked the breadth of opportunities available within the cardiology specialty. Ultimately, he chose to focus his training on heart failure and transplantation because of the difference that can be made in helping the sickest of the sick.

“I’ve met so many great people, mentors, and leaders in heart failure and transplant here at Duke,” Moghaddam said. “To me, it is the opportunity of a lifetime to work at a world-leading heart failure and transplant center. I am so happy to stay and continue to learn. This is where the cutting-edge of heart transplantation and cardiology is happening. On top of that, people have been very welcoming and friendly to me, my wife, and our newborn baby. It would be very hard to leave this place.”

Moghaddam holds a BSc from York University in Toronto. He earned his MD at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, where he also completed his internal medicine residency and trained in adult cardiology. He then moved to Durham for advanced heart failure and transplant fellowship.

He and his wife, Dr. Bahar Bahrani, have a nine-month-old son named Aiden. Bahar is on faculty in Duke’s Department of Dermatology. Nima and Bahar both enjoy hiking and time outdoors. Nima says he’s an extreme foodie — and having spent many years in British Columbia, really misses the sushi there. He says most people who know him know that he’s a soccer fanatic – he says he follows every soccer league in the world. What some may not know, however, is that he played as a goalkeeper for the Persian Lions F.C., a semi-professional soccer team based in Toronto. He says his favorite team is the Premier League’s Liverpool F.C.

For those who did not have the opportunity to work with Nima during his fellowship last year, please extend a warm welcome to him as one of our newest team members!

Imran Aslam, MD, joined the Duke Heart faculty as an assistant professor of medicine in cardiology on Sept. 1. He is an interventional and advanced heart failure and transplant cardiologist who comes to us from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (UTHSCSA) where he was a faculty member for the past two years. He’ll be on our VAD service and will see patients at Duke University Hospital and at Arringdon Clinic.

Having grown up in Houston, where Texas Medical Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC) are a major presence, he had opportunities to explore career opportunities in medicine while in high school. His school had partnerships with area hospitals, allowing students exposure to medical-based careers in a very customized way. Aslam was assigned a path through MD Anderson via a clinic focused on treating patients with gastric tumors. He says that for him, the timing was perfect. The MDACC team had just begun using a new drug, called imatinib (Gleevec), to treat cancer patients and it was completely changing their care and outcomes for the better. The experience piqued his interest – he became fascinated with learning how this and other drugs were developed, and who developed them. It was then he decided to go into medicine, ultimately becoming a physician-scientist.

Aslam holds a BS from the University of Houston and earned his MD from UTHSCSA. His original plan, he says, was to pursue a career in oncology, so he spent one of his medical school years as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute medical fellow at Oregon Health Science University in Portland, OR.

“As fate would have it, for that fellowship I was able to work in the laboratory of Dr. Brian Druker, the guy who developed Gleevec,” says Aslam. “His story was so inspiring to me – something he did in his life as a physician-scientist was able to help an innumerable number of patients.” Gleevec revolutionized the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia and helped establish targeted therapies as a pathway to treating cancer.

Aslam went on to internal medicine residency and ultimately decided to pursue fellowship training in cardiovascular disease, advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology, and interventional cardiology, all of which he completed at Johns Hopkins. He then joined the faculty at UTHSCSA and was glad to be near family once again. However, without a robust HF program there, he grew to miss taking care of VAD and transplant patients. He decided to seek out opportunities where he could use all of his skills in research and clinical care that he’d developed during his training. That search brought him to Duke.

On the clinical side, Aslam’s expertise is in cardiogenic shock, mechanical circulatory support, and high-risk PCI. His research focus, which he developed at Hopkins, is on right ventricular dysfunction — in particular, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. He plans to continue working in this area in larger animal models at Duke, as well as further investigating mitochondrial bioenergetic pathways in cardiac myocytes.

Aslam describes himself as a bit of a fitness nut and that he fits in daily exercise no matter what. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and traveling – especially with his brother who, he says, is the most well-traveled person he knows. So, when time permits and they can coordinate their schedules, they travel together to places that are generally off the beaten path. Their last trip was to the Arctic where they were able to hike and see polar bears. His passion, he says, is any trip that allows him to see new places and be physically active while doing it.

We are very happy to have him on our team. Please give Imran a warm welcome to Duke Heart!

Duke to Celebrate Robert Lefkowitz’s 50 Years of Scientific Discovery

Duke University will honor Duke cardiologist and Nobel Prize winner Robert J. Lefkowitz’s 50 years at Duke with a two-day symposium, “Celebrating Scientific Discoveries that Advance Human Health,” to be held Oct. 2-3 at Page Auditorium.

The event will feature presentations from seven Nobel laureates, as well as sessions with University President Vincent E. Price, PhD; Mary E. Klotman, MD, executive vice president for health affairs and dean of the Duke University School of Medicine; former Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski; and Lefkowitz, who received the 2012 Nobel Prize in chemistry with his former trainee Brian Kobilka, MD, now on faculty at Stanford Medicine.

Lefkowitz’s trailblazing research on how cells communicate reshaped modern medicine. He revealed the workings of G-protein-coupled receptors that are relied on by almost half of the medications available today.

Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, received the Nobel Prize in chemistry from King Carl Gustaf of Sweden at the Nobel ceremony December 10, 2012. Photo by Jonas Ekströmer. — Robert Lefkowitz receiving the Nobel Prize from the King of Sweden at the Nobel Ceremony

“This symposium is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate Bob Lefkowitz’s many achievements and to learn about the latest advances in biomedical research,” Price said. “His discoveries have made a difference in the lives of innumerable people, and the research that will be presented at this symposium also has the potential to improve the lives of people around the world.”

In addition to the Nobel Prize laureates, speakers will include top scientists from Duke and other universities who are working on biomedical research to advance the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, blood disorders, and heart disease.

Lefkowitz, who is the Chancellor’s Professor of Medicine at the Duke University School of Medicine, has held a primary faculty appointment in cardiology since 1973; he maintains additional appointments in biochemistry, pathology, and chemistry, and is a long-time member of the Duke Cancer Institute. His research laboratory is housed within the Duke Cardiovascular and Research Center (CVRC).

“Bob Lefkowitz’s pioneering work in the realm of cellular communication has left an indelible mark on the field of medicine,” Klotman said. “His dedication to understanding the intricacies of cell receptors has paved the way for numerous medical breakthroughs, making him an indispensable figure in modern biomedical research.”

Beyond his research, she added, “his lasting impact has also been through the generations of very talented scientists who have had the good fortune to call Bob their mentor.”

In an innovative move in 1974, Lefkowitz attached a radioactive isotope to a beta-blocker drug. This allowed him to track and identify an adrenaline receptor by monitoring the emitted radiation. It opened the door to understanding the functionality of such receptors.

Lefkowitz’s discovery led to the subsequent realization that there is an entire family of similarly functioning receptors — the G-protein-coupled receptors. These receptors play a crucial role in cellular communication.

G-protein-coupled receptors are not just a matter of academic interest. Many medications leverage these receptors to exert their therapeutic effects. Lefkowitz’s work has defined pharmaceutical advancements for decades.

Nobel laureates invited to join the symposium include cancer researcher Harold E. Varmus, MD, who earned the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine in 1989; neurologist and biochemist Stanley Prusiner, MD, the 1997 Nobel Prize winner in medicine or physiology; Joseph Goldstein, MD, the 1985 Nobel Prize winner whose discoveries became the basis of statins, medications to treat high cholesterol; Peter Agre, MD, and Roderick MacKinnon, MD, who received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2003; and Kobilka, a physiologist who worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Lefkowitz while at Duke.

The event is open to faculty, staff, students, trainees, and the public. Visit the School of Medicine symposium webpage to see the full schedule and to register.

CDU Awarded IAC Accreditation in Vascular Testing

We are thrilled to announce that the Duke University Hospital Cardiac Diagnostic Unit (CDU) has achieved a significant milestone by obtaining reaccreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Vascular Testing. This accreditation underscores the steadfast dedication of the CDU team to delivering top-tier cardiac diagnostic services while upholding the utmost standards in patient care.

IAC accreditation certifies adherence to the stringent evaluation criteria set by the IAC. Through rigorous assessments and comprehensive reviews, our CDU has consistently showcased excellence in cardiac imaging services, positioning us as a leader in the industry. We are particularly proud to have been granted accreditation in two vital areas: Extracranial Cerebrovascular Testing and Peripheral Arterial Testing.

We extend our deepest appreciation to the entire CDU team for their unwavering dedication to quality and safety, and to ensuring their overall expertise as a team. It is their hard work and commitment that have propelled the CDU to this achievement.

“We are grateful to each of our patients and their referring physicians for the trust and confidence they have placed in our services,” says Ashlee Davis, chief technologist for the DUH CDU. “Their unwavering support has been instrumental in our success.”

Congratulations CDU Team – way to go!

Tannu to Receive ACC NC Grant

Duke cardiology fellow Manasi Tannu has been selected to receive a Disparities Research Grant from the American College of Cardiology’s NC chapter. The grant will support her and her team’s efforts to increase screening for peripheral artery disease (PAD) at historically black churches in the greater Durham area.

The grant award will be officially announced and awarded to Tannu at the 2023 NC/SC Annual Conference next weekend (Sept. 22-24, 2023) at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.

Congratulations, Manasi!

Recruiting Success for Step-Down Units

Members of our nursing leadership team represented Heart Services at a Duke University Health System specialty hiring event on Sept. 13. The team was successful in recruiting new hires for the step-down units! Shown here are Ally Shiveler, Kasey Williams, Ciarra Ashley, and Laura Dickerson.

Great work – we are grateful to each of you for spending time on recruiting, sharing your stories and enthusiasm for Duke Heart, and doing such a great job. Thank you!

Shout-out to Lewis

We received a note this week from David Gallagher, Chief Medical Officer, regarding feedback he received on electrophysiologist Rob Lewis, MD, via the Press Ganey/HCAHPS from an inpatient on the great care Lewis and his team delivered to them.

“The surgical staff (especially the nurse anesthetist) were very upbeat, and really forestalled any pre-op tension. We joked around a little before I was sedated… Dr. Lewis was outstanding. I had no pain after my pacemaker insertion, to the surprise of the nursing staff (who were also wonderful). All in all, an excellent (and successfully therapeutic) experience.” – a grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

Well-deserved kudos — nicely done, Rob!

EP’s Haney Retires

We wished a warm farewell this week to EP nurse Marianne Haney, RN, CCRN, RCES, who began her career at Duke University Hospital in the Electrophysiology Lab in November 2003.

Marianne Haney celebrates her retirement from Duke Health. — Marianne Haney

“Marianne has been the matriarch of our team, serving as charge nurse and preceptor for her colleagues,” said Shawn Johnson, nurse manager of operations for Duke’s Adult Cardiac Cath Labs. “She will be missed by all of us.”

Commonly referred to as “Mrs. Haney,” Marianne plans to spend her retirement traveling with her husband. As we understand it, their first journeys will take them to several of the great national parks in the U.S.

Her last day with Duke Health was Thursday, Sept. 14. The team celebrated her with a potluck breakfast, a cake, and her favorite lunch from Jimmy John’s.

Thanks for all you have done for Duke Heart and our EP patients. We wish “Mrs. Haney” all the best and bid her bon voyage!

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

September is National AFib Awareness Month and Women in Medicine Month
Sept. 15 – Oct. 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Flu vaccination at Duke begins Sept. 21.
Masking for patients, visitors, and team members is now strongly recommended throughout all clinical areas during respiratory virus season (Sept. 15- Mar. 1, 2024).

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Sept. 19: ECS Wrap-up with Chris Granger. 5 p.m. In person or via Zoom.

CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference

Sept. 20: DHP Case Presentation with Eric Xie. Noon. DMP 2W96

Sept. 22: HF/Txp Case Presentation with Husam Salah. Noon, via Zoom.

ICYMI: Medicine Grand Rounds, Sept. 8

Medicine Grand Rounds welcomed Gene Nichol, professor of law at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on Sept. 8 for his lecture, Poverty and Equal Dignity in North Carolina. You may find the recording here.

DCRI Research Forum

Sept. 26: A fireside chat with NIMHD director Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, MD. Noon. Zoom only.

CME: Special Care for Pregnant Hearts, Sept. 20

A newly developed CME offering for OBGYNs, PCPs, family medicine physicians and anesthesiologists will take place Wed., Sept. 20 from 6:30 – 8:30. Special Care for Pregnant Hearts, a multi-disciplinary approach to pregnant patients with cardiovascular disease will be held virtually. Presenters include Drs. Jeff Federspiel, Cary Ward, Tori Spates, Sarah Snow, and Marie-Louise Meng.

To learn more and for registration, please visit https://obgyn.duke.edu/education-training/continuing-medical-education.

NCHA: Creating Healthier Communities, Part 1 (Urban), Sept. 26

Duke Football Healthcare Appreciation Day: Sept 30

Sept. 30: Duke Football vs. Notre Dame. Time TBA.

Call for Applications: 2024 Leadership Programs

Register Now: 15^th Annual Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium

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, on Wednesdays, to be considered for weekend inclusion.

Duke Heart in the News:

September 11 — David Harpole

Onc Live

Dr Harpole on Perioperative Durvalumab Plus Chemotherapy in EGFR-Mutated NSCLC

https://duke.is/b/4nth

September 11 — David Harpole

Targeted Oncology

No Benefit to Neoadjuvant Durvalumab/Chemo Followed by Adjuvant Durvalumab in EGFR+ NSCLC

https://duke.is/v/53rh

September 11 — Christina Wyatt (nephrology)

Healio/Nephrology

Women with health issues and CKD face complex challenges

https://duke.is/6/7jx4

September 13 — CTSI

NC Medical Society

Duke Announces Center for Precision Health to Transform Population Health, Patient Care

https://duke.is/4/z8ex

September 13 — Larry Jackson

Healio/Cardiology Today

Care, outcomes remain uneven amid growing atrial fibrillation burden in US

https://duke.is/9/hkx6

Duke Heart Pulse — September 10, 2023

September 10, 2023 / Leave a comment

Chiefs Message:
We are excited to announce new surgical faculty this week and we will spend some time in the upcoming weeks introducing the new cardiology faculty. Additionally, this week we have the bittersweet news of the retirement of Renee Story. Finally, there are some amazing scientific projects the Cardiovascular group is leading from K23 grants with Jenn Rymer to the Center for Precision Health with Svati Shah as the leader. Enjoy the updates.

Highlights of the week:

Smith, Lin Honored for Service to Duke Regional

Former Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery division chief Dr. Peter K. Smith and cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Shu Lin were both honored this week by the leadership team of Duke Regional Hospital (DRH). The two were recognized with a hospital leadership recognition award for their more than 20 years of dedication to and support of the DRH CT Surgery Program.

The awards were presented to them on Wednesday, Sept. 6 by Dr. Adia Ross, chief medical officer for DRH. The event was held as part of the Duke1 Periop Session.

Smith and Lin have been instrumental in improving and expanding the heart surgery services available to patients at DRH.

Well-deserved accolades to two of our finest surgeons and leaders! Congratulations, Peter and Shu!

Patel, Bevers, and Salfity Will Join Duke CTS Faculty

We are pleased to announce the addition of three new faculty members to the Duke Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Section of General Thoracic Surgery.

Kunal J. Patel, MD, PhD, will begin as Assistant Professor of Surgery on September 11. Dr. Patel comes to us from the University of Virginia, where he attended medical school and recently completed a Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship. Dr. Patel holds a PhD in Transplant Immunology from the Medical University of South Carolina, where he also completed his General Surgery Residency.

Kaitlin C. Bevers, MD, will join as Assistant Professor of Surgery beginning on October 1. Dr. Bevers recently completed a Thoracic Surgery Fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She attended Wayne State University School of Medicine, and completed her General Surgery Residency at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver.

Hai V. Salfity, MD, MPH, will join as Assistant Professor of Surgery also beginning on October 1. Salfity returns to Duke after completing her Cardiothoracic Surgery Fellowship with us in 2021. Since then, she has most recently served as an Assistant Professor of Surgery at the University of Cincinnati. Dr. Salfity completed medical school and her surgical training at the Indiana University School of Medicine, from which she also holds a Master of Public Health degree.

“The addition of Drs. Patel, Bevers, and Salfity to our faculty reflect our commitment to growing Duke CT Surgery’s renowned training programs and enhancing our ability to provide quality surgical care to patients in need,” said Division Chief Dr. Edward Chen and Section Chief for General Thoracic Surgery, Dr. Thomas D’Amico in a joint email that was shared this week.

Please join us in welcoming all three of these exceptional physicians to our Duke CT Surgery team and to Duke Heart!

Rymer Receives NHLBI Research Career Development Award

Interventional cardiologist Jenn Rymer, MD, MBA, has received a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Her awarded project (effective July 27) is Implementation of a Medication Adherence Instrument among Patients with Symptomatic Peripheral Artery Disease after Peripheral Vascular Intervention. Her mentors will include Drs. Hayden Bosworth, Schuyler Jones, Tracy Wang, Ann Marie Navar, and Sharron Docherty.

The five-year NHLBI K23 award supports the career development of individuals with a clinical doctoral degree, who have the potential to develop into productive, clinical investigators, and who have made a commitment to focus their research endeavors on patient-oriented research.

Rymer will be studying methods to improve adherence and prescription of guideline-based and evidence-based medical therapies in patients with peripheral vascular disease here at Duke.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects roughly 12 million Americans and accounts for over $21 billion in combined annual healthcare costs. For patients with PAD who undergo a peripheral vascular intervention (PVI) to improve quality of life and/or prevent limb loss, there are evidence-based, guideline-directed medical therapies that should be prescribed after the intervention. However, adherence to these therapies remains poor among this population of patients, placing them at an increased risk of limb loss, cardiovascular disease, and death. Rymer’s research will work to leverage complementary methods in qualitative research, implementation science, and clinical trial design to examine the barriers to medication adherence and evaluate a potential tool that may facilitate improved communication between the clinic provider and patient about how to improve adherence to these therapies in patients with PAD who have undergone PVI.

Congratulations, Jenn!

Center for Precision Health Launched; Shah to Serve as Director

The Duke Clinical and Translational Science Institute this week announced the launch of the Center for Precision Health (CPH), a collaboration that will harness the power of genomic, biomarker, and health data to transform patient care and population health.

Svati Shah, MD (left) and Julie Eckstrand, RPh (right)

The Duke University School of Medicine has a rich history of translational discovery science leveraging genetics, genomics, and other -omic technologies coupled with data science and informatics. With continuing advances in genomics, biomarker technology, and computational biology alongside improvements in electronic health records and machine learning, the CPH will work to bridge discovery science with personalized patient care.

“This collaborative effort will bring together researchers from across Duke that will enable us to improve patient care and help move more discoveries in basic and translational research into clinical care,” said Mary E. Klotman, MD, executive vice president for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine. “The Center for Precision Health is poised to become a powerhouse for genetic and genomic discovery, outreach, and education. I’m excited to see what the future holds.”

Duke cardiologist Svati H. Shah, MD, MHS, Ursula Geller Distinguished Professor of Medicine, has been named director of the CPH. Julie Eckstrand, RPh, will serve as executive director.

To read the full announcement, please visit this page.

Congratulations, Svati!

Renee Story Retires After Three Decades of Service

We wished a fond farewell recently to long-time cardiology administrative assistant Renee Story. After more than 30 years of service at Duke Health, Story retired officially on Sept. 1. She was celebrated with a luncheon in her honor on August 31 at Bennett Point Grill in Durham.

A highly valued team member, Renee supported a number of faculty throughout her years with the Duke Heart team, including Drs. Richard Stack, Chris O’Connor, Joe Rogers, Jimmy Tcheng, Andrew Wang, and Chet Patel. Additionally, she helped support our Cardiology Grand Rounds program. All along the way, she demonstrated teamwork, professionalism, and a deep care for patients and their families – and always with a smile and warm welcome.

Although we will miss her, we are excited for her and all the future holds. Renee says she is looking forward to spending more time traveling with her husband, Randy, and to pursuing her interest in learning other languages.

We received some warm reflections about her over the past few weeks and wanted to share them here:

“Renee Story has been a valued, dedicated colleague for 3 decades. Her work is superior in her conscientiousness and commitment to the highest quality. She consistently maintains a positive, polite, and helpful demeanor, even with challenges. Her interactions with all patients are always professional and respectful, and I’ve received many thanks and compliments from them. She is so experienced and effective that I take it for granted how she helps to keep the wheels on the track. I wish her a wonderful and well-deserved retirement with her family.” – Andrew Wang, MD

“Renee was not only a wonderful staff assistant, she was truly one of the nicest people I have ever worked with!” – Richard Stack, MD

“It has been an absolute honor to work with Renee. She has been an extremely important member of our cardiology grand rounds team. She is always organized, efficient, kind, compassionate, and an excellent communicator. She also kept us on track to make sure we were always ahead of deadlines and that we had all the support we needed. We will certainly miss her but are excited for her to start this new chapter!” – Nishant Shah, MD

Chris Morgenstern, Renee Story, and Mitzi Scarlett at Story's retirement celebration on August 31, 2023 — Chris Morgenstern, Renee Story, and Mitzi Scarlett (L to R)

“Nishant and I have so appreciated the kindness, resourcefulness, and help that Renee gave us over the last few years doing Grand Rounds. These years were difficult scheduling talks with COVID limitations, but that didn’t stop Renee from making it work! It was a challenging time, and Renee graciously and flexibly rolled with changes, helping with our many schedule changes. We don’t give thanks enough to all the people behind the scenes doing the work to make our division run on a daily basis. Renee was always helpful and kind, and I congratulate her on her much-deserved retirement!” – Jennifer Rymer, MD

“I have been quite fortunate to be able to count on Renee as my assistant for a substantial portion of my Duke career. Renee epitomizes the “best of Duke” – one of our unsung heroes who makes our enterprise hum. As a junior faculty member, Renee was the first individual to provide me with dedicated support. While at that point she had only been on staff for a short time, she amazed me with her command of the Duke environment. I learned quickly that I could count on her to expertly handle any situation, from the complexities of the interventional cardiology program to the coordination of my busy clinical schedule through the (then manual) processes for organizing travel – and everything in between. To me, she set the standard for effectiveness, efficiency, and reliability. She amazed me with her ability to anticipate not just my needs and wishes, but all those who called upon her for support. She remained a terrific resource to me even as her work responsibilities transitioned to becoming responsible for the entire division. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to be rejoined with Renee over 5 years ago as my administrative assistant. Renee – please know that you made a difference, that you helped shape Duke into the preeminent cardiology division in the country, and that you will be truly missed! Best wishes as you embark on the next phase of your life’s journey.” — Jimmy Tcheng, MD

“Renee is an exceptional professional. She started out working with Richard Stack and then joined up with my group. We were both young at Duke and we really grew as a team. I remember being struck by how professional she was. The way she approached her work and the way she interacted with other people – it’s not something you learn in school; I think you learn it from your parents more than anything else. Her professionalism in demeanor and her communication really enhanced our team’s ability to be successful. She was often the frontline person for the Heart Center and for the division of cardiology – she was the initial point of contact for a lot of important interactions. Not just with faculty and other team members, but with patients. She was very good with patients. This may be one of her most memorable attributes – sometimes she helped just by providing a listening ear and kind voice to patients who were in distress. She was also very good at communicating with other professionals outside the institution. We had a lot of activities with the NIH, the FDA, and other academic institutions. During that time, she got to know key people and worked with them very well. In turn, they knew her and knew that she was a member of the team representing the Heart Center and the division in a very positive way. They knew they were in good hands if Renee was helping them.” – Chris O’Connor, MD

“Renee has provided over 30 years of service for Duke and the Division of Cardiology. Over this time Renee has been committed to supporting her faculty and worked diligently to keep us organized and prepared for our clinical and academic pursuits. As our roles and priorities change, Renee has continually evolved with us to ensure we are keeping up, not forgetting anything, or trying to do too many things all at once! She does this with a smile and caring approach which puts everyone at ease. Without a doubt, Renee has been an integral part of the success of Duke Heart by working behind the scenes for others to be successful. I will miss working with her and wish her the best in a well-deserved retirement. – Chet Patel, MD

Congratulations, Renee! You will be missed!

Registration Now Open for 15^th Annual Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium

Consumer Engagement Opportunity: Heart Walk

If you or your team would be interested in space for patient education or consumer outreach at the upcoming Triangle Heart Walk on Oct. 8, please reach out to Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart, by Sept. 15. We may have space available for you in our Duke Health sponsorship tent! This can be a great way to engage with consumers from across the Triangle regarding our service offerings.

Note: you must be able to send a representative (or two) who can be at the sponsorship tent while it’s open. If interested, email tracey.koepke@duke.edu.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

September is National AFib Awareness Month!
It’s Vascular Nurses week (Sept. 10-16)
It’s International Housekeeping and Environmental Services week (Sept. 10-16)
Flu vaccination at Duke begins Sept. 21.

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Sept. 12: Wrap up from ESC Around Heart FID with Robert Mentz. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom: https://duke.is/2/rvp4

Medicine Grand Rounds

Sept. 15: Heart Transplant at Duke: Tradition and Innovation with Chet Patel. 8 a.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom.

DCRI Research Forum

Sept. 26: A fireside chat with NIMHD director Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, MD. Noon. Zoom only.

This week: Duke Financial Fitness Week

Free informational seminars are open to all Duke employees for Duke’s annual Financial Fitness Week. Duke HR annually offers the opportunity to learn more about retirement readiness, making informed financial decisions, and unlocking the potential for financial freedom. The full schedule of events and registration links are available at this link: https://duke.is/c/qc2t.

CME: Special Care for Pregnant Hearts, Sept. 20

To learn more and for registration, please visit https://obgyn.duke.edu/education-training/continuing-medical-education.

Duke Football Healthcare Appreciation Day: Sept 30

Sept. 30: Duke Football vs. Notre Dame. Time TBA.

SOM Academic New Faculty Orientation: Oct. 16 & 17

If you were hired in the past 3 years and haven’t attended New Faculty Orientation yet, please plan to attend. While content specifically targets newer faculty, all are welcome and many topics are applicable to all faculty, regardless of career stage. Event will be held in the Trent Semans Center and is hosted by the Duke School of Medicine.

To see the agenda and learn more, visit: https://medschool.duke.edu/about-us/faculty-resources/faculty-development/our-programs/school-medicine-academic-new-faculty.

To register: https://dukefacdev.wufoo.com/forms/qr1ae7g1aoyckd/

Questions? Contact the School of Medicine Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.

Have news to share?

Duke Heart in the News:

September 7 — Stephen Greene and Hubert Haywood (IM residency)

tctMD

Hospital at Home Strategy Could Disrupt ‘Low-Value’ Care for Worsening HF

https://duke.is/z/8np6

September 7 — Duke University

Love to Know

Try Nightly Walks for an Easy Way to Step Up Your Health & Happiness

https://duke.is/m/xsqj

Duke Heart Pulse — September 3, 2023

September 3, 2023 / Leave a comment

Highlights of the week:

In Memoriam: Professor Emeritus, Yihong D. Kong, MD

We were deeply saddened this week to learn of the passing of professor emeritus Yihong David Kong, MD, a long-time interventional cardiologist and cardiovascular pioneer at Duke, on Aug. 29. We extend our condolences to our colleague David Kong, MD, and to his family, on their loss. We’ve utilized the majority of his obituary, provided by the Kong family:

With great reverence, we share the passing of Yihong David Kong, MD, our precious teacher, husband, father, and grandfather. He will be missed dearly by his wife of 60 years, Wen Chi Kao Kong (Ellen), his children David and Stephanie (Charles), and his grandson Wesley.

Born on Feb. 12, 1934, Kong had a challenging wartime childhood in Canton province, China, raised principally by his father, Hok-Shiu Kong, as well as his uncles. He received his MD degree in 1958 from the National Defense Medical Center in Taipei, Taiwan, achieving the rank of Captain in the Republic of China Armed Forces. Graduating at the top of his class, he earned a house staff position at Confederate Memorial Medical Center (now Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center) in Shreveport, Louisiana.

He was then recruited by Drs. Henry McIntosh and Eugene Stead to join the fledgling cardiology division at Duke University. McIntosh held Kong’s expertise with the artificial kidney (dialysis!) in particular esteem. After 13 years of courtship and deliberation, he married his faithful wife and most ardent supporter, Wen Chi Kao Kong, in 1963.

Kong’s seminal scientific work in biplane cineradiographic studies of ventricular wall motion earned him the American College of Cardiology Young Investigator Award in 1967. In concert with Drs. James Morris, Jr., Robert H. “Jess” Peter, and Victor S. Behar, he expanded the cardiac catheterization laboratory at Duke and served as its director from 1971-1981. These collaborations produced important early advances for procedures that are now commonplace, including cardioversion for atrial fibrillation and right heart catheterization from the femoral approach. Kong fully appreciated the potential of Andreas Gruentzig’s initial attempts at coronary balloon angioplasty. In 1977, after a pilgrimage to Zurich University Hospital to learn the technique first-hand, he established a percutaneous revascularization program at Duke.

During the course of his career, Kong was appointed Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and Fellow of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions.

A perpetual scientist and educator, he tirelessly inspired others to discover, experiment, and innovate. If an off-the-shelf solution did not exist, he would promptly craft his own, using the heat gun if necessary. In addition to catheter-based technologies, problems in congenital heart disease, electrocardiography, hyperbarics, and epidemiology brought him endless fascination and delight. Like Dr. McIntosh, he cherished bedside clinical acumen and spent many summer Saturdays honing the physical diagnosis skills of Duke medical students. Valuing humility and equanimity, he eschewed personal acclaim and accolades, magnanimously aiming the spotlight toward his many brilliant colleagues and fellows.

After retiring from Duke in 1996, his focus turned to photography, travel, computer science, and technical analysis. True to the Hippocratic Oath, with purity and holiness he passed his life and practiced his art, as an exemplar for the generations who might follow him.

Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, gifts can be made to the Duke Heart Center Gift Fund or to the Duke Friends of Nursing, in memory of Dr. Yihong D. Kong.

Additionally, says David Kong, MD, “You can honor Dad every day by living an honest and righteous life, by asking questions to grow in wisdom, and by patiently answering the inquiries of others.”

We reached out to several current and former faculty members for reflections on their time with Dr. Kong:

“I had the pleasure and privilege of working with Yihong “David” Kong in the late 1980’s. It was the era of “PTCA” (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty), before stents, before IIb/IIIa inhibitors or thienopyridines. David was an iconic early adopter of PTCA, a meticulous operator, and a penultimate professional. And as I got to know his son, Dr. David F. Kong, I learned further how well he balanced his fierce professional commitment with his family as a husband, father and grandfather.” – Mitch Krucoff, MD

“He was an innovative guy, and kind of quiet. I never heard him complain about anything, he was always kind, unassuming, and very polite. He was a hard worker who contributed a lot, he helped get a lot of papers published.” — Robert H. “Jess” Peter, MD

“Dr. Yihong Kong was among the cardiac catheterization leaders at Duke when Duke Cardiology was just starting to find its footing in the late 1960s. He, along with Drs. Jess Peter and Vic Behar, developed a catheterization reporting system that eventually fed key information into the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease where follow-up was obtained on all patients. The latter has now evolved several times and has emerged as the DCRI. Throughout the decade of the 1970s, Dr. Kong was Director of the Duke Cath Labs. There was always a rumor that when Dr. Kong joined the faculty, Dr. Eugene Stead was unable to pronounce his first name and told him “for now on I will call you David”. Knowing the power Stead had at Duke in those days, no one ever doubted the story. Certainly, the name stuck, and all of us knew him as Dave Kong after that. The Dr. Kong I knew was always very quiet, humble, gracious and unassuming. He was incredibly meticulous and thoughtful. If the cardiac catheters did not seem to go exactly where he wanted them to go during a case, he loved to get out the heat gun and warm them up in order to bend and curve them to the desired shape. Dr. Kong was devoted to his patients. He was kind to everyone and an excellent teacher. He had an infectious laugh. He will be remembered fondly by all of us who owe our training to him. He was one of the foundational pillars that has made Duke what it has become today.” – Thomas M. Bashore, MD

“I knew Yihong in basically two phases of my career – during my residency, and as a fellow faculty member. When I was a resident he was famous, internally, for doing long runs of imagery. This was well before the days of digital equipment, so the imaging was on 35-millimeter film, and this was before the time where radiation safety became a metric, of course. So, you would have a patient get an imaging study, then you had to have the film developed, then it would be rolled up and put into a can so that it could be safely stored. Back then, Dr. Kong was always the one who had more than one can for a patient. So, whenever we residents had to run to get the films for Dr. Kong’s patients, you had to absolutely make sure you had all of the correct cans. We nicknamed them ‘Kong Cans’. As an attending, he was really great to work with. He was concise, decisive, and generous – he was especially generous with junior faculty. He was a man of few words, but very objective. That’s how I’ll always remember him – for that, and of course, the Kong cans.” — Peter K. Smith, MD

ESC News: Intravenous Iron Treatment Provides Some Benefit to Patients with Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency

More than half of all patients with heart failure experience iron deficiency, which is associated with worse symptoms, poor quality of life, and diminished exercise ability.

A new study led by Duke Health researchers with global collaborators finds an intravenous iron treatment provides a measure of benefit to these patients, but the results are nuanced.

The study was published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress on Aug. 26. It evaluated the intravenous drug, ferric carboxymaltose, by looking at data on mortality, heart failure hospitalizations, and exercise capacity from more than 3,000 global study participants over a minimum follow-up period of 12 months.

While the results didn’t meet the study’s higher threshold for statistical significance, the therapy demonstrated a numerical improvement across mortality, heart failure hospitalizations, and exercise capacity. The research team also noted results from a pre-specified pooled analysis with two previous studies of ferric carboxymaltose in heart failure, all comparing the drug to placebo for a fuller look at the available data.

“In the broader review using all three studies, we saw a 14% reduction in cardiovascular deaths and total cardiovascular hospitalizations and a 12% reduction in cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization events overall across data from more than 4,500 participants collectively,” said cardiologist Robert Mentz, MD, corresponding author of the study, associate professor in the Department of Medicine at Duke University School of Medicine, and member of the Duke Clinical Research Institute

“As a practicing heart failure cardiologist, I have felt comfortable prescribing intravenous iron for patients with heart failure prior to this study given the known benefits on improvement in quality of life and exercise capacity,” Mentz said. “Now that we have these results, we have important additional data that show this therapy has potential benefits on clinical outcomes, which could help a broad group of patients with heart failure and iron deficiency across the globe.”

The study was funded by American Regent, Inc., which manufactures ferric carboxymaltose, and is part of the Daiichi Sankyo Group.

In addition to Mentz, study authors include Jyotsna Garg, Frank W. Rockhold, Javed Butler, Carmine G. De Pasquale, Justin A. Ezekowitz, Gregory D. Lewis, Eileen O’Meara, Piotr Ponikowski, Richard W. Troughton, Yee Weng Wong, Lilin She, Josephine Harrington, Robert Adamczyk, Nicole Blackman, and Adrian F. Hernandez (Duke authors in bold).

Wang Visits Moi Teaching Hospital

We’re excited to have an update from Dr. Andrew Wang regarding his recent visit to the team at Moi Teaching Hospital:

“I am most grateful for the recent opportunity to have visited the Moi University Regional Teaching Hospital (MTRH) and AMPATH program in Eldoret, Kenya. Since 2009, Duke cardiology (under the leadership of Drs. Eric Velazquez, Jerry Bloomfield and Titus Ngeno) and the Hubert-Yeargen Center for Global Health have provided foundational support for developing a Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Disease Center of Excellence initially funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and, since 2013, developed a cardiology fellowship program and cardiac intensive care unit. The fellowship program has trained all of the five busy cardiology faculty at MTRH and has two current fellows. MTRH is now building a cardiac imaging center with cardiac catheterization lab and cardiac MRI suite which will open in 2024.

During my 8 day visit at the MTRH, I had many diverse, meaningful experiences including rounding in the 10-bed Hock Family CCU (with lots of rheumatic heart disease and infective endocarditis cases), teaching fellows, medical and clinical officers, engaging with their cardiology faculty and staff, and learning about the amazing work of AMPATH in Kenya and the Kenyan health care system. I am extremely thankful to Jerry, Titus, and the Hubert-Yeargen Center (Cynthia Binanay, Corrie Walson and Dr. Rebecca Lumsden) for their help in arranging this very memorable and special visit. I look forward to facilitating interactions with their program. Of note, the first two faculty who completed their cardiology fellowship program, Drs. David Lagat and Joan Kiyeng, will be visiting Duke Heart for several weeks in October, so please welcome them soon.”

Thanks for the update, Andrew! We look forward to meeting David and Joan when they visit next month.

Pencina Named Chief Data Scientist

Michael Pencina, PhD, vice dean for data science, professor of biostatistics and bioinformatics at Duke University School of Medicine, and director of Duke AI Health, has been named Duke Health’s first chief data scientist.

Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean Mary E. Klotman, MD, and Duke University Health System Chief Executive Officer Craig Albanese, MD, MBA, announced Pencina’s appointment.

“In the current era of rapid expansion of AI and data science, we created this new role in recognition of the need for a well-articulated strategy for Duke Health that spans and connects both our academic and our clinical missions,” Klotman and Albanese said in their announcement. “Dr. Pencina will facilitate a strategic planning process to best align our priorities and resources and to build upon Duke’s national leadership in trustworthy AI.”

Pencina will also partner with key leaders in Duke University School of Medicine and Duke University Health System to leverage and expand the opportunities afforded by the recently announced partnerships with Microsoft and nference.

As chief data scientist, Pencina will report to Klotman, DUHS Chief Digital Officer Jeffrey Ferranti, MD, and DUHS Chief Medical Officer Richard Shannon, MD. In addition, he will work in close partnership and alignment with the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and the Department of Population Health Sciences.

Pencina is uniquely qualified to bridge data science, health care, and AI. As vice dean for data science in the School of Medicine, he is responsible for developing and implementing quantitative science strategies as they pertain to the education and training and laboratory, clinical science, and data science missions of the School of Medicine. Previously, he served as director of biostatistics at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.

Pencina will continue spearheading Duke’s role as founding partner for the Coalition for Health AI, whose mission is to increase trustworthiness of AI by developing guidelines to drive high-quality health care through adoption of credible, fair, and transparent health AI systems. He is an internationally recognized authority in evaluation of artificial intelligence tools and algorithms for health expert panels, and guideline groups frequently rely on his work to advance best practices for application of algorithms in clinical medicine.

Kudos to Gaca & Team!

A grateful patient sent a thank you note to the leadership of Duke University Hospital, remarking on the level of care and service they were recently provided by Dr. Jeff Gaca and the surgical support teams. In part, the patient wrote:

“As a patient going thru the biggest surgery in my life, I couldn’t have asked for better care (or) a better surgeon, Dr. Gaca. I think you could be extremely proud of so many individuals involved in my care. If I was a part of the leadership team I’d be proud! These were exceptional persons involved in the care I experienced, something I will never forget.” — name withheld for privacy

The card went to Dr. Craig Albanese and was subsequently shared with all of Duke Heart’s leadership team — and we wanted to share it with each of you, since it takes every single one of us working together to make this type of care possible.

From Dr. Albanese: “Thank you for all you & your teams do every day for our patients – your impact is truly life-changing.”

Jeff – thanks for your excellent leadership and for exemplifying our team values!

Shout-out to Milano & Team!

David Gallagher, DUHS Chief Medical Officer, shared an observation with us this week, as well as some terrific comments his team recently received regarding care provided by Carmelo Milano and his team. Here is what he wrote:

“Dear Carmelo, This week we’ve received a few more patient compliments on you and your team! Thank you again so much for the wonderful care you deliver to your patients. In the time that I’ve been CMO and reviewing these compliments and distributing them, you’ve been the leading physician at Duke Hospital in terms of volumes of these wonderful heartfelt notes from patients regarding your great care. Thanks again very much for everything that you do here at Duke, and have a great week!” – David Gallagher, MD

“I received excellent care from all of the nurses, NPs, physicians, EKG techs, CNAs, lab techs and cleaning staff! You have wonderful staff that go above and beyond. Dr. Milano provides the best care I could have ever asked for.” – grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

“I underwent CABG with Dr. Milano, I was a new patient at Duke Univ. Hospital and I received the most compassionate, respectful and “top-notch” care during my entire stay. I was blown away with the quality of care/service that I received. I was a long way from home, but attending Duke was the best choice I have ever made! Thank you for going above and beyond.” – grateful patient, name withheld for privacy

Way to go, Carmelo!

Kudos to Duke Heart Team Excellence!

We received a note this week from cardiac anesthesiologist Mihai Podgoreanu, MD, regarding outstanding care and collaboration provided by members of our Duke Heart team:

“I want to highlight an example of extraordinary team care and communication from this Tuesday. An unfortunate type-A dissection patient arrived via helicopter with evidence of hemopericardium/pericardial tamponade and hypotensive on arrival, prompt arterial line insertion by our outstanding CTICU team, transfer to the OR within 10 min of arrival, uneventful anesthetic induction and incision within an hour of arrival at Duke. Underwent a textbook ascending repair/hemiarch/David valve-sparing operation by the talented Williams-squared team – and is now extubated in the CTICU and ready for floor soon.

The fact that this level of team mobilization occurred while a simultaneous level 1 cardiogenic shock case was being rushed to the operating room is just the icing on the cake and the difference between good and great. My gratitude to all parties involved and included on this email.” – Mihai Podgoreanu, MD

Team members included Adam Williams, Aaron Williams, Scott Snider, Jacqueline Sisto, Bryan Chow, Keith Vandusen, Angelique Arengo, Christine Hayes, Kristen Leroy, Kaitlin Liska, Joshua Watson, Sydney Parker, Shellie Robbins, and Feifei Shi.

“Mihai, first thanks for recognizing the excellence of the team caring for this patient. Kudos to the entire team that made this fantastic care and outcome possible. The care provided by the Duke Heart team is unlike anywhere in the world. I hope each of you will take time to celebrate your amazing talent and the team’s success – – and again, thank you for all you do each and every day.” – Jill Engel

Nicely done, team!

CTS Residents & Fellows Celebrated

Our cardiovascular and thoracic surgery residents and fellows were celebrated with a pool party last weekend at the home of Dr. Edward P. Chen, chief of the division. The event, planned by Drs. Betty Tong, Jeff Keenan, and Doug Overbey included faculty, fellows, residents, and their family members. Attendance was excellent and a great time was had by all! We’re so grateful for the support shown to all of our residents and fellows.

Many thanks to all who joined us!

Hitting with Heart Tourney results

The Duke Heart 7^th Annual Hitting with Heart softball tournament was a great success! The event, held last weekend at the Valley Springs Park athletic fields in Durham, included 13 teams from across DUHS – our largest field of competition yet. All told, roughly 250 people, including players, attended the tournament.

Congratulations to Duke’s vascular interventional radiology team – they took home the 2023 title! The first-time tournament winners were undefeated throughout the entire tournament. Nicely done!

A huge shout-out to Jason Stokes and Jessica Seabrooks, assistant nurse managers on 7 West for all their work to plan and execute the tournament – and thank you to each of our teams for joining us this year, including Duke Engineering & Operations; Duke Birthing Center; Clinical Engineering; the PRT; DRAH Sleep Center; DUH Units 3100/7300; Vascular IR; CTOR; CSC; DMP 6 East, DMP 7 West, and Hospitalists.

A portion of the proceeds from this event helps to support the Triangle Heart Walk. Thanks, everyone! We hope you will join us again next year.

Consumer Engagement Opportunity: Heart Walk

Note: You must be able to send a representative (or two) who can be at the sponsorship tent while it’s open. If interested, email tracey.koepke@duke.edu.

Symposium Will Celebrate Lefkowitz’s 50 Years at Duke

“Celebrating Scientific Discoveries that Advance Human Health” is a scientific symposium that will be held in celebration of Robert J. Lefkowitz’s 50 years at Duke. Open to the public on October 2-3, 2023, in Page Auditorium, this event will include scientific presentations from 7 Nobel Laureates as well as other eminent scientists. The event also includes a special leadership session with Coach K, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean Mary E. Klotman, President Vincent Price, and Dr. Lefkowitz, led by Dr. Sim Sitkin.

October 2-3, 2023, Page Auditorium, Duke University

All faculty, staff, trainees, and students are welcome to attend.

For more information, the full schedule, and event registration please visit: https://medschool.duke.edu/celebrating-scientific-discoveries.

Flu Vaccination Season

As a reminder, DUHS requires all team members to comply with our flu vaccination policy by either being vaccinated annually against the flu or receiving an approved exemption. Our vaccination campaign begins on September 21!

Sept. 21 – Flu vaccination season begins

Oct. 24 – Application deadline for medical/religious exemption

Nov. 7 – (10 a.m.) Deadline for staff vaccination (or granted exemption)

Questions about the flu vaccine? Please contact StopTheFlu@duke.edu or EOHWflu@dm.duke.edu.

ICYMI: Leadership Town Hall Recording Now Available

Thank you to everyone who was able to join the DUHS August Leadership Town Hall. For those of you who were unable to join the live event, a recording of the presentation is now available on Leadership Café.

If you or your team members are interested in booking a bedside musician like William Dawson, please fill out this Qualtrics form to request their time.

The next Leadership Town Hall will take place on Tuesday, September 26, 2023, from 12:00pm-12:45pm.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

September is National AFib Awareness Month!

Medicine Grand Rounds

Sept. 8: Poverty and Equal Dignity in North Carolina with UNC professor of law, Gene Nichol. 8 a.m., DN 2002.

CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conferences

Sept. 8: Oral Anticoagulants with Christopher Granger. Noon, Zoom only.

Cardiology Grand Rounds

CGR will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 12!

DCRI Research Forum

Sept. 26: A fireside chat with NIMHD director Eliseo J. Perez-Stable, MD. Noon. Zoom only.

PWIM: Community Gathering, Sept. 6

In honor of Women in Medicine Month, we are excited to invite all Department of Medicine faculty and trainees to the Program for Women in Internal Medicine (PWIM) Community Gathering on Wednesday, September 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the Honeysuckle at Lakewood.

The event will be a fun night of collaboration and good conversation, including:

“Speed Mentoring,” where faculty will be stationed at different tables to answer trainee and faculty career questions; and a pearls of wisdom moment with special guest DOM Chair Dr. Kathleen Cooney, MD, MACP
Beverages and snacks

Mark your calendars now and join us as we honor and recognize the contributions of women in medicine!

If you have questions or need additional information, please email Dr. Daniella Zipkin at daniella.zipkin@duke.edu.

Duke Caregiver Community Event

Sept. 7: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Durham, NC.

More information available. Registration required. $10 for family caregivers; $75 for professionals in the caregiving industry.

Duke Financial Fitness Week, Sept. 11-14

Duke HR invites all employees to participate in their upcoming Financial Fitness Week. They are offering a series of free webinars designed to assist you in assessing your retirement readiness, making informed financial decisions, and unlocking the potential for financial freedom.

The full schedule of events and registration links are available here: https://duke.is/c/qc2t

CME: Special Care for Pregnant Hearts, Sept. 20

To learn more and for registration, please visit https://obgyn.duke.edu/education-training/continuing-medical-education.

Duke Football Healthcare Appreciation Day: Sept 30

Sept. 30: Duke Football vs. Notre Dame. Time TBA.

SOM Academic New Faculty Orientation: Oct. 16 & 17

To see the agenda and learn more, visit: https://medschool.duke.edu/about-us/faculty-resources/faculty-development/our-programs/school-medicine-academic-new-faculty.

To register: https://dukefacdev.wufoo.com/forms/qr1ae7g1aoyckd/

Questions? Contact the School of Medicine Office for Faculty at facdev@dm.duke.edu.

Black Men in Medicine: Speed Mentoring

October 24, 5:30-7:00 p.m., Trent Semans, Classroom 4

Black Men in Medicine (BMIM) is introducing a “Speed Mentoring” event, where structured conversations will facilitate meaningful connections, potentially paving the way for future mentorships, research partnerships, and avenues for career advancement. The upcoming BMIM gathering presents an opportunity to expand your network, exchange ideas, and delve into collaborative ventures with individuals who share your aspirations and experiences.

Join us for an evening of inspiration and interaction, where the power of connection awaits.

Dinner will be provided – but registration is required!

Featured Faculty:

Joseph Jackson, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Kafui Dzirasa, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences and Neurosciences
Kevin Thomas, MD, Professor of Medicine
Leon Herndon, MD, Professor of Ophthalmology
Opeyemi Olabisi, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine
Rory Goodwin, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Wilton Williams, PhD, Associate Professor of Surgery

Who Should attend? Any faculty member, trainee, or student in the Schools of Medicine and Nursing, of any race or gender, who supports the objective of BMIM are invited to attend. Black males in these roles are strongly encouraged to attend. This includes trainees and students across the continuum including medical, physical therapy, PA, MBS and residents, fellows, and post-doctoral candidates.

Questions? Email fiona.johann@duke.edu

15^th Annual NC RTP Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium

Nov. 17: The 15^th annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium will be held on Friday, November 17^th at the Durham Convention Center. Faculty directors will be H. James Ford, MD, director of the PH program at UNC, and Terry Fortin, MD, co-director of the Pulmonary Vascular Disease Center at Duke. Registration coming soon!

Have news to share?

Duke Heart in the News:

August 25 — Sana Al-Khatib

Healio/Cardiology

Treating atrial high-rate episodes with edoxaban not effective, may be harmful

https://duke.is/p/mpnp

August 26 — Robert Mentz

ESC Newsroom

Trial of ferric carboxymaltose in heart failure does not meet primary endpoint

https://duke.is/4/wz5r

August 26 — Manesh Patel

tctMD