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Duke Heart Pulse — February 2, 2025
Chief’s message: Awards, Leaders, New Faculty, Duke-UNC and look back at 100 years of AHA and Echo
This past week was a microcosm of the challenges and opportunities we have at Duke with cardiovascular medicine and surgery. As the country focuses on chronic health issues, our opportunity is to align and determine ways to improve CV health, improve outcomes, and potentially innovations in getting the most effective therapies as close to home as possible for our patients. The federal spending freeze (that was lifted) has galvanized conversations and ways in which we can lead.
In the pulse below you will see that we continue to be blessed with amazing people doing amazing things. There is the research award from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for Brittany Zwischenberger, MD, several heart service line winners at the Friends of Nursing celebration this weekend, the announcement of our newest Heart Failure Faculty member and past fellow at Duke – Ben Trichon, MD, the announcement of Marat Fudim, MD as our CRU director, and a touching tribute and celebration of Joe Kisslo, MD – our long-time leader in echocardiography. Please note the editorial Joe wrote in circulation on 100 years of AHA and Echocardiography. In addition, we have stories of our interventional fellows doing outreach with EMS for AMI care, and the important announcement of a Stand Alone Children’s Hospital done in partnership between Duke and UNC. The clinical services were busy again this week and we wanted to send special thanks to all the faculty, staff, and residents/fellows that stayed extended hours to help ensure we got care to all our patients.
This week also marked the start of Heart Month – with a kickoff in NYC with a go-red for women 
AHA event that we were lucky enough to attend. It was hosted by Sharon Stone (pictured) and Damar Hamlin from the Buffalo Bills joined AHA CEO Nancy Brown on stage. (pictured). And last but no least – the rivalry Saturday had a Duke-UNC basketball game with lots of cheer and good for the dark blue nation — hopefully this momentum continues for the blue devils.
Highlights of the week:
Heart Month
It’s February and American Heart Month – a time to celebrate all we’re doing to advance the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. It’s also a time to promote awareness of heart disease and the overall risk factors leading to its development. Please join us in wearing red on Friday, Feb. 7 – designated as National Wear Red Day to bring greater attention to heart disease as a leading cause of death for Americans.
Submit your team photos to Pulse!
Marat Fudim Named Director of Heart Center Clinical Research Unit
We are excited to announce that Marat Fudim, MD has been named the Director of the Heart Center Clinical Research Unit (CRU). Marat will work with Krista Camuglia, our research practice manager in the Duke Heart Center CRU, to ensure we continue to improve how we can offer our patients access to the latest research studies.
Since joining our faculty, Marat has been one of our most driven faculty, constantly working to ensure our patients are offered innovations / studies to improve their health . He has a unique background: often thinking innovatively and what many would call “out of the box.” His career began in the Med-Tech world, from where he moved to academic medicine due to his passion for research and scientific discovery. Marat came to Duke with the set goal to challenge existing paradigms in heart failure. His research focus is on the physiology of heart failure and its intersection with the autonomic nervous system has led to several important projects in our Heart Center.
Marat has been awarded several grants and awards to support his work, and most notably, he was acknowledged with the American College of Cardiology 2021 Douglas Zipes Distinguished Young Investigator Award. Marat has also worked to improve our Device innovation and is also helping lead that in the Heart Innovation Lab space.
As a leader of the CRU he will work with Krista and our teams to ensure across the cardiovascular service line to ensure we continue to build to becoming a leading institution in getting cutting edge therapies to our patients.
Please join us in welcoming Marat to this new role. Congrats, Marat!
Zwischenberger Receives TSF Award at STS 2025
Brittany Zwischenberger, MD was awarded the Thoracic Surgery Foundation Research Award at the STS Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, CA on January 24, 2025.
The award will fund a Nested Registry to study Hybrid revascularization (minimally-invasive CABG LIMA-LAD plus PCI) in women, Black and Hispanic patients with multivessel CAD. The parent study, RECHARGE, is a randomized controlled trial on women, Black and Hispanic patients with multivessel CAD and equipoise for sternotomy, CABG or multivessel PCI. The Hybrid registry and RECHARGE Trial focus on quality of life metrics as well as survival and reintervention to help tailor revascularization strategies to these understudied patient populations.
Congratulations, Brittany!
Duke Friends of Nursing Celebration
Duke Health staff and leaders gathered along with family and friends on Feb. 1 for the Annual Duke Friends of Nursing celebration. Pictured here are the Duke Hospital Heart Services winners (L to R: Abby Sanner, Jason Stokes, Jessie Legath, Hannah Reynolds, and Jessica Seabrooks.)
Congratulations to the winners! We are so proud to have you on our Duke Heart team.
Celebrating Dr. Kisslo: A Tribute to 50 Years of Excellence
The following was written for Pulse by Dr. Fawaz Alenezi
Last month, we joyfully celebrated the extraordinary career of Dr. Joseph Kisslo, marking an incredible 50 years at Duke University. For nearly 12 years, I have had the profound privilege of learning from him, and words cannot adequately express how deeply he has impacted my life and career. Dr. Kisslo is not just a mentor; he is a true inspiration and a guiding light in my professional journey.
When I first joined Duke 12 years ago, Dr. Kisslo graciously invited me to his home for an insightful discussion about strain echocardiography—a field that was just beginning to unfold. His passion and enthusiasm ignited a spark in me that has shaped my career over the last decade. That initial encounter opened my eyes to the vast possibilities within cardiology, and with Dr. Kisslo’s encouragement, I felt empowered to follow in his footsteps.
If I attempted to list all of Dr. Kisslo’s achievements, it would take hundreds of pages. However, I will mention a few highlights. He embarked on his remarkable journey in echocardiography in 1966, performing his first echo during medical school. After two years of service as a Navy doctor, he pursued further education at Yale, completing his pediatric cardiology fellowship in 1971 before returning to Duke for his adult cardiology fellowship in 1972. His monumental tenure at Duke included serving as the Cath Attending from 1974 to 1977, during which he developed the groundbreaking 2D phased array ultrasound technique, revolutionizing cardiac imaging and solidifying his legacy as a pioneer in our field.
As the 4th President of the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), Dr. Kisslo’s influence extends far beyond our institution; he has touched lives and practices worldwide. Celebrating his 70th birthday in August 2011 was not just a milestone for him; it represented decades of dedication, knowledge, and leadership that he has selflessly shared with all of us.
One of the many things that resonate with me about Dr. Kisslo is his belief that “real change comes from chaos.” This philosophy reveals his passion for fostering a vibrant environment filled with innovation and creativity. His visionary spirit has led to incredible advancements, such as the digital scan converter introduced in 1975 and pioneering work in 3D echocardiography that emerged in the early 1990s.
Dr. Kisslo’s humor and wisdom shine through in his famous “Kisslo Rules” that guide our practice:
- If you don’t point at it, you can’t see it.
- If you don’t see it, you can’t diagnose it.
- It’s not the heart, stupid.
These guiding principles have profoundly shaped my understanding and approach to patient assessments, particularly in congenital cases. Learning from his insights has helped me grow into a more competent practitioner, constantly striving for excellence and navigating my path in echocardiography. Due to his influence, I have taken on increasing responsibilities and challenges, shaping my development into a professional committed to quality and patient care.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, what truly sets Dr. Kisslo apart is his compassionate heart. He has a passion for pageantry and the royals, which adds a unique warmth to his character. He deeply cherishes his relationships with his team, affectionately referring to his sonographers as “stenographers.” This endearing approach has cultivated a family-like atmosphere within our department, where we all feel valued, respected, and loved.
Dr. Kisslo once remarked, “I came to Duke thinking I would have the opportunity to meet and interact with the brightest people in the world. I underestimated Duke.” This statement captures not only his humility but also the profound love he has for Duke and the community he has built here.
As we honor Dr. Kisslo for his unparalleled contributions and unwavering dedication to echocardiography, we also celebrate the deep connections he has forged and the lasting legacy he leaves behind. His spirit continues to inspire those of us who follow in his footsteps, propelling us toward excellence and innovation in our practice.
Thank you, Dr. Kisslo, for being the remarkable person you are. The knowledge and values you have imparted have paved the way for my growth in the field, and your impact on my life and the lives of so many others is immeasurable.
–Fawaz Alenezi, MD
ICYMI: Echocardiography, the AHA, and 100 Years
To further celebrate Dr. Kisslo, please see his commentary, Echocardiography, the AHA, and 100 Years, published in Circulation on Dec. 2, 2024: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.066991
Please Welcome Ben Trichon, MD to Duke Heart Faculty
Dr. Ben Trichon, a heart failure specialist, has joined our Duke Heart faculty. Trichon was a cardiology fellow at Duke from 2000-2004, during which time he received the Dr. Walter Floyd Award for Clinical Excellence.
Trichon officially joined the Duke Heart team on January 27. His first few weeks will involve attending Duke courses and preparing to see patients. Additional information on templates will be shared soon. He’ll be seeing patients at Duke Cardiology of Raleigh and will round on patients at Duke University Hospital. He joins us from Mission Hospital in Asheville.
Some fun facts about Dr. Trichon:
- He is married to Jill, and they have 22-year-old twins, Andrew and Gabrielle, who will graduate college this spring.
- They have a dog named Ginger.
- Trichon has a love for peanut butter and coffee, often together.
- The family enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, cycling, and running, and they are big dog lovers.
- He has lived in Asheville for almost 21 years and is excited to join the Raleigh team.
Dr. Trichon is shown here with his son, Andrew.
Welcome back to Duke, Ben!
Person County EMS Continuing Education Update
Dr. Schuyler Jones, Dr. Dennis Narcisse, and Dr. Daniel Loriaux provided education to Person County EMS as part of their continuing education series on January 28th and 30th. This interactive session covered key topics essential to the transfer process for STEMI patients to Duke.
Natalie Horseman, MSN, RN, CNOR is an Associate Clinical Director with the Duke Heart Network. She works closely with Drs. Christopher Granger and Schuyler Jones on regional STEMI collaboration. She worked closely with Dr. Jones on planning this event.
The agenda included:
- General ECG Education – Cardiology-focused topics, including 12-lead ECG interpretation
- Case Studies on Recent STEMI Activations – Review of ECGs and patient outcomes from activation to hospital discharge
- Expectations & Communication – Best practices during STEMI consults and activations
- Terminology Review – Understanding and applying Code STEMI protocols
This session reinforced critical skills and strengthened collaboration between EMS providers and Duke’s cardiology team to improve patient outcomes and we received great feedback from the attendees.
Nicely done, team!
UNC Health, Duke Health Partner to Build NC’s First Stand-alone Children’s Hospital
UNC Health and Duke Health, two of the world’s top academic health systems, are uniting to create a new children’s health system in North Carolina, featuring the state’s first freestanding hospital dedicated to caring for kids.
The two institutions filed articles of incorporation on Jan. 28, 2025, with the State of North Carolina to establish NC Children’s, a private, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Plans for NC Children’s feature a 500-bed children’s hospital, a children’s outpatient care center, and a children’s behavioral health center.
A freestanding children’s hospital in North Carolina has been a decade-long goal for both institutions. An initial $320 million investment into N.C. Children’s made by the state of North Carolina in early 2024 advanced discussions for a collaboration between both entities.
The comprehensive children’s health campus will be located at a yet-to-be-identified site in the Triangle and will include a robust research and education enterprise backed by the medical schools of both universities.
The partnership aims to provide a higher volume of highly specialized pediatric care, enabling families from across the state to remain in North Carolina when seeking complex care.
“This is an unprecedented partnership between UNC Health and Duke Health, aimed at elevating the care that’s available for all children in North Carolina,” said Wesley Burks, MD, CEO of UNC Health and dean of the UNC School of Medicine. “I’m delighted to work with our colleagues at Duke to create something that will make all North Carolinians proud and change lives for generations to come.”
“Children are the heart of our future, and families across North Carolina deserve access to the most comprehensive, highest quality care for their children,” said Craig Albanese, MD, CEO of Duke University Health System. “This is a tremendous and unique opportunity to work together to reimagine how we deliver life-changing care to our region’s most vulnerable and we are grateful for the support of our state’s legislature.”
“This dedicated children’s hospital will reflect our commitment to providing the best possible care for children – not only now but for generations to come,” said Mary E. Klotman, MD, executive vice president for Health Affairs at Duke University, chief academic officer of Duke Health and dean of Duke University School of Medicine.
“It will foster groundbreaking pediatric research and first-class education and training for health care professionals,” Klotman said. “By uniting our institutions and disciplines, we can give children the healthy lives they deserve, achieve remarkable breakthroughs, and nurture the future leaders of health care.”
The partnership between both health systems will allow each of the clinical teams to expand their existing children’s clinical programs and research portfolios. The combined organization will create a destination for top pediatric subspecialists, researchers, residents, and fellows.
“There is a great deal of mutual respect between our institutions, and we both want the same thing for the children of North Carolina – the best care, close to home,” Burks said.
The partners plan to break ground together on the new NC Children’s campus by 2027, with construction of the campus expected to take approximately six years.
NC Children’s Facts
- Campus: NC Children’s will include 100+ acre campus in the Triangle, anchored by a ~500-bed hospital along with an ambulatory surgical center, medical office building, and behavioral health hospital. The campus will include play areas and rehabilitation facilities, translational research capabilities with a dedicated innovation/collaboration zone, and a mixed-use infrastructure including the potential for hotels, retail, dining, etc.
- Organization: NC Children’s is a North Carolina private, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization.
- Services: UNC Health and Duke University Health System will transfer all pediatric-related clinical services, programs & operations to NC Children’s.
- Pediatric Research and Education: Pediatric research and education functions will remain with the UNC School of Medicine and Duke School of Medicine for the foreseeable future, although they may be conducted at NC Children’s once operational, particularly clinical teaching and research.
- Affiliations: NC Children’s will have perpetual academic affiliations with the Duke and UNC schools of medicine, serving as both organizations’ pediatric teaching hospital.
- Practice Model: NC Children’s will develop a practice model for providers from both Duke and UNC, allowing them to retain their existing academic appointments. NC Children’s will have an open medical staff, meaning that qualified providers may apply for privileges, even if they are not affiliated with either school.
- Timeline: The hospital is expected to open in the early 2030s. Other core services such as the children’s behavioral health hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or medical office building may open several years earlier.
2025 Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, Distinguished Lecture, Feb. 11
The 2025 Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, Distinguished Lecture will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 11 at Noon in the Great Hall of the Trent Semans Center for Health Education. Carl H. June, MD, the Richard W. Vague Professor in Immunotherapy and Director of the Center for Cellular Immunotherapies at Perelman School of Medicine will deliver the lecture, The Long and Winding Road Traveled by CAR T Cells.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Duke School of Medicine’s Charting New Horizons for Discovery & Translational Science event. To learn more, please visit: https://duke.is/4/wryg.
Duke Heart Grows Again!
Please join us in congratulating cardiology physician assistant Kelsey Rouse and her family on the arrival of Archie “AJ” Rouse last week. Rouse is a PA at our Cary Clinic. All are doing well!
Tier 2 Visitor Restrictions
Respiratory illnesses throughout our community remain high. We remain in Tier 2 Visitor Restrictions.
Duke Health Leadership Response to White House Executive Orders
Following the signing of executive orders by the new White House Administration, the Duke Health Leadership team stated the following reminder of our key principles:
- We will continue to honor our culture commitment to put people first. We are steadfast in our commitment to make Duke Health a place where all are seen, heard, and valued – where every person feels respected and that they belong.
- Our missions call on us to serve those who depend on us with compassion and excellence. We will continue to provide the highest quality care to all who come to us for hope, health, and healing, regardless of background.
- We have existing policies, procedures, and protocols to inform our operational decision-making. Please guide your team members to continue our process to follow our policies, procedures, and protocols.
- As always, we will continue to abide by state and federal law, ensuring that we meet regulatory requirements for healthcare delivery.
- As leaders, our team members are counting on us to guide our teams through unsettling moments. We are grateful to each of you for modeling respect, inclusivity, and empathy for all.
Remember the resources available to help you and our team members if you need them: Personal Assistance Service (PAS), Duke Employee Access Clinic, and Caring for Each Other. As always, you can also seek support from your Human Resources representative.
As additional information becomes available on if and how the executive orders will impact our teams, it will be shared with team members.
Thank you for all that you do for our team members and those we serve.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
- February is American Heart Month and Black History Month.
- National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Feb. 24: Transforming HFpEF Management in the Age of Precision Medicine with Dr. Sanjiv Shah of the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Medicine. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom.
Feb. 25: Teamwork, Leadership, and Healthcare with Mike Krzyzewski. 5 p.m., in-person only (TBD).
If you missed any of our CGR’s from the past year, all Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
February 5: Ventilator Management with Willard Applefeld. Noon, DMP 7E39.
February 7: Nuclear Cardiology with Olga James. Noon, Zoom.
February 12: EP with Cosette Champion and DaMarcus Ingram. Noon, DMP 7E39.
February 14: Antiplatelet Therapy with Jimmy Tcheng. Noon, Zoom.
February 19: HF/Tx with Husam Salah. Noon, DMP 7E39.
February 21: Heart and Diabetes with Nishant Shah. Noon, Zoom.
February 26: DHP with Nishakala Shivakuma. Noon, DMP 7E39.
February 28: EKG with Neil Freedman. Noon, Zoom.
Upcoming Duke Heart CMEs
Tues., Feb. 18: Remote Patient Care: A New Era in Cardiovascular Disease Management; 5:00-7:30 p.m., EST. Zoom. Free. Registration is required. Please visit this link for details and to register.
The following CME activities, sponsored by Duke Heart, have been scheduled. Registration is not yet open, but stay tuned for additional information.
- 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 planned for Fall 2025; the date has not yet been set:
- October: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium (live event, location TBD)
SOM Charting New Horizons for Discovery & Translational Science
Monday, Feb. 10, 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. and Tuesday, Feb. 11, 9:00 a.m. – 11 a.m. Great Hall, Trent Semans Center for Health Education.
Join us for this research symposium to celebrate our tapestry of scientific achievements. This event promises to be a cornerstone for fostering innovation and advancing our understanding across various scientific disciplines.
- Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend
- Food and refreshments will be available on both days
This event will be followed by the 2025 Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, Distinguished Lecture at Noon. Dr. Carl H. June of Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania will deliver the lecture.
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.
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 be of interest to 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:
January 17 — Jonathan Piccini
Medical Product Outsourcing
Medtronic Announces Primary Results from the DEFINE AFib Clinical Study of the LINQ Family
January 17 — Jonathan Piccini
Cardiovascular Business
Medtronic heart rhythm technologies on full display at AF Symposium 2025
January 21 — John Alexander
Street Insider
January 22 — Manesh Patel
SF Gate
Why ‘cough CPR’ is not the lifesaver it’s made out to be
*this story also appeared in the Herald-Sun, Houston Chronicle, and other McClatchy news outlets
January 23 — Duke Health
Becker’s Hospital Review
Top-ranked hospitals for stent placement, by state
January 23 — Audrey Blewer (Family Medicine & Comm Health)
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
You’re unlikely to survive cardiac arrest. How Tarrant County wants to change that
January 29 — Jonathan Piccini
Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology
Study Shows Medtronic ICM Accurately Predicts Risk Thresholds for AFib Patients Using AI
January 30 — Adrian Hernandez
tctMD
Early Actions by Trump Administration Sow Uncertainty for CV Research
Duke Heart Pulse — January 26, 2025
Chief’s message: Coach K to give CV Grand Rounds February 25th in Heart Month:
We are excited to announce that Mike Krzyzewski (Coach K) will give cardiovascular grand rounds on February 25th from 5-6pm at Duke Hospital. Coach will give a talk on Leadership, Teamwork, and Healthcare. This will be an opportunity for our heart and vascular teams to interact and hear from Coach K on the importance of our teams with an opportunity for questions near the end of the talk. I have included a slide I use from some talks that highlights the commitment of long-standing learning. We appreciate Coach K for his willingness to join us and look forward to the grand rounds.
Highlights of the week:
Duke EP Hits Record
We learned this week that our Duke Electrophysiology team surpassed 1000 atrial fibrillation ablations in the calendar year 2024 (the exact number was 1069)!
“This is a huge milestone for our program,” says Jonathan Piccini, MD, Duke’s Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology. “It’s an incredible accomplishment from an incredible team of staff, nurses, clinicians, and patients!”
We could not agree more — congratulations to the entire EP team. Way to go!
61st STS Annual Meeting Held in Los Angeles
The 2025 annual meeting of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons has been taking place this weekend, Jan. 24-26, in Los Angeles. We have several faculty and care providers serving as moderators and presenters, including:
Edward P. Chen, MD, served as a moderator for a session on Inherited Aortic Disease.
Lynn McGugan and Melissa Burkett invited speakers who co-presented a session called APP Continuity of Care in Aortic Surgery.
Thomas D’Amico, MD, presented A Need for Ethics Education: A Chair’s Perspective and moderated a session on Surgery for Stage IV Lung Cancer: Getting Surgeons in the Game for Advanced Disease.
Brittany Zwischenberger, MD, presented Quality Improvement Initiatives to Improve Outcomes in Women: Translating Scientific Findings into Clinical Practice and RECHARGE Hybrid: Revascularization of Underrepresented Groups with minimally-invasive CABG plus PCI – for which she earned a Thoracic Surgery Foundation Award for her research. She also moderated a session on Top Adult Cardiac Surgery Abstracts.
Kamrouz Ghadimi, MD, debated during a session on Inhaled Nitric Oxide vs. Prostacyclin – (arguing Pro Prostacyclin).
Matt Hartwig, MD, moderated a session called Modernized Solutions for Lung Failure, From Bench to Bedside.
Well done, all!
Vizient Webinar Held; Patel a Featured Presenter
On Thursday, Jan. 23, Manesh Patel, MD was the featured presenter for a Vizient Cardiovascular Service Line webinar. He presented on Interesting Science from the AHA 2024. The event, held virtually and recorded, is part of the Vizient Network Cardiovascular Service Line Committee series.
Jill Engel is in her second year serving as the Chair of the Vizient Cardiovascular Service Line Committee and says she has already heard great feedback from the network members on the presentation.
Thanks, Manesh, for representing Duke Heart & Vascular!
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.
Tier 2 Visitor Restrictions
Respiratory illnesses throughout our community remain high. We remain in Tier 2 Visitor Restrictions.
Remember:
- Masking is strongly recommended throughout patient care areas and continues to be required in some areas.
- 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.
- Duke Health staff members throughout hospitals, the schools of medicine and nursing, and all health care units must wear their Duke ID prominently on outer clothing between shoulder and waist with the photo side facing out.
- 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!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Save The Date! National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 7, 2025.
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Jan. 28: Whole Genome Sequencing for Gene Elusive Cardiovascular Disease with Dr. Sara Coles. 5 p.m., via Zoom.
Feb. 24: Transforming HFpEF Management in the Age of Precision Medicine with Dr. Sanjiv Shah of the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Medicine. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom.
Feb. 25: Teamwork, Leadership, and Healthcare with Mike Krzyzewski. 5 p.m., in-person only (TBD).
If you missed any of our CGR’s from the past year, all Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
January 29: EP presentation with Joshua Sink. Noon, DMP 7E39.
January 31: PAD-Aorta with Jennifer Rymer. Noon, Zoom.
DCRI Research Forum to Feature Cook – Jan. 28
We hope you’ll join us for the next event in the DCRI Research Forum series, featuring Nakela L. Cook, MD, MPH, the Executive Director for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), who will join us for a fireside chat from Noon-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Cook will share insights from her career journey, discuss her vision and priorities for PCORI, and how the organization is fostering innovation in clinical research.
What: DCRI Research Forum: A Fireside Chat with Nakela L. Cook, MD, MPH, Executive Director for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
When: Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025
Where: Zoom
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.
Upcoming Duke Heart CMEs
Tues., Feb. 18: Remote Patient Care: A New Era in Cardiovascular Disease Management; 5:00-7:30 p.m., EST. Zoom. Free. Registration, now open, is required. Please visit this link for details and to register.
The following CME activities, sponsored by Duke Heart, have been scheduled. Registration is not yet open, but stay tuned for additional information.
- 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 planned for Fall 2025; the date has not yet been set:
- October: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium (live event, location TBD)
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.
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 be of interest to 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:
January 17 — Jonathan Piccini
Medical Product Outsourcing
Medtronic Announces Primary Results from the DEFINE AFib Clinical Study of the LINQ Family
January 17 — Jonathan Piccini
Cardiovascular Business
Medtronic heart rhythm technologies on full display at AF Symposium 2025
January 21 — John Alexander
Street Insider
January 22 — Manesh Patel
SF Gate
Why ‘cough CPR’ is not the lifesaver it’s made out to be
*this story also appeared in the Houston Chronicle
January 23 — Duke Health
Becker’s Hospital Review
Top-ranked hospitals for stent placement, by state
January 23 — Audrey Blewer (Family Medicine & Comm Health)
Fort Worth Star-Telegram
You’re unlikely to survive cardiac arrest. How Tarrant County wants to change that
Duke Heart Pulse — January 19, 2025
Chief’s message:
Hopefully you all have had a good weekend staying warm.
This week marks the long weekend celebrating the incredible life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. We are reminded this weekend of his statement “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” Below in the pulse we have a list of some of the events celebrating his life and work, and continuing a legacy of serving our community. Our mission continues through our teams at Duke Heart that work to improve the health of all in our community.
This week the pulse below highlights some of the continued work we are doing to support the busy clinical services, innovate with education and new CME offerings on remote HF monitoring, and continue to lead in getting some of the discoveries for heart and vascular health in front of our patients.
We also had the start of some celebrations for Mike Sketch – a long standing pillar and faculty in the Duke Cardiology group – with over 30 years of leadership and service in our cath lab, clinics, and wards to our faculty, fellows, and patients. The Duke Heart Physicians group (DHP) had a celebration with Mike and Beth Sketch (see some of the photos below). We are aware that the cath lab faculty will also be have a celebration in the spring and we will share more as we thank Mike for the many years of clinical care, teaching, and dedication to our community. Congratulations Mike – on a life of impact at Duke Cardiology.
Highlights of the week:
Long Weekend
It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend — Duke University & Health System events are listed below under Upcoming Events & Opportunities. We hope you will find a way to honor the legacy of Dr. King this weekend either by participating in one of these opportunities or by finding your own way to do so. Enjoy the weekend!
Shout-out to Duke North Echo Lab!
A big shout-out to the Duke University Hospital’s Echo Lab team. We heard they wrapped up Friday, Jan. 17 with what may be a record of 21 procedures completed in a single day. Way to go!
“What an incredible day! A special shout-out to our fellow, Dr. Tess Allan, who is the true champion of the day. Thank you, Anna Lisa Chamis, for recruiting such a fantastic fellow. I absolutely loved working with her and will do my best to drag her over to imaging next time!
I also want to extend my gratitude to our nursing staff – you were absolutely amazing, as always.
The anesthesia team was phenomenal, Dr. Alina Nicoara (thank you!), and the sonographers were outstanding.
Honestly, everyone involved played a crucial role in making today such a success. Thank you all for your hard work and dedication!
Have a great weekend.” — Fawaz Alenezi, MD, MSc, FAHA, FACC, FASE, Associate Professor of Medicine in Cardiology
A hat tip to all!
New AUC Published on ICD, CRT, and Pacing
The latest appropriate use criteria (AUC) regarding implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, cardiac resynchronization therapy, and pacing have been published. The new report was published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on January 9. 
Our very own Jonathan Piccini, MD, electrophysiologist and professor of medicine in cardiology Jon Piccini, MD, served as a member of the writing group.
Congrats to Jon and all members of the writing team!
Coaxum Joins Duke Heart as New GME CCE Program Coordinator
We welcomed a new program coordinator in cardiology last month. Please join us in welcoming Robbi Coaxum as the new program coordinator for the Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology fellowship. In her new role, Robbi will also provide support to Brianna Small for the Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship.
Originally from Columbia, SC, Robbi has only been here in Durham for about six weeks. She holds two Master’s degrees—one in Public Health and one in Health Education—as well as a Doctorate in Healthcare Administration. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, gardening, and playing the piano and violin.
Please give her a warm welcome when you meet her. She’s excited to meet everyone and to be part of the team!
Feb. 18 CME Registration Now Open!
Please join us on Tuesday, Feb. 18 for Remote Patient Care: A New Era in Cardiovascular Disease Management. The CME activity will be held via Zoom from 5-7:30 p.m., EST. Course directors are cardiologist Dr. Marat Fudim of Duke and Dr. Theodore Feldman, cardiologist with Florida International University’s Wertheim College of Medicine and Baptist Health. The event is free. To learn more and to register, please visit https://duke.is/6/ne6b.
Save the Date: Coach K to Deliver Grand Rounds Feb. 25
Tuesday, Feb. 25; 5-6 p.m. — in person only. Location TBD.
Former Duke MBB Coach Mike Krzyzewski will present grand rounds discussing teamwork, leadership, and healthcare – with a question and answer period near the end. Details to come. We look forward to this special event and hope you can join us!
Post-Holiday Pics!
The Duke University Hospital CDU celebrated a very successful year with a post-holiday celebration!
“Our team enjoys spending time with each other in a non-work setting at this party every year. Thank you, especially, to our leadership (Dr. Sreek Vemulapali) for a wonderful night.” – Emily Schanze, cardiac sonographer, CDU & 2K
Great pics!
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.
Tier 2 Visitor Restrictions
Respiratory illnesses throughout our community remains high. We remain in Tier 2 Visitor Restrictions.
Remember:
- Masking is strongly recommended throughout patient care areas, and continues to be required in some areas.
- Masks should be worn properly. Cover your nose and mouth at all times, 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 at a time.
- 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 systems 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!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Save The Date!
National Wear Red Day is Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. 
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Jan. 21 – Feb. 18: No CCR.
Feb. 24: Transforming HFpEF Management in the Age of Precision Medicine with Dr. Sanjiv Shah of the Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern Medicine. 5 p.m. DN 2002 and via Zoom.
Feb. 25: Teamwork, Leadership, and Healthcare with Mike Krzyzewski. 5 p.m., in-person only (TBD).
If you missed any of our CGR’s from the past year, all Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
January 22: HF/TX presentation with Hubert Haywood. Noon, DMP 7W70
January 24: Right heart cath interpretation with Imran Aslam. Noon, Zoom.
January 29: EP presentation with Joshua Sink. Noon, DMP 7E39.
January 31: PAD-Aorta with Jennifer Rymer. Noon, Zoom.
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.
DCRI Research Forum to Feature Cook
We hope you’ll join us for the next event in the DCRI Research Forum series, featuring Nakela L. Cook, MD, MPH, the Executive Director for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), who will join us for a fireside chat from Noon-1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Cook will share insights from her career journey, discuss her vision and priorities for PCORI, and how the organization is fostering innovation in clinical research.
What: DCRI Research Forum: A Fireside Chat with Nakela L. Cook, MD, MPH, Executive Director for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
When: Noon-1 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025
Where: Zoom
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.
2025 Upcoming Duke Heart CMEs
Tues., Feb. 18: Remote Patient Care: A New Era in Cardiovascular Disease Management; 5:00-7:30 p.m., EST. Zoom. Free. Registration, now open, is required. Please visit this link for details and to register.
The following CME activities, sponsored by Duke Heart, have been scheduled. Registration is not yet open, but stay tuned for additional information.
- 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)
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 be of interest to 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:
January 8 — Jonathan Piccini
tctMD
J&J Halts Varipulse Pulsed-Field Ablation Cases in the US
January 13 — Harry Severance
MSN/MedPage Today
Economic ‘Shrinkflation’ Strikes Healthcare
January 17 — Jonathan Piccini
Cardiac Rhythm News
Duke Heart Pulse — 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:
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.
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
HCPLive Year in Review: Top Podcasts & Shows for 2024
December 26 — Harry Severance
Becker’s Physician Leadership
An emerging fear among physicians
December 31 — Harry Severance
Becker’s ASC Review
2024: The year of the physician union
January 3 — Alexandra Thomas (oncology)
Everyday Health
Heart Disease Is Tied to an Increased Risk of Advanced Breast Cancer
January 6 — Schuyler Jones
Med Central
The Cardiac Care Crisis in Our Midst
January 6 — Nishant Shah
WRAL.com
Cardiologists warn: Cold weather in the Triangle increases heart attack risks
January 6 — Nishant Shah
WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)
Cardiac concerns after cold weather, respiratory illnesses
January 7 — Nishant Shah
WRAL-TV (Raleigh, NC)
Heart attack risk during cold weather exertion
January 7 — Nishant Shah
News Minimalist
Cardiologists in North Carolina warn cold weather raises heart attack risks
January 7 — Nishant Shah
WILM-TV (Wilmington, NC)
Paying attention to cardiac concerns during cold weather
January 8 — Harry Severance
Medpage Today
Opinion: Economic ‘Shrinkflation’ Strikes Healthcare
January 9 — Nishant Shah
Everyday Health
Drinking Coffee Only in the Morning May Offer the Most Heart-Health Benefits
January 9 — Duke Health (#11)
Medpage Today
These Are the Largest Academic Medical Centers in the U.S.
Duke Heart Pulse: January 5th 2025
Chief’s Message:
Hopefully you all had some time over the holidays to get some time to reflect, relax, and come back rejuvenated to help us with our mission of improving the cardiovascular health of our community and country in 2025. Thanks to all of you that helped care for our patients and deal with unexpected challenges that our system faced with the brief ED closure.
Over the first few weeks of 2025 – we will spend a little time just highlighting a number of the amazing accomplishments and people we have in Duke Heart. Today we will highlight some of the people and awards over the last year. This is not an exhaustive list but one we thought would represent the accomplishments of so many. In the upcoming weeks we will highlight key research work with publications/findings and ongoing studies. Thank you all for the support and we look forward to continuing our work in 2025!
2024 Comes to a Close and 2025 Begins
2024 Began with a kick-off celebration of the Centennial for Duke University. The event included Duke Health faculty members Dr. Joseph Turek and Dr. Louise Markert who appeared as part of a special segment featuring the story of Easton Sinnamon, the now 3-year-old boy who received the world’s first combination heart transplant-thymus procedure here at Duke in 2021.
In January, we learned that St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital has invested nearly $13 million toward a new collaboration with researchers at Duke, Columbia, and Stanford Universities to expand the understanding of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR), vital proteins that have been linked to more than 100 human diseases and disorders. The GPCR Collaborative is led by Scott Blanchard, PhD, and M. Madan Babu, PhD, of St. Jude’s. The two are partnering with Jonathan Javitch, MD, PhD, of Columbia University; Georgios Skiniotis, PhD, and Alice Ting, PhD, of Stanford University, and Robert J. Lefkowitz, MD, of Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Cardiovascular Research Center.
We had a number of faculty take on new roles and appointments in 2024, including:
Jacob N. Schroder, MD, was named Surgical Director for Advanced Heart Failure of Duke Health’s Heart and Vascular Service line and the Duke Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.
Jeffrey Gaca, MD, was appointed section chief for Adult Cardiac Surgery
Camille Frazier-Mills, MD was named Vice Chief for Clinical Services for Cardiology. Camille Frazier-Mills did an amazing job representing Duke Health as our Triangle Women of Impact nominee for 2024
Schuyler Jones, MD, director of Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at Duke was named the Endowed Kent and Siri Rawson Director for Advanced Coronary Artery Disease in Duke Heart Center. Separately, he was also named director of our Invasive labs across Duke University Health System.
Chad Hughes, MD, Professor of Surgery, was appointed the inaugural Chief for the Section of Aortic Surgery, a new section housed jointly within the Divisions of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Vascular and Endovascular Surgery. Hughes will also serve as co-director, with vascular surgeon Chandler Long, MD, of the Duke Center for Aortic Disease.
Svati Shah, MD, MS, MHS, was named Vice Chief for Research in the Division of Cardiology. She currently also serves as the Associate Dean for Translational Research and Director of the Precision Genomics Collaboratory and Center for Precision Health. She was also named associate dean for translational research for Duke School of Medicine/
Anita Kelsey, MD was named Vice Chief for Faculty Affairs and Operations in Cardiology.
Jeffrey Keenan, MD, assistant professor of surgery at Duke, was named Surgical Director, Mechanical Circulatory Support.
Deepak Voora, MD, was appointed Executive Director for the Veterans Affairs National Pharmacogenomics Program.
Awards & Recognition
Thomas Bashore, MD, professor of medicine in cardiology, received the Triangle Business Journal’s 2024 Health Care Leadership Lifetime Achievement Award.
Adam Williams, MD received the Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF) Every Heartbeat Matters Award for medical outreach in Honduras via our Duke Heart for Honduras program.
Senthil Selvaraj, MD was been selected as a recipient of an American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) 2024 Young Physician-Scientist Award (YPSA).
Kevin Cox was named to the 2024 Great 100 Nurses of North Carolina.
Duke cardiologist and rehabilitation specialist, William Kraus, MD, was selected as an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Citation Award winner for 2024. The prestigious Citation Award recognizes distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to sports medicine and/or to the exercise sciences.
Perfusionist Scott Snider Received the 2024 AmSECT Award of Excellence
Kevin Thomas, MD, professor of medicine in cardiology and vice dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Duke School of Medicine, was selected by the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) to receive it’s 2024 James H. Youngblood Excellence in Leadership Award.
Pamela Douglas, MD, was one of four Department of Medicine faculty members to receive the 2024 Department of Medicine Career Achievement Award recognizing their extraordinary impact on one of the department’s three core missions: education, research, and clinical medicine.
Zak Loring, MD was awarded an AHA VISN 6 Career Development Award
Dennis Narcisse, MD, was selected for 2024 ACC Career Development Award
Duke’s Heart team received the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s (SCCM) “Family-Centered Care Innovation Award” for Duke University Hospital.
The Duke Perfusion team recently earned its second Pillar Award for Perfusion Excellence from the American Society of Extracorporeal Technology (AmSECT).
Duke’s Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) Specialist Team achieved – for the very first time — 100 percent ELSO Adult ECMO Practitioner Certification (E-AEC) for our experienced ECMO Specialists.
We earned a Mitral Valve Repair Reference Center Award for the fifth year in a row. Duke is one of only 22 mitral repair centers recognized by the Mitral Foundation as having the volume and outcomes needed to qualify for the honor.
The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research (QCOR) Council presented Adrian Hernandez, MD, with their Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award during the AHA Scientific Sessions in November.
National Professional Society Leadership:
Below is a list of the national organizations in which our faculty serve on the national board or executive role
- American Association of Heart Failure Nurses: Steph Barnes – Board Director
- Heart Failure Society of America (HFSA) 2024-2025: Mike Felker as President
- Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention (SCAI) – Board Trustee: Raj Swaminathan
- Heart Rhythm Society (HRS): Board Trustee: Jon Piccini, Program Chair for Sessions: Sana Al Khatib
- American Heart Association (AHA): National Board: Svati Shah, Manesh Patel
- American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS): National board: Thomas A. D’Amico
School of Medicine Faculty awards:
The cardiovascular team was blessed to have several members recognized at the School of Medicine Faculty Awards for 2024.
- Adrian Hernandez, MD, professor of medicine in cardiology received an Excellence in Professionalism Award
- Christopher Holley, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine in cardiology received a Research Mentoring Award
- Anita Kelsey, MD, MBA, professor of medicine in cardiology received the Master Clinician/Teacher Award
- Neha Pagidipati, MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine in cardiology received a Research Mentoring Award
- Madhav Swaminathan, MBBS, professor of anesthesiology, cardiothoracic anesthesiology/ critical care, received the Master Clinician/Teacher Award
- Annemarie Thompson, MD, professor of anesthesiology, pediatric cardiothoracic anesthesiology, received a Leonard Palumbo Jr., MD Faculty Achievement Award
Firsts & milestones
1st Barostim Device was implanted in January. Barostim is an implantable device now being used in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction.
In February we celebrated our record 161 heart transplants completed in 2023 and the 2000 Heart transplant milestone. Later that month, we implanted our 1500th Durable VAD.
In March, Duke became 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).
Last summer, the Duke heart transplant team helped pioneer a new generation of Total Artificial Heart — A young Graham, NC, father became the second person in the world to receive a BiVACOR Total Artificial Heart (TAH) as a bridge to transplant, living with the device for 10 days before undergoing a heart transplant at Duke University Hospital.
Our first TriClip procedures were performed at DUH in September. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) system in April. The TriClip TEER procedure, performed in the cath lab, offers a minimally invasive approach designed to repair severe tricuspid regurgitation, or a leaky tricuspid valve, in patients with severe symptoms.
Forsyth County, NC became the first county in the state to sign on for a partnership with Duke for feasibility testing of AED drone delivery to cardiac arrest bystanders.
Philanthropic Success!
1.5M legacy gift from an anonymous family to support Duke Heart Transplant patients, and a gift from HCLC member Bob Keegan, who kicked off fundraising for the Duke Heart Precision and Innovation Collaboratory with a gift of $1.5 million toward the $10 million fundraising goal.
Additionally, NC Walk for Victory and AHA Triangle Heart Walk were both big successess and we look forward to supporting both events again this year
The cardiology fellows named Paula Rambarat, MD as chief cardiology fellow for 2024-2025.
We welcomed new family members: Rocky Matthew Davis, Patrick Tulp, Beck Allen Kusner, and Aspen Andreae.
We also mourned the passing of Aslan Turer, MD; Richard Everely “Rip” Waters, II, MD; Kristine Arges, RN; and HCLC member Scott Braswell.
And we wished Drs. Tom Bashore, Mike Sketch, Harry Phillips, and long-time team member Corey Miller all the best as they embarked on retirement.
We matched an incredible team of cardiology fellows for our incoming class of 2025!
Here’s to additional success and celebrations in the coming year!
Duke Heart Pulse — December 22, 2024
Chief’s message: Holiday coverage and reflections on the year
As we come to the last two weeks of the year – it is a time for our teams in Duke Heart to hopefully get some time with loved 
ones, family, and friends. This leads to reflections from the last year and the thoughts of the year to come. As we prepare for continued challenges in ensuring we can help our community and country improve our cardiovascular health – we will spend an upcoming special Pulse to reflect on our year in review.
This last week we have had quite busy clinical services often with extra faculty and fellows being asked to help care of patients in many of our areas across Duke Heart. We wanted to send a special thanks to all of you that are spending some of the upcoming weeks ensuring we continue to help those in need in our community. This episode of the pulse also has several shout outs for the tremendous teamwork across Duke Heart to care of patients in need in the last few weeks.
Finally, the work is done with thanks and joy – and we are including a picture of the elf on the shelf that showed up in the cath lab.
Wishing you all a happy holiday season and healthy new year.
Highlights of the week:
Happy Holidays!
As we wrap up the year and keep up with the seasonal festivities already underway, we want to express our gratitude for all you have done this past year. We are so glad to have a wonderful team of colleagues and friends within the Duke Heart & Vascular team!
We hope everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy holiday and that you can take some time to step away from work to be with your loved ones, take time for yourself, and reflect on what matters most to you.
Please get some well-deserved rest and get ready for 2025! Enjoy the holidays — Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa — and Happy New Year.
Pulse returns on Jan. 12, 2025.
A Holiday Message from Dean Klotman
… and from DUHS Leadership
Campus Holiday Celebrations:
Gratitude Meal at Duke Hospital
Anyone working on the Duke University Hospital campus on Wednesday, December 25 is invited to enjoy a complimentary holiday meal in recognition of the season. Our leadership team is grateful for the opportunity to express their special appreciation for team members who will be working to care for our patients, enabling their colleagues to spend time with their families and friends.
Dec. 25: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Atrium Cafe
Dec. 25: 6 – 9 p.m., Atrium Cafe
Guidelines:
- Staff must present a valid Duke badge for entry.
- Managers and team members may pick up meals for others (maximum of 10 meals).
- One meal per team member working on December 25; this is to ensure everyone is served.
- We encourage you to return to your preferred work area to enjoy your meal.
Details, including a department meal pick-up schedule, can be found on the DUH SharePoint celebration page: https://prodduke.sharepoint.com/sites/DUH-Intranet/SitePages/DUH-Holiday-Celebrations-2024.aspx
Hanukkah with President Price and Coach Scheyer (virtual)
Jewish Life at Duke, in partnership with the Duke Jewish Alumni Network, is hosting a virtual Hanukkah candle lighting on Sun, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. ET with Duke’s Campus Rabbi and Jewish Chaplain Elana Friedman, President Price, and Coach Jon Scheyer.
Duke students, alumni, parents and families, faculty, staff, and friends of all religious/cultural identities are welcome. Folks need to register in advance to receive the Zoom link.
For a full event description and the registration link, please visit: Hanukkah 2024.
Shout-out to Best & Thompson of CT Anesthesiology
We received the following note this week from Schuyler Jones, MD:
“Drs. Ryan Best (CT Anesthesiology fellow) and Anne Marie Thompson (CT Anesthesiology attending) assisted our cath lab team in a post-operative patient who had ST elevation MI. They provided really excellent management of a critically ill patient in the cath lab and helped our team tremendously.” — Schuyler Jones, MD
Way to go, Ryan and Anne Marie! Thanks for all you do!
Shout-out to the Cath Staff, Nurses & ECMO Team!
We received the following note of recognition from Rob Harrison, MD this weekend regarding outstanding care provided to a patient last week. The message highlights the exceptional teamwork done by our team and our capabilities as a Heart Center.
“Last week in one of the evenings, we had a patient arrive hypotensive to the CICU from the cath lab after PCI for a STEMI. Our fellows did a rapid bedside ultrasound that showed a large effusion with tamponade and the patient had to immediately go back to the cath lab for a pericardial drain. The patient returned around shift change with the drain in place and initially was improving but the drain continued to have brisk output. The patient went into multi-pressor shock, required emergency transfusion, intubation, and rapid transport back to the lab, and also required new access with PIVs and a fellow-placed central line.
The fellows involved in the care of this patient included Jonathan Hanna, Vince Delgado, Aarti Thakkar, and Seamus Hughes. They worked incredibly hard to help diagnose and stabilize the patient.
The nursing care of this patient was phenomenal. The second round of profound shock came as a surprise but without delay, there were at least 6 or 7 nurses in the room all performing independent tasks in parallel (titrating pressors, getting additional pressors and pushes, drawing labs, obtaining access, calling RT and 115 for emergency airway, grabbing airway supplies, ordering emergency release blood, etc.).
The Cath lab staff were also excellent in their care of the patient who ultimately required ECMO cannulation and then the OR for washout and a coronary repair. I don’t know the names of all the cath lab staff who were present, but the providers included fellows Dennis Narcisse and Dan Loriaux, attendings Manesh Patel and Imran Aslam. Adam Williams and the ECMO team were prompt in their arrival to the cath lab and quickly got our patient to the OR after ECMO cannulation, as well as Willard Applefeld who provided echo imaging in the cath lab.
The patient is alive, on ECMO, and hopefully going for chest closure soon.
Cases like this highlight why I am incredibly proud to be a Duke cardiologist and CICU attending.” — Rob Harrison, MD
Additional messages from faculty regarding this case include:
“Really great work across the board.” – Schuyler Jones, MD
“This highlights the incredible teamwork and skills across Heart. – Kristin Newby, MD
“Thanks Rob to you the fellows and the great team helping care for this patient.” – Manesh Patel, MD
Amazing work, team!
Boyer Receives DAISY Award
Congratulations to the Daisy Award Winner, 7W RN Alexander Boyer who was nominated by a family member of a 7W CTICU patient for the extraordinary care he provided.
Nurses every day go above and beyond to not only provide patients and families with excellence in clinical care but also compassion. At The DAISY Foundation, we aim to honor them by showing our profound gratitude for all that they do. The DAISY Award is a recognition program to celebrate and recognize nurses by collecting nominations from patients, families, and co-workers. It is run by our partners as a way to thank nurses for the care and kindness they provide.
Way to go, Alexander!
DUH and Supply Chain Update
In a message from Hospital leadership to DUH team members on Friday, Dec. 20, the following update was provided:
Team, Over the past several weeks, we have become increasingly aware of the challenges our team is experiencing with our hospital supply chain. Safety, quality, and our team are our highest priorities, and we understand the extra work, concern, and stress these challenges place on our team in our very busy environment. We are committed to improving our performance.
Despite heroic efforts to address the causes of these issues, we have not been able to fully address the concerns. Over the upcoming weeks, Hospital Operations and Supply Chain will take a series of significant steps to investigate issues and resolve problems. More communication of these next steps will be forthcoming.
Beginning Saturday, December 21, all staff and providers should complete the following steps to ensure we identify and manage any safety concerns related to supplies during the upcoming holidays:
- Call the STAT room at 919-385-1600 if there are items needed urgently (within 30 minutes). We are working to add staff to support these needs.
- Utilize our daily management system and Tiered Huddles to report supply concerns that might impact patient safety. Please use your Tier 1 huddle to report concerns, including any urgent needs supported by the STAT room. If you are unable to attend, please escalate to the charge nurse or area leadership.
- Leaders will receive the supply escalations during our Tier 2 huddles and log the information in a centralized spreadsheet. Here is the link for Tier 2 leaders: supply chain tracking log
- Issues will be assigned to supply chain and operations leaders for immediate resolution.
- This list will be monitored by our hospital senior leadership and supply chain leadership during Tier 3 to ensure completion.
We appreciate your partnership as we address near-term supply needs. We will work diligently to address these problems and solve the larger systemic issues.
(signed by Greg Pauley, Mary Martin, Chantal Howard, Lisa Goodlett, and William Trofi)
Governor-elect Stein Names Sangvai as Cabinet Appointee
Governor-elect Josh Stein announced his cabinet appointees last week to lead key state agencies and departments, including Devdutta Sangvai, MD, former president of Duke Regional Hospital, as head of NC Health and Human Services.
The appointees include a range of individuals from across state and federal government, the private sector, and several veteran state government leaders appointed by current Governor Roy Cooper. The nominees will be subject to confirmation by the NC Senate next year.
Sangvai currently serves as vice president for population health management at Duke University Health System and is a professor of family medicine, pediatrics, and psychiatry at the Duke University School of Medicine.
Congrats, Dev!
Giving Opportunity for Western NC, Through Dec. 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, 23 faculty and three trainees have donated more than $3,400. With more than 2,000 faculty, staff, and trainees, if everyone gave at least $1, we could make a difference in supporting those affected by Hurricane Helene. No contribution is too small!
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 (and to donate if you can!) please see the full story here.
GME Office Holiday Hours
In observance of the Christmas Holiday, the GME Office will close at noon on December 24th and will remain closed until December 29th. For urgent issues, please contact Dr. Catherine Kuhn at (919) 970-2226. The one exception during this time is December 24 when Dr. Staples will be covering at (919) 970-7367.
In observance of the New Year Holiday, the GME office will close at noon on December 31st and will remain closed through January 1st. Please contact Dr. Betty Staples at (919) 970-7367 for urgent issues.
ICYMI: Duke Arts Staff Offers Must-Watch Movies for Holiday Season
In preparation for the winter holidays, the Duke Arts staff members were asked to share their favorite movies to watch during the holiday season. This list includes classic films like How the Grinch Stole Christmas, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Polar Express. But beyond these beloved picks, our team also shared some unique favorites that feel just right for this time of year. From animated adventures to visually stunning dramas, and even a dark twist on Santa Claus lore, these picks offer something a little different for your holiday watchlist. Check out the list here.
Pulse Holiday Break
Please note that Pulse will not be published on Sunday, Dec. 29 or Sunday, Jan. 5. We may send a year in review blog with start of the year.
We will return in full on Sunday, Jan. 12. Enjoy the season!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
If you missed any of our CGR’s from the past calendar year, all Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
2025 Duke Heart CMEs – Save the Dates!
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)
Reflect and Connect During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be a busy, stressful, and isolating time 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, 14, from 4–5 p.m.
Women’s Health Symposium – Feb. 21, 2025
Save the date! A women’s health symposium will be held on Feb. 21, 2025, in the Great Hall of the Trent Semans Center.
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. Abstracts are due Sunday, January 5, 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 be of interest to 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 12 — Kristin Newby and Laurie Sanders (neurology)
Parkinson’s News Today
NIH consortium to explore gut-brain connection in Parkinson’s
December 13 — Jennifer Green (endocrinology)
HCP Live
Jennifer B. Green, MD: Implementation of Evidence-Based Therapies for T2D
December 14 — Nishant Shah
Spectrum News Charlotte
Doctor explains why winter brings higher risk of heart attacks
December 15 — Robert Lefkowitz
News & Observer
Why a Duke professor joined fellow Nobel laureates to oppose RFK Jr.’s DHHS nomination
(subscription required)
December 16 — Harry Severance
Emergency Physicians Monthly
The ‘Oppositional’ Conundrum Disrupting our Current Healthcare System
December 16 — Devdutta Sangvai
NCmedsoc.org
December 17 — Devdutta Sangvai
Triangle Business Journal
Stein taps Duke executive for North Carolina’s top health care post
December 17 — Duke Clinical Research Institute
WPTF-AM (Raleigh, NC)
Bystander CPR Less Likely for Women; Improves with 911 Guidance
December 17 — Harry Severance
Becker’s ASC Review
‘Unchecked violence’ the biggest threat to physicians: Viewpoint
December 18 — Duke University Hospital
BioSpace
December 18 — Duke University Hospital
Investors Hangout
BiVACOR’s Artificial Heart Shows Promising Results in Trials
December 19 — Duke University Hospital
Cardiovascular News
First phase of BiVACOR early feasibility study completed
December 19 — Duke University Hospital
Medical Device Network
FDA expands BiVACOR artificial heart study after successful first implants
December 19 — Mitchell Krucoff
tctMD
All Eyes on PCI—Should Patients’ Family Members Watch Cases?
December 19 — Manesh Patel
Triangle Business Journal
A look ahead to progress, improved treatment after a century of heart health
(subscription required)
December 19 — Nishant Shah
WTVD-TV (Durham, NC)
Analyzing risk of heart attacks during the holiday season
Duke Heart Pulse — December 15, 2024
Chief’s message: Duke Expands and gets a Proton Center:
Hope you are all gearing up for some holiday time with family and friends. This week Duke had several exciting announcements. Duke announced a plan to expand to Lake Norman Medical center near Charlotte – 123 bed hospital in Mooresville NC. This will be the first Duke Health location near Charlotte and we will have details to discuss how we can partner to help patients and that community in upcoming weeks.
Additionally, we are grateful for a historic 50 Million dollar gift that will make the Duke Proton Center – a place to get innovative cancer care in a one of kind location in North Carolina. Both stories are below and highlight a busy week at Duke and with Duke Heart.
Finally, we will have our last issue of the Pulse for this year next week – so we will try to have some year end highlights and also any other stories you would like us to highlight.
Highlights of the week:
Be The Match Event, Dec. 16
Tomorrow, Dec. 16, please stop by our Be The Match event from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Duke University Hospital outside the Atrium Cafeteria. The event is to drive awareness and registrations of new bone marrow/stem cell donors for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
This event has been planned by our colleague, Dayana Ramos, one of our amazing critical care nurse practitioners (and a newly minted DNP, as of May!) and a leukemia survivor.
“As a leukemia survivor who received a life-saving stem cell transplant from an anonymous donor, I know firsthand the power of this simple act,” says Ramos. “It is a cause that’s deeply personal to me and together we can make a difference. Please help me spread the word!”
Did you know that 70 percent of patients needing a blood stem cell transplant don’t have a fully matched donor in their family? They depend on the NMDP for help. Questions? Please contact Amanda Cooley at acooley2@nmdp.org.
If you can’t attend the drive, Dayana has registration kits available. The process is quick and easy, taking only about 5 minutes. She is willing to meet up with potential donors to complete the registration. Attached is more information.
What’s Involved?
- Age: 18-40 to join registry
- Cost: Free!
- Commitment: Willingness to donate to any patient worldwide
Donation Methods:
- Peripheral Stem Cells (most common)
- Bone Marrow (less common)
By joining the registry, you could be the match someone desperately needs. Let’s help make a difference!
Duke Health Updates:
Historic Gift will Bring Proton Beam Therapy to Duke Health
Thanks to a $50 million gift from an anonymous donor, patients throughout our region will soon be able to get proton therapy at Duke. The gift is the largest philanthropic gift ever received by Duke University Health System and will be used to create the Duke Proton Center.
“This is a historic gift, both for Duke and for the state of North Carolina,” said Vincent E. Price, PhD, president of Duke University. “The Duke Proton Center will have a profound impact on cancer care in our region, and we are very grateful for the generous donor support that is making these advances possible.”
The gift was announced on Wednesday. Read more here. And here.
Duke Health Expands to Lake Norman
On Wednesday, Duke Health signed an agreement to acquire Lake Normal Regional Hospital, a 123-bed hospital located near Charlotte in Mooresville, NC. This is an extraordinary opportunity to extend the expert care and innovation of Duke Health to more patients, in more ways, across more communities.
Our leaders are excited to share more details as the process unfolds over the coming months. This is an exciting time to be a part of Duke Health, and we hope you’ll share our excitement and pride. Learn more about the plan in this video message from Dr. Mary Klotman and Dr. Craig Albanese.
This achievement would not be possible without the dedication of all our team members to our mission of providing hope, health, and healing to our patients, their loved ones, and each other. Learn more here.
Mathis-Harris Named Sr. Director of Nursing for DUH
Miranda Mathis-Harris, BSN, RN, MBA, CNML, has been appointed as the new Senior Director of Nursing for Duke University Hospital. In this role, she will be responsible for Patient Flow & Transfer Center, Life Flight, and ED Nursing. Miranda brings more than three decades of dedicated service to Duke Health and an impressive record of leadership and innovation in nursing operations and patient flow management.
The announcement was made on Dec. 9 by Kristie Baraszu, Associate Chief Operating Officer, at Duke University Hospital. Congratulations, Miranda!
Campus Holiday Celebrations:
Gratitude Meal at Duke Hospital
Anyone working on the Duke University Hospital campus on Wednesday, December 25 is invited to enjoy a complimentary holiday meal in recognition of the season. Our leadership team is grateful for the opportunity to express their special appreciation for team members who will be working to care for our patients, enabling their colleagues to spend time with their families and friends.
Guidelines:
- Staff must present a valid Duke badge for entry.
- Managers and team members may pick up meals for others (maximum of 10 meals).
- One meal per team member working on December 25; this is to ensure everyone is served.
- We encourage you to return to your preferred work area to enjoy your meal.
Hanukkah with President Price and Coach Scheyer (virtual)
Jewish Life at Duke, in partnership with the Duke Jewish Alumni Network, is hosting a virtual Hanukkah candle lighting on Sun, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m. ET with Duke’s Campus Rabbi and Jewish Chaplain Elana Friedman, President Price, and Coach Jon Scheyer.
Duke students, alumni, parents and families, faculty, staff, and friends of all religious/cultural identities are welcome. Folks need to register in advance to receive the Zoom link.
For a full event description and the registration link, please visit Hanukkah 2024.
GME: December Education Grand Rounds
December 18: Facing the Unseen: The Struggle to Center Mental Health in Medicine with Damon Tweedy, MD, Professor, Duke Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Noon – 1 p.m.
Objectives:
- Identify at least two ways that the traditional divide between physical health and mental health is detrimental to patients
- Examine the role of race in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions
- Discuss at least two methods to improve the centering of mental health within medical education and practice
HFSA Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats
December 19, 2024 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM ET | Virtual Livestream; OnDemand to follow
Join the HFSA for an informative (free!) seminar, HFSA Heart Failure Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats, where leading experts delve into the latest trends and statistics on heart failure. This session is designed to provide recent insights on heart failure incidence, mortality, hospitalizations, and treatment. Attendees will also gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategies HFSA is employing to address these trends and close critical gaps in care.
Mike Felker, MD will be a featured speaker! To learn more, please visit: https://hfsa.org/heart-failure-seminar-what-you-need-know-stat-hf-stats
Pulse Holiday Break
It’s hard to believe, but our last issue of Pulse for 2024 will be next week. We’ll be taking a publishing break and will return on Sunday, Jan. 12. If you’d like anything published next weekend, please be sure to send it to us by Wednesday, Dec. 18.
Enjoy the season!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
Please join us this week for our final CGR of 2024!
Dec. 17: Contemporary Lipid Management: What is New and What Does the Future Hold? with Nishant Shah. 5 p.m., DN2002 or via Zoom.
All Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
December 18: DHP Conference with Hannah Schwennesen. Noon, DMP 7W70
December 20: HF/TXP with Seamus Hughes. Noon, Zoom only.
2025 Duke Heart CMEs – Save the Dates!
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; 5:00-7:30pm 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)
These events are currently being planned for late 2025; dates have not yet been set:
- October: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium (live event, location TBD)
- November: 17th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium (live event, location TBD)
Reflect and Connect During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be a busy, stressful, and isolating time for many. Duke Personal Assistance Service (PAS) is hosting three “Reflection and Connection” sessions that will use storytelling to reduce stress and create a stronger sense of connection with yourself and others.
The sessions will be held remotely via Zoom. Participants will be guided through a mini-mental makeover and expressive writing practices 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.
Dates:
- Tuesday, December 17, from 4–5 p.m.
- Tuesday, January 14, from 4–5 p.m.
Women’s Health Symposium – Feb. 21, 2025
Save the date! A women’s health symposium will be held on Feb. 21, 2025 in the Great Hall of the Trent Semans Center.
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. Abstracts are due Sunday, January 5, 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 be of interest to 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 9: Nishant Shah
Medical Xpress
Who gets obesity drugs covered by insurance? In North Carolina, it helps if you’re on Medicaid
December 10: Carmelo Milano, Jacob Schroder, and Donavon Harbison
Black Doctor
A Young Father Made Heart History and Saved His Life
December 11: Nishant Shah
El Sol Latino
Desafío: medicamentos antiobesidad para todos
December 11: Jonathan Piccini
Medscape
Duke Heart Pulse — December 8, 2024
Chief’s message: Fellows Match and Holiday Gatherings
This last week we had our cardiology fellow match and were excited to welcome our new star fellows to our Cardiology group. We matched 10 amazing people from around the country and we are excited for them to join our group. We also had a few holiday celebrations that included the ability to take a moment to recognize the work of the year, the tremendous people we get to work with, and the mission we continue to advance on discovering and caring for our community to improve cardiovascular health. As we spend the next few weeks getting ready for the holidays – I want to thank all of our team members that will be covering holiday shifts and ensuring we keep our community well.
Some photos of the heart center Holiday Party included here (one from the photo booth)
Highlights of the week:
2025 Incoming Fellows Announced
We are delighted to share our 10 cardiovascular disease fellowship matches with you! The following class of trainees will join us in July 2025.
Harriet Akunor, MD — residency at Albert Einstein.
Krunal Amin, MD — residency at Duke.
Verda Arshad, MD — residency at the University of Cincinnati
Dorothy Avoke, MD — residency at Johns Hopkins
Alex Gunn, MD — residency at Duke.
Yoo Jin Kim, MD — residency at Johns Hopkins
Chad Kloefkorn, MD — residency at Baylor
Rebecca Steinberg, MD — residency at Emory
Jonathan Taylor-Fishwick, MD — residency at the University of Colorado
Marcus Threadcraft, MD — residency at Vanderbilt
Thank you to our faculty and fellows for recruiting this fantastic class of trainees!
The following fellowship programs will also welcome their newest trainees in July 2025:
Advanced Heart Failure fellowship:
- Aubrie Carroll, MD — transitioning from Duke CVD fellowship
- Merna Hussien, MD — joining us from MedStar Health/Georgetown
- Mark Kittipibul, MD — transitioning from Duke CVD Research Pathway
Interventional Cardiology fellowship:
- Nathan Goodwin, MD — transitioning from CVD fellowship
- Priya Roy, MD — joining us from Ohio State
- Manasi Tannu, MD — transitioning from CVD Research Pathway
Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology fellowship:
- Andrew Andreae, MD
- Sara Coles, MD
- Anthony Lin, MD
- Belal Suleiman, MD
Each of the above is moving into CCE fellowship from our CVD fellowship program.
Please join us in congratulating all of our trainees and in welcoming those who will be new to Duke!
Kudos to Champion and Narcisse!
Anna Lisa Chamis, MD received the following message this week regarding our fellows, Drs. Cosette Champion and Dennis Narcisse:
“In the spirit of gratitude, I would like to thank two of your fellows for going above and beyond to help patients this evening.
Dr. Cosette Champion came immediately to evaluate a patient I was concerned about and was thoughtful in her recommendations.
Dr. Dennis Narcisse came in from home to assist with a situation that was not necessarily his responsibility but he did the right thing for the patient.
I am grateful for them and they deserve to know it!” — Suchita Shah Sata, MD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Duke Hospital Medicine Programs
Way to go, Cosette and Dennis!!!
CV Research Symposium Held in NYC
We reached out to Maria Price Rapoza, PhD regarding the Cardiovascular Research Symposium held Dec. 3-4 at Weill Cornell Medicine’s Cardiovascular Research Institute in New York City this past week. 
“The Symposium was terrific,” Rapoza says. “Our colleagues at Cornell (led by Duke Cardiology faculty alums Geoff Pitt and Bob Harrington, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medicine and Provost for Medical Affairs of Cornell University) did a great job and it was good to hear the excellent science from more than 40 cardiovascular researchers based at Duke, Stanford, UPenn, and Cornell.
Our Duke CVRC contingent represented Duke Cardiology very well, including our newest faculty member Ching Zhu. It was also a real highlight of the event to hear Dr. Anthony Fauci’s talk; it was similar in content to the one he did at Duke a few months ago, but still a wonderful experience.”
Rapoza also noted that it was unsettling to see how many security guards he requires when he is in public. Shown here is a view of NYC from the Helmsley Medical Tower. Speaker photos and event details can be found on the event website.
Next year’s symposium will be hosted by the Perelman School of Medicine and Penn Cardiovascular Institute in Philadelphia. When details become available, we will post them here in Pulse.
Holiday Gathering Held at Heritage Clinic
Many thanks to Maitreya Thakkar, MD for sharing photos of the Heritage Clinic cardiology team as they gathered for a holiday celebration this week!
We anticipate sharing additional holiday gathering photos from across our Duke Heart teams next weekend. If you’re hosting or attending a gathering, please consider sharing your photos with our Pulse readers!
Be The Match Event, Dec. 16
Please stop by our Be The Match event on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Duke University Hospital outside the Atrium Cafeteria. The event is to drive awareness and registry recruitment for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
Did you know that 70 percent of patients needing a blood stem cell transplant don’t have a fully matched donor in their family? They depend on the NMDP for help. Questions? Please contact Amanda Cooley at acooley2@nmdp.org.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
All Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
December 11: EP Conference with Vincent Delgado and Hubie Haywood. Noon, DMP 2W91.
December 13: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Andrew Wang. Noon, Zoom only.
December 18: DHP Conference with Hannah Schwennesen. Noon, DMP 7W70
December 20: HF/TXP with Seamus Hughes. Noon, Zoom only.
HFSA Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats
December 19, 2024 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM ET | Virtual Livestream; OnDemand to follow
Join the HFSA for an informative (free!) seminar, HFSA Heart Failure Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats, where leading experts delve into the latest trends and statistics on heart failure. This session is designed to provide the recent insights on heart failure incidence, mortality, hospitalizations, and treatment. Attendees will also gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategies HFSA is employing to address these trends and close critical gaps in care.
Mike Felker, MD will be a featured speaker! To learn more, please visit: https://hfsa.org/heart-failure-seminar-what-you-need-know-stat-hf-stats
2025 Duke Heart CMEs – Save the Dates!
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; 5:00-7:30pm 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)
These events are currently being planned for late 2025; dates have not yet been set:
- October: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium (live event, location TBD)
- November: 17th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium (live event, location TBD)
Reflect and Connect During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be a busy, stressful, and isolating time 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.
Dates:
- Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 4–5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 14, from 4–5 p.m.
Women’s Health Symposium – Feb. 21, 2025
Save the date! A women’s health symposium will be held on Feb. 21, 2025 in the Great Hall of the Trent Semans Center.
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 Date Announced
The Duke Safety & Quality Conference will be held on April 17, 2025. Abstracts are due Sunday, January 5, 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 be of interest to 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:
November 27 — Duke University Hospital (& Mani Daneshmand of Emory)
WAGA-TV (Fox/Atlanta)
Emory doctors first in U.S. to successfully perform new ‘experimental’ heart pump surgery
November 28 — Nishant Shah
NBC News
Who gets weight loss drugs covered by insurance? In North Carolina, being on Medicaid helps
November 29 — Joseph Turek & the Monroe family
WMC-TV (NBC/Memphis, TN)
Newborn Thriving After Breakthrough Surgery
November 30 — Manesh Patel
WPTF-AM (Raleigh)
Total Artificial Heart Breakthrough in Our Area
December 3 — Nishant Shah
Physician’s Weekly
Who Gets Obesity Drugs Covered by Insurance? In North Carolina, It Helps If You’re on Medicaid
December 4 — Nishant Shah
El Planeta
¿Podrían los nuevos medicamentos para bajar de peso estar disponibles para todos?
December 5 — Duke University Health System
Becker’s Hospital Review
46 hospitals, health systems land on Forbes’ dream employers list
December 4 — Latin-19
NC Health News
Saving hearts — and farmworker lives — in the fields
December 4 — DCRI/COMET-HF
Yahoo Finance
Cytokinetics Initiates Confirmatory Study on Heart Failure Drug
December 5 — Michael Felker
tctMD
Palliative Care in HF: Practical Advice From the HFSA
December 5 — Nishant Shah
Impacto Latino
Desafío: medicamentos antiobesidad para todos
Duke Heart Pulse — December 1, 2024
Chief’s message: Spending time on Health
This week we want to thank all of our team members and colleagues that helped care for our patients during the Holiday week. As we start December and think of all the things that we will do to share and celebrate the holiday season – we want to start by recognizing the many people in Duke Heart that help us care for our community in our clinics, hospital and all of the procedural spaces during holiday weeks including this last week. Thank you all for your dedication to our clinical practice.
As we think about the impact we can have on our community and health in the upcoming year, we will be continuing to focus on aligning our ability to both discover and deliver health while training the next generation of leaders. It’s a privilege to work with the people in Duke Heart on our mission to improve cardiovascular health. . We hope to see many of you over the next month and look forward to partnering in the upcoming year. I am including some pictures from the resident Turkey Bowl this week that I had the opportunity to help referee.
Updates of the week:
Thanksgiving Message from Greg Pauly
During this week of giving thanks, I want to sincerely thank each of you for your unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional care to those who turn to us in their time of need.
I am pleased to share a few updates with you all as we close out the month of November.
I am so incredibly proud of each of our three hospitals for once again achieving “A” grades for patient safety in the latest Leapfrog assessment. This is the only hospital ratings program focused exclusively on preventable medical errors, infections, and injuries. This is a great acknowledgment of the work you all do to keep our patients safe and cared for. Thank you.
I know there is a lot of work happening every day to monitor our quality indicators, and I am proud to acknowledge that we had no CAUTIs during October. We continue to improve from where we were in the summer, and I appreciate the focused effort on our safety measures.
Next Thursday, Duke Cancer Institute will be hosting its annual Tree of Hope Lighting Ceremony at 5:30 p.m. in the cancer center lobby. This special event honors and remembers patients, their families and friends, and healthcare team members whose lives have been impacted by cancer. Learn more about this special tree-lighting ceremony here.
Earlier this month, our urology team performed their first biopsies in 4200 – a new space dedicated to providing quality care for our patients. Thank you to all the teams who came together to make this a reality for our teams and for our patients.
There’s so much to be grateful for on a daily basis and I would like to take a moment to share with you a heartfelt thank you and my reflections on gratitude.
Gratitude is more than just saying “thank you.” It’s a deep appreciation for the good things in our lives, big and small. It’s a recognition of the blessings we often take for granted. It’s a conscious choice to focus on the positive, even when faced with challenges.
When we practice gratitude, we open ourselves up to a world of possibilities. We experience increased happiness, improved mental and physical health, and stronger relationships.
Let’s make gratitude a part of our daily lives. Let’s choose to focus on the good, to appreciate the little things, and to express our thanks. By doing so, we can create a more positive and fulfilling life for ourselves and those around us.
I wish each of you and your families a truly happy Thanksgiving holiday with those you love.
With gratitude,
Greg Pauly, MHA
President, Duke University Hospital
Group President, Duke University Health System
Vice Dean for Clinical and Academic Integration, School of Medicine
A Thank You from Vincent Price, University President
To the Duke Community,
Throughout this year’s Centennial celebration, we’ve been reminded that the common thread running through all that Duke has achieved in the past—and all that we will achieve in the future—is our people.
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for the many ways you are advancing Duke’s mission through your work and studies.
While many of us will enjoy a break in our schedules later this week, others will continue working around the clock, caring for our patients, and supporting essential operations throughout the Duke campus and health system.
Whether you are working or taking a break, and whether you are staying close by or traveling a long distance this Thanksgiving, I thank you for being part of this extraordinary Duke community. I hope you will have the opportunity to enjoy moments of reflection and gratitude in the coming days.
Cheers,
Vincent E. Price
President, Duke University
Kudos to our Lung Transplant Team!
On behalf of the Duke Heart leadership, we want to acknowledge the incredible effort of the lung transplant team. They performed successful transplants each day last week for five straight days. They worked day and night all week to help these complex recipients — it was a lung transplant marathon!
This kind of effort and personal sacrifice to help these recipients is an example of what makes Duke CT Surgery great. KUDOS!!!!! — Carmelo Milano, MD
Very much appreciate the amazing commitment to our patients from our Lung Transplant team! — Manesh Patel, MD
Fantastic news for the patients and amazing work by our world-class transplant team! We are all thankful for the members of this team, and the hard work and dedication to make this possible. Happy Thanksgiving! — Jill Engel
Way to go!!!
Shout-out to Philly Runners!
Speaking of marathons… congratulations to Troy Piorkowski and Lindsay Bostian, PAs from the cardiology team, who ran the Philadelphia Marathon on Sunday, Nov. 24. Both achieved personal records and Lindsay qualified for the Boston Marathon. Hooray!
Dec. 3 DCRI Research Forum will Feature Echols
We hope you’ll join us for the next DCRI Research Forum from Noon-1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3., in which Melvin Echols, MD, FACC, the Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at the American College of Cardiology will join us for a fireside chat on what it will take to achieve equitable cardiovascular care for everyone.
What: DCRI Research Forum: Achieving Equitable Cardiovascular Care for All: A Fireside Chat
Who: Melvin Echols, MD, FACC, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at American College of Cardiology
When: Noon-1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024
Where: Zoom Link to Attend
Duke to Host Be The Match Event
Please stop by our Be The Match event on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Duke University Hospital outside the Atrium Cafeteria. The event is to drive awareness and registry recruitment for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP).
Did you know that 70 percent of patients needing a blood stem cell transplant don’t have a fully matched donor in their family? They depend on the NMDP for help. Questions? Please contact Amanda Cooley at acooley2@nmdp.org.
Women’s Health Symposium Announced
Save the date! A women’s health symposium will be held on Feb. 21, 2025, in the Great Hall of the Trent Semans Center.
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.
Baxter IV Fluid Update
Thank you for your incredible efforts and adaptability during the recent Baxter fluid shortage. Your cooperation and resourcefulness in conserving fluid ensured that we continued to provide seamless care to our patients.
To begin reducing the strain on our teams, the IV Fluid Center will sunset beginning this Friday, November 29. CSUs will now be restocked to 40% of par level based on usage prior to the shortage. This adjustment means there will be enough fluid on each CSU for a 24 – 36 hour period at current conservation levels covering all shifts, readily available in the bins. Code carts will also be restocked for emergent cases, and the fluid room will stay open from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. for procedural, Pharmacy, and specialty fluids until further notice. For after-hour emergent needs, please contact the Nursing OA on call for assistance.
As a reminder, it is still imperative that we maintain conservation efforts. Please continue to visit the Baxter intranet resource page regularly for the latest updates. You can also find the Clinical Conservation Strategies by Service Line, which will be updated as additional conservation guidelines become available.
We greatly appreciate your continued dedication and teamwork.
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
All Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
December 4: Match Day Review with Anna Lisa Chamis. 12:30-1 p.m., DMP 2W91
December 6: Left-sided Valve Guidelines with Bharathi Upadhya. Noon, Zoom only.
December 11: EP Conference with Vincent Delgado and Hubie Haywood. Noon, DMP 2W91.
December 13: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Andrew Wang. Noon, Zoom only.
December 18: DHP Conference with Hannah Schwennesen. Noon, DMP 7W70
December 20: HF/TXP with Seamus Hughes. Noon, Zoom only.
HFSA Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats
December 19, 2024 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM ET | Virtual Livestream; OnDemand to follow
Join the HFSA for an informative (free!) seminar, HFSA Heart Failure Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats, where leading experts delve into the latest trends and
statistics on heart failure. This session is designed to provide recent insights on heart failure incidence, mortality, hospitalizations, and treatment. Attendees will also gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategies HFSA is employing to address these trends and close critical gaps in care.
Mike Felker, MD will be speaking, so you know this will be a great event! To learn more, please visit: https://hfsa.org/heart-failure-seminar-what-you-need-know-stat-hf-stats
2025 Duke Heart CMEs – Save the Dates!
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 p.m. 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)
These events are currently being planned for late 2025; dates have not yet been set:
- October: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium (live event, location TBD)
- November: 17th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium (live event, location TBD)
Reflect and Connect During the Holiday Season
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 to reduce stress and create a stronger sense of connection with yourself and others.
The sessions will be held remotely via Zoom. Participants will be guided through a mini-mental makeover and expressive writing practices 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.
Dates:
- Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 4–5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 14, from 4–5 p.m.
Cardiovascular Research Symposium
Dec. 3-4, 2024 at Weill Cornell’s Belfer Research Building, 413 East 69th Street, NYC.
The keynote speaker this year is Anthony Fauci, MD. Previous Duke Cardiology faculty member Geoff Pitt is the Cornell host for the December event, and Howard Rockman is the Duke organizer. Current Duke Cardiology faculty speaking include Conrad Hodgkinson, Rockman, Ching Zhu, Sudarshan Rajagopal, and Sreekanth Vemulapalli.
The Duke Cardiovascular Research Center and the Cardiovascular Institutes of Stanford and Penn are partnering to present the Symposium, which will rotate locations each cycle.
Registration and additional information can be found here.
Cardio Sim Creator Competition
The ACC is accepting submissions for the Cardio Sim Creator Competition, a prestigious recognition for outstanding innovation in the field of cardiac simulation.
The submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 6 at 11:59 p.m. To learn more, please visit this link.
2025 Duke Safety & Quality Conference Date Announced
The Duke Safety & Quality Conference will be held on April 17, 2025. Abstracts are due Sunday, January 5, 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 be of interest to 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:
November 22 — Jonathan Piccini
Medscape
PVI Add-Ons Provide Better Control of Persistent AF
November 23 — Harry Severance
KevinMD.com
Why doctors increasingly turn away from rural clinical practice
November 24 — Duke University Hospital
The Varsity (Toronto)
Breakthrough artificial heart implantation success
November 24 — Jacob Schroder and Donavon Harbison
Spectrum News (Central NC)
Duke Health Pioneers Total Artificial Heart for Area Man
November 25 — Manesh Patel
Medscape
Anticoagulant Considered After Bioprosthetic Valve Surgery
November 25 — Duke University Hospital
Cardiovascular Business
Surgeons make history with first US implant of new magnetically suspended heart pump
November 27 — William Kraus
El HuffPost
El hábito diario que te puede alargar la vida más de una década
Duke Heart Pulse — November 24, 2024
Chief’s message: Thanksgiving week.
Each year the thanksgiving week brings a host of exciting and memorable traditions for many in our community. Our community including our faculty, residents, and fellows hopefully get some time off to spend with loved ones. There are also fun activities like resident Turkey bowl and official start of the Holiday season. Perhaps most notable for those of us in the health care community is the sense of gratitude for our colleagues and the opportunity we have to care for, teach, and play a role in cardiovascular health of so many peoples. So, as you have family visiting for the holidays, please be sure to share with them the joy and meaningful role you play in all the work we do.
Updates of the week:
In Passing: Kristine Arges, RN, BSN, CCRC
With profound sadness, we reflect on the loss of Kristine (Kris) Arges, a cherished Duke Heart Center Clinical Research Unit member and the Duke Cardiac Diagnostic Unit. Arges, who died Thursday, spent 31 years on our team. She left Duke in 2022 after being diagnosed with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). We ran a profile of Kris and her efforts to raise awareness and funding for MSA research in the Oct. 23, 2022 issue of Pulse.
Kris dedicated her career to advancing cardiovascular care through her exceptional skill, unwavering professionalism, and compassionate spirit. Her contributions to clinical research and diagnostics have touched countless lives, leaving a lasting legacy of excellence. Beyond her professional achievements, Kris will be remembered for her warmth, kindness, and the genuine connections she formed with her colleagues and patients alike. Her loss is deeply felt by all who had the privilege to know and work alongside her. We honor her memory and extend our condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.
We’ve collected some thoughts on Kris and wanted to share them with our team:
“Kris had many friends in her life and helped so many people as a nurse and clinical researcher at Duke. She was a true animal lover who had many dogs and a couple of cats, which she adored over the years. Kris was always on the go from traveling the world (with several trips to her beloved Germany) to remodeling our house and a mountain chateau to raising dozens of chickens to digging a fish pond and building a patio. Her imagination had no limit and she had no use for sitting around which in the end was the real tragedy of the disease that finally brought her down — but no one fought harder to live life to its fullest than Kris.” – Jim Arges, her husband
“Truly a sad day for myself, the CDU, and Duke. Kris was instrumental in establishing and embodying the culture of scholarship, excellence, kindness, and camaraderie that we strive for every day. She has been missed since she left the CDU and she and her family are in our thoughts.” – Sreek Vemulapalli, MD
“She was a wonderful person and will be missed. Her memory is a blessing.” – Manesh Patel, MD
Arrangements for a memorial service will be shared once finalized.
AHA 24: Hernandez Honored with QCOR Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award
The American Heart Association’s (AHA) Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research (QCOR) Council bestowed the Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award on Adrian Hernandez, MD, MHS, the executive director of the Duke Clinical Research Institute (DCRI) and vice dean at the Duke University School of Medicine, during the AHA Scientific Sessions on November 16.
The award is presented annually at the AHA Scientific Sessions to a QCOR Council member for their significant long-term contributions to outcomes research and the improvement of cardiovascular care.
In addition to his leadership roles at Duke, Hernandez is a cardiologist and an internationally recognized leader in clinical research. His work ranges from clinical trials to health services and policy research, with over 600 publications. He has served as the steering committee chair or principal investigator of multiple large studies and is committed to improving the health of patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
During his keynote speech at the awards reception, Hernandez highlighted the caring, committed community within the QCOR.
“We care about moving quality outcomes forward,” he said. “We care about closing false disparities. And in our current times, these things will continue to be important. At the DCRI, I have a great job working across different research areas, and I use the QCOR as an example of communities coming together to improve quality care and health outcomes.”
Congratulations, Adrian!
AHA 24: Ross Selected as Finalist for Early Career Investigator Award
Leanna Ross has been recognized as a finalist in the Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Early Career Investigator Award by the American Heart Association’s Council on Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health. Leanna received the award at the organization’s 2024 Scientific Sessions following the presentation of her abstract, “Legacy Effects of Supervised Exercise Training on Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in STRRIDE-Prediabetes.”
Congratulations, Leanna! Well-deserved!
Additionally, two 4th year medical students from Ross and Bill Kraus’s “Duke Health and Exercise Trials Team” presented and were first-time attendees at AHA Scientific Sessions.
- Anna-Maria Dagher gave an oral abstract presentation: Exercise-induced Improvements in Capillary Density are Influenced by Sex, Hormone Replacement Therapy, and Exercise Intensity
- Garrett Moseley gave a moderated poster presentation: Retrospective Review of the Safety and Effectiveness of a Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet in Overweight or Obese Patients with Heart Failure
Shown from Left to Right are: Katherine Collins-Bennett, PhD (medical instructor in Pop Health), Bill Kraus, Garrett Moseley, Leanna Ross, and Anna-Maria Dagher)
Congratulations to all!
Vekstein to Join CT Surgery Faculty in 2025
It is with great pleasure that we announce Andrew Vekstein, MD, will join the CT surgery faculty at Duke. Andrew will focus his clinical practice on aortic and adult cardiac surgery. As most of you know, Andrew completed his undergraduate education at Duke University. He then attended medical school at Case Western Reserve and was awarded AOA designation. He subsequently was accepted into the Duke Integrated 6 year CT Surgery residency and will be our 3rd graduate from the program.
Vekstein plans to complete an additional Aortic surgery fellowship with Drs. Chad Hughes and Chandler Long, the directors for the Duke Aortic Center. He has already published extensively with over 50 peer reviewed manuscripts, 7 book chapters and multiple national meeting and podium presentations. Consistent with his interest in clinical research, he will have a joint appointment in the Duke Clinical Research Institute and has already been awarded the Duke Heart Center Leadership Council Award to study cognitive function of patients after surgeries with circulatory arrest.
Andrew is one of the brightest and most academically driven trainees that we have worked with, but at the same time, he is the consummate gentleman and team player. He plans to begin his appointment on July 1, 2025. Please join us in supporting Andrew as he transitions to this faculty role.
Congratulations, Andrew!
DUCCS Update
DUCCS leaders have announced that the Multinational ST LEUIS II Trial is underway with the goal of enrolling 1000 patient in the US, Argentina, Europe and Qatar. The study is testing a pocket-sized AI-powered handheld Smartphone Mobile ECG System for rapid detection of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and with continuous and live-monitoring capabilities which can change the approach of STEMI detection on-the-go.
This second initiative is being led by Duke University Cooperative Cardiovascular Society (DUCCS) president Greg Barsness, MD along with Alex Barbagelata, MD, vice-president, DUCCS, and with strong support from Dave Albert, MD, a well-known innovator and founder of AliveCor, where he serves as Chief Medical Officer.
This study is a second phase of the first DUCCS ST LEUIS trial, led by previous DUCCS president J. Brent Muhlestein, MD, which generated significant impact and was the trigger for this novel technology.
If you are or were trained at Duke and still are not affiliated with DUCCS but would like to be, please contact Alex Barbagelata.
7200 to Serve as Hospital Surge Unit
Duke North, 7201-7208 will remain open until further notice as a Hospital Surge Unit accepting ED overflow patients from all service-lines, including Heart. This area will be managed by Ashley Frazier, 7100 Nurse Manager.
We are grateful Heart is able to support efforts to diminish DUH capacity concerns.
Kudos to Goodwin!
We recently received the following message regarding cardiology fellow Nate Goodwin, MD, which was originally sent to 
Anna Lisa Chamis, MD:
“Just wanted to send a quick kudos about Nate Goodwin for his thoughtful care to a post-liver transplant patient during what sounds like a very busy consult night. He was also apparently the “NICEST”. It’s rare that the APPs go out of their way to let me know about their interactions with other service line members, so go, Nate! Thanks for training such great physicians and people.” — Nancy Yang, MD
Solid work, Nate!
Shout-out to Lewis!
We received the following note from Adam DeVore this past week:
“About every week I get positive feedback from clinic patients about Jennifer Lewis’s customer service. I received a note today that I thought had to be passed on:
“Jennifer is heroic in her service and commitment to patient care.” – a grateful patient
She is a gem! — Adam DeVore, MD
Way to go, Jennifer!!!
Upcoming HFSA Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats
December 19, 2024 | 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM ET | Virtual Livestream; OnDemand to follow
Join the HFSA for an informative (free!) seminar, HFSA Heart Failure Seminar: What You Need to Know STAT! HF Stats, where leading experts delve into the latest trends and statistics on heart failure. This session is designed to provide the recent insights on heart failure incidence, mortality, hospitalizations, and treatment. Attendees will also gain a comprehensive understanding of the strategies HFSA is employing to address these trends and close critical gaps in care.
Mike Felker, MD will be speaking, so you know this will be a great event! To learn more, please visit: https://hfsa.org/heart-failure-seminar-what-you-need-know-stat-hf-stats
Who Are The Most Cited Duke Scientists of 2024?
*this story, written by Karl Bates, originally appeared in Duke’s Research Blog
The Web of Science ranking of the world’s most highly-cited scientists was released this week, telling us who makes up the top 1 percent of the world’s scientists. These are the authors of influential papers that other scientists point to when making their arguments.
Twenty-three of the citation laureates are Duke scholars or had a Duke affiliation when the landmark works were created over the last decade.
Dan Scolnic of Physics returns as our lone entry in Space Science, which just makes Duke sound cooler all around, don’t you think?
This is a big deal for the named faculty and an impressive line on their CVs. But the selection process weeds out “hyper-authorship, excessive self-citation and anomalous citation patterns,” so don’t even think about gaming it.
Fifty-nine nations are represented by the 6,636 individual researchers on this year’s list. About half of the citation champions are in specific fields and half in ‘cross-field’ — where interdisciplinary Duke typically dominates. The U.S. is still the most-cited nation with 36 percent of the world’s share, but shrinking slightly. Mainland China continues to rise, claiming second place with 20 percent of the cohort, up 2.5 percent from just last year. Then, in order, the UK, Germany and Australia round out the top five.
Tiny Singapore, home of the Duke NUS Graduate Medical School, is the tenth-most-cited with 1.6 percent of the global share.
In fact, five Duke NUS faculty made this year’s list: Antonio Bertoletti, Derek Hausenloy and Jenny Guek-Hong Low for cross-field; Carolyn S. P. Lam for clinical medicine, and the world famous “Bat Man,” Lin-Fa Wang, for microbiology.
Okay, you scrolled this far, let’s go!
Biology and Biochemistry
- Charles A. Gersbach
Clinical Medicine
- Christopher Bull Granger
- Adrian F. Hernandez
- Gary Lyman
Cross-Field
- Priyamvada Acharya
- Stefano Curtarolo
- Vance G. Fowler Jr.
- Po-Chun Hsu (adjunct, now U. Chicago)
- Ru-Rong Ji
- William E. Kraus
- David B. Mitzi
- Christopher B. Newgard
- Pratiksha I. Thakore (now with Genentech)
- Xiaofei Wang
- Mark R. Wiesner
Environment and Ecology
- Robert B. Jackson (adjunct, now Stanford U.)
Microbiology
- Barton F. Haynes
Neuroscience and Behavior
- Quinn T. Ostrom
Plant and Animal Science
- Sheng-Yang He
Psychiatry and Psychology
- Avshalom Caspi
- William E. Copeland
- Terrie E. Moffitt
Space Science
- Dan Scolnic
Congratulations to all!
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
Cardiology Grand Rounds
All Duke Cardiology Grand Rounds recordings are housed on Warpwire. To access recordings please visit:
NET ID and password are required. Enjoy!
CD Fellows Core Curriculum Conference
November 27: DHP Conference with Jemi Galani. Noon, DN2001.
November 29: NO CONFERENCE. Happy Thanksgiving!
2025 Duke Heart CMEs – Save the Dates!
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; 5:00-7:30pm 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)
These events are currently being planned for late 2025; dates have not yet been set:
- October: Duke Cardiac Imaging Symposium (live event, location TBD)
- November: 17th Annual NC Research Triangle Pulmonary Hypertension Symposium (live event, location TBD)
Reflect and Connect During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be a busy, stressful, and isolating time 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.
Dates:
- Tuesday, Nov. 26, from 4–5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Dec. 17, from 4–5 p.m.
- Tuesday, Jan. 14, from 4–5 p.m.
Cardiovascular Research Symposium
Dec. 3-4, 2024 at Weill Cornell’s Belfer Research Building, 413 East 69th Street, NYC.
The keynote speaker this year is Anthony Fauci, MD. Previous Duke Cardiology faculty member Geoff Pitt is the Cornell host for the December event, and Howard Rockman is the Duke organizer. Current Duke Cardiology faculty speaking include Conrad Hodgkinson, Rockman, Ching Zhu, Sudarshan Rajagopal, and Sreekanth Vemulapalli.
The Duke Cardiovascular Research Center and the Cardiovascular Institutes of Stanford and Penn are partnering to present the Symposium, which will rotate locations each cycle.
Registration and additional information can be found here.
Cardio Sim Creator Competition
The ACC is accepting submissions for the Cardio Sim Creator Competition, a prestigious recognition for outstanding innovation in the field of cardiac simulation.
The submission deadline is Friday, Dec. 6 at 11:59 p.m. To learn more, please visit this link.
2025 Duke Safety & Quality Conference Date Announced
The Duke Safety & Quality Conference will be held on April 17, 2025. Abstracts are due Sunday, January 5, by 5 p.m.
Click here to learn more and to review 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 be of interest to 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:
November 15 — Duke University Hospital
Becker’s Hospital Review
Artificial heart saves 4th patient
November 15 — Jennifer Green
Neurology Advisor
Diabetes and Pregnancy: Cardiovascular Risk Postpartum
November 16 — Sana Al-Khatib
Medpage Today
Ablation Bests Drugs for Ventricular Tachycardia After Heart Attack
November 16 — Sana Al-Khatib
tctMD
Rivaroxaban Doesn’t Cut Cognitive Decline, Stroke, or TIA in Younger AF Patients
November 16 — DUSOM/DCRI
American Journal of Managed Care (AHA News coverage)
From Benefit Status to Transplants, CV Disparities Prove Tough to Tackle
November 16 — Sana Al-Khatib
tctMD
First-line Catheter Ablation Works for Post-MI VT Suppression: VANISH2
November 16 — Robert Mentz
tctMD
SUMMIT: Tirzepatide ‘Huge Win’ for HFpEF Patients With Obesity
November 16 — Sana Al-Khatib
Espanol News
November 17 — Steven Greene
American Journal of Managed Care (AHA coverage)
Education, Feedback Boosts Pharmacists’ HF Medication Rates
November 17 — Sana Al-Khatib
Healio/Cardiology Today
Catheter ablation superior to antiarrhythmic drugs in VT with ischemic cardiomyopathy
November 17 — Sana Al-Khatib
Notiulti.com
La ablación es mejor que los fármacos para la taquicardia ventricular después de un ataque cardíaco
November 17 — Manesh Patel
MedPage Today
Is DOAC a Viable Option After Bioprosthetic Valve Surgery Even in Sinus Rhythm?
November 17 — Manesh Patel
tctMD
ENBALV: Edoxaban Matches Warfarin After Bioprosthetic Valve Surgery
November 18 — Manesh Patel
Medpage Today
Left Atrial Appendage Closure Reduced Bleeding After Afib Ablation
November 18 — Jacob Schroder
Spectrum News (Triangle)
Duke Doctors Help Heart Transplant Patient with Breakthrough Tech
November 18 — Manesh Patel
WPTF-AM (Raleigh)
Patient Recovering After Mechanical Heart Aid
November 18 — Manesh Patel
MedPage Today
Left Atrial Appendage Closure Reduced Bleeding After Afib Ablation
November 19 — Manesh Patel
Cardiovascular News
AHA 2024: Edoxaban an “effective alternative” to warfarin following valve replacement surgery
November 21 — Duke University Hospital
Becker’s Hospital Review
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