Chief’s message: Information, Data, AI and information Networks
The fall is starting to come to North Carolina and this time of year is one of the more beautiful times in our area. Hopefully, you all are getting to spend sometime outside over the next few weeks. This week Duke Heart continues to work to accomplish our missions in an ever evolving world. We were able to collaborate on some important projects in the last week and had some clear examples of where our teams can make a difference. We are in full swing for recruiting fellows in cardiology and faculty for the upcoming years. Please take a look at some of the upcoming events including a launch of advertising for Duke Heart, the AHA Heart Walk, and APP week upcoming.
Additionally, in keeping with our reading list – if you have the chance – I would recommend consider reading the novel Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari. The book traverses a vast timeline, examining how humans have communicated 
and shared information from ancient times to the modern era, culminating in the age of artificial intelligence. The book is structured chronologically, beginning with the earliest forms of communication in the Stone Age, such as cave paintings and oral traditions. It progresses through significant historical developments, including the invention of writing, the printing press, and the telegraph, highlighting how each innovation transformed societal structures and information dissemination.As the narrative advances, Harari delves into the digital age, discussing the rise of the internet, social media, and the burgeoning influence of AI on information networks. Each chapter is rich with historical anecdotes, technological insights, and analyses of the societal impacts of these networks. The author successfully illustrates the interconnectedness of communication advancements and societal change, the role of humans in shaping and changing stories and information – making the book both enlightening and thought-provoking. His exploration of AI’s role in modern information networks is particularly relevant and timely, given current technological trends. As we continue to work on getting scientific and medical information out to our communities – this book provides an interesting and important perspective for our health systems.
These themes will help us with our work to communicate our focus on aligning our clinical growth with our research missions in cardiovascular health.
Highlights of the week:
Heart Access Advertising Campaign to Launch Oct. 6
We are pleased to announce the pending launch of an advertising campaign designed to feature the accessibility of Duke Heart services throughout our area.
Marketing research of patients in our community has found that more than half of respondents prioritize ease and accessibility when choosing specialty health care. While Duke Heart already offers same-day and next-day appointments, over the past year our team has worked to expand access through online scheduling, template changes, and new hires.
As a result of these efforts, a new multi-channel, consumer-facing marketing campaign will be launched on October 6 to highlight Duke Health’s 48-hour access to specialty care — focusing on our heart and orthopedic service lines, albeit in dedicated ads.
The campaign will run throughout our primary market through June 2026. Ads will appear at various times across an assortment of platforms, including:
- Television commercials (digital and cable), including one specifically for heart services.
- Digital ads
- Radio ads (digital and traditional)
- Outdoor advertisements in Wake county — including billboards, bus ads, and display ads in outdoor malls.
- Ads in Raleigh-Durham International Airport
- Triangle Heart Walk (Oct. 11) tie-in via the Duke Health team shirts and an ‘activation’ tent in the walker activities area.
This Access initiative aligns with Duke Health’s strategic pillars of people, access, and growth, and reflects our commitment to meeting patients where they are—both geographically and in their healthcare journey.
We know patients value efficiency and flexibility. Our marketing campaign will emphasize ease of scheduling and timely access to care across Duke Heart locations.
Thank you for the exceptional care you provide every day. Your work continues to place patients and their families at the center of everything we do. We are excited about this campaign and we appreciate your help and attention to ensuring our patients can be seen quickly throughout our clinical areas.
Celebrating APPs
This week (Sept. 22-26) is National Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Week, a celebration and awareness week honoring the contributions of Physician Assistants/Associates, Nurse Practitioners, Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Certified Nurse Midwives, and Certified Anesthesiologist Assistants. The theme this year is “Racing Toward the Future: Celebrating APPs.”
We recognize and celebrate providers who are certified and licensed to assess, diagnose, treat, and manage illnesses, prescribe medications, perform clinical procedures, and conduct clinical research in the management of our patients. This important group of providers throughout Duke Health and the U.S. elevates the fields of medicine and nursing to ensure our patients and communities receive safe, high-quality, evidence-based care.
The Duke Heart APP team is filled with amazing, supportive, terrific colleagues, so be sure to thank an APP this week!
Relocation of Duke North 3300 to Duke North 6300 Completed
Duke North 3300 relocated to 6300 (31-bed unit) on Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025. There is no change in the patient population on this unit. 6300 was specifically chosen as the move location because of the proximity to both of our other CT step-down Units (6100 and 6E).
Thanks to everyone who helped ensure a smooth transition!
Service Line Leadership Strategic Meeting Held
The Duke Heart service line gathered our operational leaders on Friday, Sept. 19, for a strategic meeting to discuss year-end performance and an overview of our strategic growth plan. Jill Engel and Manesh Patel led the presentation.
Many thanks to our Center of Excellence team for hosting the meeting in their space!
AI at Duke Newsletter
Are you interested in learning more about how Duke is shaping the future of AI in research, teaching, and learning? AI at Duke has launched a monthly newsletter, which will share highlights about the interdisciplinary AI work happening across Duke and updates on the university’s evolving strategic framework around AI.
The first edition can be viewed here, which provides a recap of AI stories from this summer. If you would like to subscribe, click here.
As information regarding Duke Heart’s projects in AI becomes available, we may share information with the AI at Duke team for their newsletter consideration. We have several projects working with partners and will be sharing in upcoming weeks.
System Updates:
TJC Visit: DUH received a full accreditation award letter from The Joint Commission this week. Congratulations to all!
Use of Patient Transport Elevators (DUH): Please remind your teams to refrain from using patient transport elevators. New signage has been installed to indicate which elevators in DN and the DCT are designated for patient transport only and should not be used by staff for non-patient transport activities. Your support is appreciated as we work to efficiently care for each patient.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
September: National Atrial Fibrillation Awareness Month
September 15-October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month
October 6-24: Open Enrollment period for 2026 medical benefits
October 9: Flu vaccination season launch
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Sept. 23: ESC Update (Session 1) with Manesh Patel. 5 p.m., 2002 DN or via Zoom.
Sept. 30: ESC Update (Session 2) with Jennifer Rymer. 5 p.m. DN 2002 or via Zoom.
MMCVI Grand Rounds
Multi-Modality Cardiovascular Imaging Grand Rounds: A multi-imaging approach to cardiovascular disease cases. Thursdays, Noon to 1 p.m., via Zoom.
Sept. 25: Mitral Stenosis with Jon Owensby
Oct. 2: Aortic Stenosis with Bharathi Upadhya
Oct. 9: RV Guidelines with Fawaz Alenezi
Oct. 16: Quality in the Echo Lab with Ashlee Davis
Oct. 23 Topic TBD with Tess Allan
Oct. 30: Cardiovascular Imaging in Pregnancy with Nish Shivakumar
CME Offerings:
Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium — October 4
This year’s symposium is designed to address emerging clinical questions in echocardiography, updated guideline recommendations, and new imaging modalities through case-based learning and practical applications. The 2025 agenda features expert-led sessions on updated ASE guidelines, coronary artery disease evaluation, strain imaging in cardiomyopathies, tricuspid valve disease, cardiac POCUS, and technical skills development through hands-on breakout sessions. Trent Semans Center, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
To register, please visit https://duke.is/b/vd87.
17th Annual NC RTP Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium — October 31
This symposium will explore optimal diagnostic strategies for treating patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, treatment selection, and timely referrals to specialized PH centers. Clinically challenging presentations, including CTD-PAH, CPPC PH, CTEPH, PH associated with ILD, COPD, portopulmonary hypertension, and PH in end-stage renal disease, will be addressed — with a focus on frontline providers — through interactive lectures and robust case-based discussions. Durham Convention Center. Register here.
Duke Cardiovascular MR Practicum & Board Review – December 8-12
The Fall 2025 course will be held December 8-12 in the Penn Pavilion at Duke University. For more information, contact Michele Parker. The full course brochure and registration link are available here.
Other Events:
SOM Leadership Town Hall – September 30
Dean Klotman will host a School of Medicine Town Hall: Financial and Operational Strategy Updates on September 30 at 12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. All faculty, staff, students, and residents are invited to attend. A Zoom link will be available closer to the date of the event.
2025 Triangle Heart Walk – October 11
The 2025 Triangle Heart Walk will take place on October 11 at Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, 3801 Rock Quarry Rd, Raleigh, NC 27610. Festivities begin at 7:30 a.m.; a brief “Welcome” program will officially open the walk at 8:45 a.m., with the walk immediately following. The event venue will be open through 11 a.m.
New Faculty Orientation – October 13
The School of Medicine’s annual Academic New Faculty Orientation will be held Monday, October 13, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Great Hall of the Trent Semans Center. To learn more and register, please visit https://duke.is/SOM-NFO.
Dr. Thomas Bashore Collection Opening – October 29
The opening celebration of the Bashore Collection is scheduled for October 29 at 4:30 p.m. in the Holsti Anderson Family Assembly Room, Room 153, Rubenstein Library, Duke University, West Campus.
Have news to share?
If you have news to share with the Pulse readership, please contact Tracey Koepke, director of communications for Duke Heart & Vascular, 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 team. Please call me 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:
September 14 — Jennifer Rymer
Breaking MED
Daylight Savings Time Not Associated with Heart Attack Rates
September 15 — David D’Alessio
Medscape
Real-World Study Finds Over 50% Stop GLP-1s Within 1 Year
September 15 — Kunal Patel and Kenneth Boccaccio
The Duke Chronicle
‘Extend the lifesaving benefit’: Duke surgeons pioneer robotic bilateral lung transplant
September 15 — Harry Severance
Newsweek
Philips exec: What the U.S. manufacturing push means for health care
September 15 — Robert Califf
The Medical Independent
RCPI meeting to explore ‘healthcare horizons’
September 15 — Dawn Coleman
Vascular News
Dawn Coleman (profile)
September 16 — Duke University Hospital
The Hearty Soul
France Introduces Artificial Heart That Could Last A Lifetime Without Donors
September 17 — Joseph Turek
The Telegraph Online (India)
The Alternative: Partial heart transplants in children and their success rate
