Home » Uncategorized » Duke Heart Pulse — January 12, 2025

Duke Heart Pulse — January 12, 2025

By Tracey Koepke in Uncategorized on January 12, 2025.

Highlights of the week:

Duke Heart Receives ACHA Reaccreditation

Congrats to our adult congenital heart team! They have achieved 5-year reaccreditation as an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Comprehensive Care Center by the Adult Congenital Heart Association.

We have an incredibly dedicated and hardworking adult congenital team, and accreditation underscores this for our patients and their families.

Way to go!

Tier 2 Visitor Restrictions

Due to the increase in respiratory illness throughout our communities and after consultation with Duke’s Infectious Disease and Infection Prevention experts, updated visitation restrictions were set in place on January 6, 2025.

Masking is strongly recommended throughout patient care areas and continues to be required in some areas.
Reminder, masks should be worn properly. Cover your nose and mouth at all times, and do not wear masks around your chin, neck, or on your forehead.
Visiting hours are from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.
A maximum of two visitors at a time are allowed per patient.
Visitors must check in at the hospital information desk to receive a visitor badge to enter inpatient areas.
All visitors must be age 12+. (Visitors in some clinical areas must be age 18+.)
Minors are required to be attended by an adult age 18+ at all times.
Visitors must check out upon departure at a kiosk or with information desk staff.
Visitors with fever, cough, or other flu-like symptoms should not visit.

Please note: Additional visitation and masking precautions may apply to certain patient populations, including without limitation, COVID-19/Special Airborne Contact, oncology, end-of-life, and overnight visitors. Please follow all unit guidelines. Exceptions to visitation restrictions may be granted based on special circumstances, including without limitation, to permit Compassionate Care Visitors.

Thanks for all you do to keep our patients and team members safe!

Shout-out to Araba Ofosu!

Duke Primary Care at Maria Parham extended a shout-out to Dr. Araba Ofosu (Cardiology):

While visiting the practice this week, the entire group praised the care coordination they have with Dr. Ofosu who was recruited in partnership with Duke Cardiology. They indicated their patients “love her”.

The above shout-out appeared in the Jan. 10 issue of The Maria Parham Minute, the internal newsletter for Maria Parham Health, part of Duke LifePoint Healthcare. It was shared with us by Schuyler Jones.

Great job, Araba!

Duke Heart Welcomes New Family Members!

We are thrilled to share that we have added new family members! Please join us in welcoming and celebrating the arrival of:

Cardiology fellow Joshua Rushakoff and his wife Samantha welcomed their son, Louis, on Dec. 18. Samantha and baby Louis are doing well, and their daughter Noa is enjoying getting to know her new brother. Welcome, Louis!

Cardiology fellow Manasi Tannu and her husband welcomed daughter Arya on Jan. 1. Manasi says, “She is a bundle of joy and has brought so much light to our lives.”

Congratulations to all and we look forward to meeting your cuties!

Candidates Sought for Zhu Lab, CVRC

Two positions are currently available in the laboratory of Dr. Ching Zhu, a newly recruited cardiac electrophysiologist and physician-scientist in the Duke Cardiovascular Research Center. Zhu’s team is seeking a postdoctoral associate and a research technician.

The Zhu Lab pursues interdisciplinary research centered on unraveling the mechanisms by which the sympathetic nervous system controls susceptibility to lethal cardiac arrhythmias. Postgraduate trainees or premedical students interested in dedicating 1-2 years to full-time basic/translational research are encouraged to apply.

More details on the positions and Dr. Zhu’s research can be found here: https://duke.is/5/uyut.

Post-Holiday Pics!

Our Cardiology APP Stepdown team wanted to help spread Holiday cheer on Christmas Day. The team dressed up in “Ugly” Christmas Sweaters and shared a potluck meal.

Shown here are members of our Christmas Day crew: Mike Towery, Troy Piorkowski, Sydney Ness, Henry Delgado-Avila, Tara Wilson, Allison Lindgren, Nicolena D’Sola, and Sasmrita Belbase.

And we have a few photos from Mike Sketch’s last day of clinic celebration in December. Shown here are Drs. Cary Ward, Mike Sketch, Sarah Snow, and Melissa Daubert.

In this shot, (Front, L-R) are Fran Reda, Ann Lin, Heather Wyatt, and Kiki Osude. Back row, Mike Sketch, Sarah Snow, and Melissa Daubert.

Great pics, everyone!

Giving Opportunity for Western NC Extended Through January 31

Please consider a contribution as part of the Duke Department of Medicine’s effort to support the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) in Asheville, NC, for its 2024 Holiday Fundraiser.

So far, the effort has received 53 gifts for a fundraising total of $13,960. The need remains great, so additional gifts in any amount are welcome. Thanks to all who have already donated!

The donation website will remain open for the rest of January 2025 for anyone who may still want to contribute. To donate online, visit https://duke.is/9/g2gr or send a check payable to “MAHEC” to:

MAHEC Department of Philanthropy

121 Hendersonville Road Asheville, NC 28803

Memo: Duke

MAHEC has been a lifeline for Western North Carolina, delivering health care and training the next generation of providers who serve its rural and underserved communities. Some learners were forced to relocate to continue their education while visiting medical students scheduled to train in the area had to be turned away.

For some perspective on the needs there and to read about the effort please see the full story here.

Duke Health Leadership Announcement, Oncology

Duke University Hospital President and DUHS Group President Greg Pauly announced last week that, following a national search, Mara Bloom, JD, MS, has been appointed Vice President of Oncology Services for Duke University Health System.

“Mara is a transformational healthcare leader with nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare clinical operations, business development, strategic planning, and financial management,” Pauly said. “She has a proven track record of driving organizational alignment, interdisciplinary team building, and quality patient care.”

She will report to Pauly and will join the health system on February 4, 2025.

Mara will join us from Massachusetts General Hospital, where she most recently served as a Senior Vice President of the Cancer Center, Radiation Oncology, and Dermatology. In that role, she oversaw the entire cancer clinical and research enterprise, as well as the regional cancer network and international affairs.

In her new position, Mara will oversee the administrative aspects of oncology operations throughout the health system. She will work closely with Dr. Peter Allen, Vice President of Clinical Services, and Dr. Ted Alyea, Chief Medical Officer of the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI). She will also collaborate with Dr. Michael Kastan, Executive Director of the DCI, to advance strategic and operational success in clinical care, research, and education across the health system.

Pauly extended his appreciation to Jennifer Kennedy-Stovall for her outstanding leadership during the interim period. He noted that her dedication, commitment, and vision have been critical in maintaining our focus on our patients and ensuring that we continue to serve our community in the exceptional way that only Duke can.

Please join us in welcoming Mara to Duke Health!

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Cardiology Grand Rounds

Jan. 14: AHA Recap with Kristin Newby and Sana Al-Khatib. 5 p.m., via Zoom.

If you missed any of our CGR’s from the past calendar year, all Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. CGRs for 2025 will be posted starting this week. To access recordings please visit:

2024 CGR Recordings

NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!

MLK Celebrations

Jan. 19: Duke University MLK Commemoration Keynote Address, 3 p.m.

The Hon. Jerry Blackwell, a member of the prosecution team that won a murder conviction for the killing of George Floyd, will deliver the keynote talk at Duke University’s annual MLK Commemoration at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 19 in Duke Chapel. The theme of this year’s event, which is free and open to the public, is “Hope Powered by Community: Protecting King’s Dream through Determination and Unity.”

Read more at Duke Today. A livestream will be available.

Jan. 22: Duke Health MLK Commemoration & Humanitarian Award Ceremony, Noon-2 p.m.

Join us Wednesday, January 22 from 12 – 2 p.m. in the Trent Semans Great Hall as we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

LeVelle Moton, a President’s Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient and men’s head basketball coach at North Carolina Central University, will give our keynote address. The event will also celebrate the recipients of the Duke MLK Humanitarian Award.

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. The deadline to register is Tuesday, January 14. Register here.

Save The Date!

National Wear Red Day: Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.

2025 Upcoming Duke Heart CMEs

The following CME activities, sponsored by Duke Heart, have been scheduled. Registration is not yet open, but stay tuned for additional information.

February 18, 2025: Remote Patient Care: A New Era in Cardiovascular Disease Management; 5:00-7:30 pm Eastern on Zoom; will be free
April 26, 2025: Duke Structural Heart Symposium (live event at Trent Semans Center in Durham)
June 7, 2025: Duke Heart Failure Symposium (live event at Durham Convention Center in Durham)
October 31, 2025: 17th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium (live event at Durham Convention Center)

The following event is being planned for Fall 2025; date has not yet been set:

October: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium (live event, location TBD)

Final Reflect and Connect Session

The holiday season can be busy, stressful, and isolating for many. Duke Personal Assistance Service (PAS) is hosting three “Reflection and Connection” sessions that will use storytelling as a means of reducing stress and creating a stronger sense of connection with yourself and others.

The sessions will be held remotely via Zoom. Participants will be guided through practices of a mini-mental makeover and expressive writing to reflect and nurture empathy and a sense of meaning in response to stress – whether personal, professional, or related to current events or the stress and pressures (and joys) of the holiday season.

Writing exercises are for the sole use and benefit of participants, who are not required to share anything they write. Registration is required. You can attend any/all of the sessions offered.

Remaining date:

Tuesday, January 14, from 4–5 p.m.

Register Here

Women’s Health Symposium – Feb. 21, 2025

A women’s health symposium will be held on Feb. 21, 2025, in the Trent Semans Center’s Great Hall.

Organized by the Duke/NCCU BIRCWH Career Development Program, the Women’s Health Symposium “Scientific Meeting on All Aspects of Women’s Health and the Influence of Sex as a Biological Variable on Health Conditions” will be held on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, at the Trent Semans Center Great Hall. The featured speakers are Sharonne Hayes, MD, a cardiologist and professor of cardiovascular medicine at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and Cynthia Kuhn, PhD, a professor of pharmacology and cancer biology at the Duke University School of Medicine.

Featured events include an interactive session on navigating the “bumps” along your research path and a poster session. For more details about the event, or to register and submit your poster topic click here.

2025 Duke Safety & Quality Conference

The Duke Safety & Quality Conference will be held on April 17, 2025. The abstract deadline was extended until today, Sunday, January 12, by 5 p.m.

Click here to learn more and to review the submission criteria.

Have news to share?

If you have news to share with the Pulse readership contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart & Vascular 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 interest our team. Please call with any questions: 919-681-2868. Feedback on Pulse is welcome and encouraged. Submissions by Noon on Wednesdays will be considered for weekend inclusion.

Duke Heart in the News:

December 18 — Leanna Ross

Peloton-The Output

This Is How Long It Takes to Lose Muscle Gains During a Fitness Break

December 25 — Duke University Hospital

The Daily Galaxy

From Sci-Fi to Reality: World’s First ‘Titanium Heart’ Transplant Saved a Man’s Life

December 26 — Manesh Patel and Jonathan Piccini

Medscape (Portugal)

Qual o futuro dos inibidores do fator XI na fibrilação atrial?

December 26 — Stephen Greene

HCP Live