Home » Uncategorized » Duke Heart Pulse — March 3, 2024

Duke Heart Pulse — March 3, 2024

By Tracey Koepke in Uncategorized on March 3, 2024.

Highlights of the week:

Bashore Selected for TBJ Lifetime Achievement Award

We are excited to share that Thomas Bashore, MD, professor of medicine in cardiology, has been chosen by the Triangle Business Journal (TBJ) as the recipient of their 2024 Health Care Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bashore was nominated for his decades of service to heart patients at Duke and his outstanding mentorship and skills as an educator. His clinical care specialty has been the care of patients with congenital heart disease. The improvement in both surgical and medical care of infants and children with congenital heart disease in the U.S. has resulted in more children surviving into adulthood and more adults living with adult congenital heart disease. Duke School of Medicine, specifically the division of cardiology, was one of the first programs in the country to recognize the lack of specialists in this area and was one of the first to begin training cardiology fellows in caring for patients with adult congenital heart disease. Bashore was the founder of this training program at Duke along with Duke pediatrician, Tim Garson, MD, in 1993.

Bashore also founded the valvular heart disease program at Duke and he is a co-founder of Duke Heart Center. His career has spanned more than fifty years – the last 40 of which he has spent promoting valvular and adult congenital heart disease clinical care and training. While doing so, he has cared for thousands of patients — helping many of them survive into adulthood and go on to have children of their own.

During his career at Duke, he served as director of the Diagnostic Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories for 10 years, and then as the Director of the Cardiology Fellowship Training Program for 12 years. He has been a member and/or chairman of numerous committees of the American College of Cardiology over the years and is the author of more than 300 manuscripts, over 100 book chapters and reviews, and three books. He has helped train hundreds of cardiologists through his work at Duke, and his mentoring has led many of his trainees into academic teaching careers.

Bashore has been recognized locally and nationally for his clinical care of patients with congenital heart disease and, as a result, he has been the recipient of numerous teaching awards throughout his career. He has been recognized by the Duke University School of Medicine for his skill as an educator with a Master Clinician/Teacher Award (2006); the Leonard Palumbo Jr. Faculty Achievement Award (2014) for clinical care and teaching, as well as a Duke Medical Center Alumni Distinguished Faculty Award (2015). Dr. Bashore has received major national teaching and clinical care awards as well. The American College of Cardiology selected him for its annual Distinguished Teacher Award in 2018, while the American Heart Association awarded him its Laennec Master Clinician Award in 2019.

For the last 40 years, Bashore has been voted into the nation’s Best Doctors and America’s Top Doctors programs where he has consistently been listed among the top 1-5% in the field of cardiology. On a national level, he has continued his commitment to patient care and to educating future clinicians by serving on multiple educational committees, teaching national cardiology board review courses for the Society of Cardiovascular Intervention and the American College of Cardiology (ACC); and he has served as an editor, chairman, or associate editor of many of the ACC self-assessment books and lifelong learning programs, as well as on question-writing committees and assisting with the ACC website educational effort.

The Valvular Disease Program and Adult Congenital Program at Duke are now nationally recognized and Duke continues to serve as a leader in treating complex congenital heart problems — much of this due to Bashore’s commitment and vision.

Bashore and other awardees will be honored by the TBJ at their upcoming awards dinner in April.

Congratulations, Tom – this is very well deserved!

Duke Becomes 1^st Enroller for PreVail-PH2 Study

Congratulations to Marat Fudim, Richard Krasuski, Rose Burns, and Khalia Stewart and their team on becoming the first enrolling site for an important clinical trial being conducted through the Duke Early Phase Clinical Research Unit (DEPRU).

Duke has become the first enroller for the Pulmonary Artery DenerVation Clinical Study Using the Gradient Denervation System in Heart Failure Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Group 2 (PreVail-PH2 Study), an early feasibility, device study enrolling heart failure patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Given the association with higher morbidity and mortality as well as the prevalence of the disease, there is a significant unmet need to develop effective therapeutics for this population as well as reason to explore non-pharmacologic options to effectively reduce PH in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The Gradient Denervation System, which is being studied, is indicated for pulmonary artery denervation treatment in these patients and is intended to ablate nerves within the pulmonary artery using ultrasonic ablation. The study will enroll approximately 30 patients and is expected to be conducted across eight recruitment sites.

Gearing up for the first enrollment and first procedure day has not been a light lift and has taken significant investigator involvement as well as all-star coordinator efforts, according to Fudim, study PI. Krasuski serves as co-investigator; Burns is the lead CRNC, and Stewart is CRC for PreVail-PH2.

The investigators are grateful to the entire CRU team and appreciate their commitment to not only ensuring Duke is taking part in important research but also helping the team stand out as top performers and site leaders in the trials we choose to undertake. They want to thank the groups that support the team, especially their specific representatives who helped facilitate the team’s success by helping expedite study set-up requirements, including Diane Bresch of DOCR, Ashley Madison of ORC, Stephanie Minter with DOCR start-up, Helen Bran with the Cath lab, and Aubrie Coburn with CDU. The team is particularly proud of becoming the first enroller just three weeks following site activation.

Congratulations to all – great teamwork!

Heart Transplant Team Recognized During Duke MBB Game

We are thrilled to share that our amazing advanced heart failure and heart transplant team was recognized on the court during a break in play in the Duke vs. Virginia men’s basketball game last night (March 2).

Members of the team were brought onto the court during the second half and recognized for their recent team milestones, contributions to the field of transplantation, and overall excellence in the care of heart transplant patients.

You can read more about the complex care our cardiothoracic transplant program provides in Duke Cardiothoracic Transplant Program Accepts the Most Complex Cases, a recent article for referring providers.

Congratulations!

Krasuski & ACHA In DC

Cardiologist Rich Krasuski had a busy day in Washington on Thursday. Krasuski was at the Capitol with the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA) discussing the work they do and the importance of supporting the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, legislation that would extend funding for public health efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to improve childhood survival rates, prevent premature death and disability, and increase quality of life for the 2.5 million Americans living with congenital heart disease. This is an important piece of legislation for the future of ACHD.

Krasuski and the team met with Senator Dick Durbin in his office. Left to right: Mark Roeder, CEO of the ACHA; Richard Krasuski, MD; Senator Durbin; Aliza Marlin; Scott Leezer, vice president of Government Relations at CURA Strategies, and Jim Rumple, Chair of the Board of Directors of the ACHA.

Great job, Rich!

ICYMI: Swaminathan Recognized for Advocacy

Madhav Swaminathan, MD, a professor of anesthesiology at Duke specializing in cardiothoracic anesthesiology and critical care medicine, was recently highlighted for his DEI and advocacy work with Duke’s Neurodiversity Initiative Working Group. If you happened to miss the post by Duke School of Medicine last week, it is certainly worth checking out.

Keep up the great work, Madhav!

Please Vote in USNWR Best Hospitals for Cardiology & Heart Surgery

USNWR voting for Best Hospitals by specialty is now open in Doximity. If you are board-certified in the U.S. and have claimed your Doximity profile already, please log into your account by March 27 to complete the brief survey: submit your nominations.

New to Doximity? Find and register your profile to vote. Just go to Doximity’s login page, scroll to the bottom and click on “find your profile” – find yours and claim it/register. You can participate in the survey as long as you register on Doximity prior to the survey closing on March 27.

The survey allows you to list up to five hospitals as Best Hospital in the specialty in which you are board-certified. Your ballot counts even if you vote only for one hospital.

As with primaries and national elections, every vote is important!

Support Frazier-Mills, Duke Health’s 2024 AHA Woman of Impact!

Please join us in supporting electrophysiologist Camille Frazier-Mills, MD, one of the Triangle American Heart Association’s Women of Impact in her campaign to raise funds to support Go Red for Women.

Frazier-Mills is representing Duke Health as a Woman of Impact in the 2024 campaign and we want to help her reach her campaign goal. By donating, each of us can support her campaign and help ensure more women have equitable access to cardiovascular care and better representation in critically needed medical research.

** Check out Camille Frazier-Mills’ campaign page and please donate by April 4. **

Every year across the country, a select group of individuals are nominated to be a part of Woman of Impact because of their passion and drive to make a difference. This 9-week blind competition is relentlessly focused on women’s heart health. The campaign launched on National Wear Red Day (Feb. 2) and closes on April 4. During this time, the nominees work to build campaign plans, recruit Impact teams, and inspire their networks to support the American Heart Association’s lifesaving mission.

At the end of the campaign, this special group of changemakers will be celebrated for the overall impact they have on the AHA’s mission and the Triangle community. The nominee who makes the greatest impact and raises the most funds locally will be named a local 2024 Woman of Impact Winner.

Additionally, the nominee who makes the greatest impact nationwide will be named the American Heart Association 2024 National Woman of Impact Winner.

Let’s help her reach and exceed her goal – let’s help her WIN! Go, Camille!

New CFO announced for DUHS

Lisa M. Goodlett, CPA, MBA, FACHE will join Duke as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer for Duke University Health System, effective March 4, 2024. Lisa will work closely with leaders across the health system to develop and implement financial, operations, and growth strategies. She joins DUHS from the Medical University of South Carolina where she served as system CFO.

Great Catch Brittenham!

Congratulations to Kida Brittenham of Duke Heart’s 7 West team — Kida noticed a sudden change in the amount and character of a patient’s drainage in a negative pressure wound therapy suction canister. She immediately escalated her concern to the provider team and continued to advocate for the patient. The provider discovered an aortic leak, and the patient was taken emergently to the OR and received life-saving care.

Way to go, Kida – thank you for your dedication to safe care for our patients!

DUHS Moves to Tier 1 Visitation Status, Tues. March 5

After consulting with Infectious Disease and Infection Prevention experts and closely monitoring respiratory illness in our community, DUHS will move to Tier 1 visitation status on Tuesday, March 5.

Visitation highlights:

Hospital visiting hours: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.
Up to four visitors at a time where space permits; switching is allowed.
Visitors of all ages are allowed in inpatient, maternity, and ambulatory spaces.
Visitors must be 18+ in perioperative/surgical/procedural areas.

Note: Additional visitation and masking precautions may apply to certain patient populations.

Exceptions to visitation restrictions may be granted based on special circumstances.

To keep everyone healthy, please remember to practice safe behaviors, including frequent hand hygiene and the proper use of PPE. Please do not come to work if you are sick. More information is available on Duke Health Now.

Adam Silver Elected Chair, Duke University BOT

Duke alumnus and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver will serve as chair of Duke University Board of Trustees for a three-year term starting July 1, succeeding Laurene Sperling. Silver, who currently serves as vice chair, was elected to the post by the Board of Trustees at its recent quarterly meeting.

Reminder: NC Primary/”Super Tuesday” is March 5

The NC Primary is Tuesday, March 5. To find your polling place, you can click here.

Additional information on voting and voter ID requirements can be found on the Duke Votes website.

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Friday, March 8 is International Women’s Day
March is National Nutrition Month
USNWR Best Hospitals Voting is open (through March 27). Please check your Doximity account and vote!

Cardiology Grand Rounds

March 5: No CGR today.

March 12: Arrhythmias in Myocardial Infarction: Beyond the Substrate with Ching Zhu, MD. 5 p.m., DN 2002 or via Zoom.

March 19: Beyond the Bump: Navigating the Interplay of Cardiovascular Health and Obstetrics in the Modern Era with Sarah Snow, MD. 5 p.m., DN 2002 or via Zoom.

March 26: Topic TBD with Brittany Zwischenberger, MD. 5 p.m., DN 2002 or via Zoom.

All Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:

NET ID and password required. Enjoy!

CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference

March 6: EP Case Presentation with Sara Coles and Jonathan Hanna. Noon. DMP 2W96 (in-person only).

March 8: Pregnancy & Heart Disease with Cary Ward. Noon, DMP 2W96 (in-person only).

Upcoming CME Symposia

March 8: Cardio-Oncology/Amyloid Symposium

The Southeastern Cardio-Oncology Conference, The Future is Now will take place on March 8 at the JB Duke Hotel in Durham, NC. Event registration is open; the registration deadline is March 5.

Duke cardiologists Michel Khouri and Ravi Karra of Duke’s Precision Cardiomyopathy Program will be presenters during the symposium.

Keynote to be provided by Avirup Guha, director of cardio-oncology and assistant professor of medicine at Augusta University’s Georgia Cancer Center.

The symposium is presented by Duke Cancer Network (DCN) in collaboration with Duke Cancer Institute. For more information, please contact Beth Tanner of DCN.

April 12: Duke Sports Cardiology & Sudden Death in Athletes

May 4: Duke Heart Failure Symposium

Registration is not yet open for the April 12 or May 4 symposia, but if you have questions about either event, please reach out to Christy Darnell.

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:

February 24 — Joseph Turek and the Monroe family

Spectrum News Carolina

North Carolina toddler alive today thanks to a first-of-its-kind procedure

*clip begins @ 15:34:11

February 25 — Taylor Stephenson (lung transplant patient)

WNCN Raleigh

Lifesaving surgery at Duke Hospital gives a young woman a new chance at a better life

*clip begins @ 08:16:30

February 25 — John Reynolds and Taylor Stephenson

WRAL Raleigh

A new lease on life after a woman’s 3rd double-lung transplant