Becker’s Healthcare -- Cardiology + Heart Surgery Podcast

In this episode, Faraz Ahmad, MD, associate director at the Center for Artificial Intelligence at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, discusses how Northwestern is advancing AI strategy, developing clinical AI tools, and training the next generation of AI-focused healthcare leaders. He also shares insights on implementing AI responsibly through workflow redesign, evaluation, and...

In this episode, Akhil Narang, MD, Cardiologist and Director of the Echocardiography Lab at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, and Amogh Karnik, MD, Cardiologist at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, join the podcast to discuss the operational requirements for successfully implementing AI in cardiovascular care. They also explore the growing role of AI-assiste...

In this episode, R. Kannan Mutharasan, MD, MBA, Medical Director of Health Network Development, Sarah Plaskett, PA, Vice President of Operations, and Kaleigh Powers, MSN, RN, Director of Operations at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, join the podcast to discuss the importance of system integration in delivering coordinated cardiovascular care. They also share how AI is support...

In this episode, Sanjiv Shah, MD, Director of Research at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, joins the podcast to discuss strategies for improving provider satisfaction and supporting clinicians in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. He also shares why strong data infrastructure serves as the foundation for innovation, enabling organizations to advance research, impr...

In this episode, Nicolle W. Davis, PhD, RN, SCRN, FAHA, Director of the Mobile Stroke Program at UF Health, and Janice Walker, DHA, MBA-HCM, NEA-BC, BSN, RN, System Nursing Officer and Senior Vice President at UF Health, join the podcast to discuss the development of stroke protocols and the growth of innovative mobile stroke programs. They share how bringing specialized stroke care directly to pa...

In this episode, Curtiss T. Stinis, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Clinical Professor of Medicine, Director of Peripheral Interventions, Interventional Cardiology, Scripps Clinic, joins the Becker’s Healthcare Podcast to discuss the latest TAVR durability data, key differences between leading valve platforms, and what health system leaders need to understand about lifetime valve management. This episode is spon...

In this episode, Peter George, MD, MBA, FACC, FASE, FASNC, Chief Medical Officer of Cardiovascular Services at UnityPoint Health, joins the podcast to discuss optimizing medical therapy and expanding outpatient care strategies to keep patients healthier and out of the hospital. He also shares approaches to lowering readmission rates and improving long-term cardiovascular outcomes through coordinat...

In this episode, Jeffrey Farber, MD, President & CEO of The New Jewish Home, discusses the organization’s accredited heart failure program within a skilled nursing facility setting. He shares how specialized cardiac rehabilitation, interdisciplinary care, and close partnerships with academic medical centers are helping medically complex older adults recover safely and regain quality of life af...

In this episode, Ian Cohen, MD, Charles and Barbara Strang Medical Director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, Northwestern Medicine Catherine Gratz Griffin Lake Forest Hospital, and Sarah Plaskett, MBA, MMS, PA, Vice President of Operations at the Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, discuss how they are building advanced cardiovascular programs in community settings through...

In this episode, Atizazul Mansoor, MD, Chair of the Heart and Vascular Institute at UPMC in Central Pennsylvania, and Samir Saba, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of Cardiology at the UPMC Heart and Vascular Institute, join the podcast to discuss how their organization is restructuring to better meet the growing demands in cardiology. They share perspectives on reducing the length of education...

In this episode, Pranav Loyalka, MD - Cardiologist, HCA Houston Heart Medical Center, Medical Director of Structural Heart Disease, Heart Failure, Heart Transplant and Mechanical Circulatory Support, HCA Gulf Coast Division, discusses major advancements like transcatheter valve replacement and the evolving role of AI in cardiac care. He also shares insights on training the next generation of cardi...

In this episode,  Dr. Joseph G. Rogers, Director of The Texas Heart Institute at Baylor College of Medicine, discusses groundbreaking innovations in heart failure treatment, artificial heart technology, and gene therapy. He also shares insights on leadership, the future of cardiovascular care, and the importance of prevention in improving long-term patient outcomes.

In this episode, Mansour Razminia, MD, Medical Director of Electrophysiology for the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital, shares how intracardiac echo is transforming ablation by eliminating radiation exposure and improving safety for patients and care teams while challenging traditional training models.

In this episode, Rosy Thachil, MD, MBA, FACC, FAMWA, FACVC, Cardiologist at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst, joins the podcast to discuss why patient care cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach. She shares how translation services help bridge communication gaps, and how integrating specialized, data-driven care is improving outcomes and delivering more personalized treatment for diverse patient po...

In this episode, Vikram Kashyap, MD, FACS, Endowed Chair of the Frederik Meijer Heart and Vascular Institute and Vice President of Cardiovascular Health at Corewell Health, discusses reducing mortality through systemwide collaboration, navigating anesthesia workforce transitions, expanding into heart and lung integration, and building a unified cardiovascular strategy across the state.

In this episode, Gregg Reis, MD, Interventional Cardiologist at UPMC in Central Pennsylvania, joins the podcast to discuss how the hospital’s STEMI alert system is delivering lifesaving care to patients experiencing heart attacks. He shares insights into team preparation, rapid response coordination, and the protocols that ensure timely, high-quality STEMI care when every second counts.

In this episode, Suzette B. Graham Hill, MD, cardiologist at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, discusses how cardio obstetrics programs, remote blood pressure monitoring, and automatic cardiology referrals are helping prevent postpartum cardiovascular deaths. She shares why coordinated care beyond the traditional six week model is essential to improving outcomes, particularly for high risk and...

In this episode, Dr. Justin Dunn, Interventional Cardiologist and Regional Director of the Valve and Structural Heart Disease Center at University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute at UH Lake West Medical Center, discusses expanding complex cardiac procedures into community hospitals to improve access and outcomes. He shares how standardizing infrastructure, training multidiscipl...

In this episode, Dr. Norma M. Keller, Chief of Cardiology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and system wide cardiovascular lead for NYC Health + Hospitals, discusses aligning prevention, innovation, and equity across the nation’s largest municipal health system. She shares insights on investing in advanced therapies like ECMO and structural heart procedures while strengthening prevention strategi...

In this episode, Dr. Hal Skopicki of Stony Brook Medicine shares how an integrated institute model at the Stony Brook Heart Institute is reducing access delays, advancing lipid and imaging innovation, and driving consistent clinical excellence. He discusses empowering teams, investing in scalable programs, and creating a culture of collaboration to elevate cardiovascular care.

In this episode, Anthony J. Tortolani, MD, FACS, FACC, Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeon and Professor Emeritus of Clinical Cardiothoracic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College, discusses the realities of declining profit margins and how leaders are balancing financial pressures with clinical excellence. He explores practical applications of AI in clinical medicine, including improvements in efficie...

In this episode, Dr. Amro Alsaid, Medical Director of Advanced Cardiac Imaging, and Dr. Karim Al-Azizi, Medical Director of the Catheterization Laboratory and Structural Heart Program at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital, discuss how AI and advanced cardiac imaging are reshaping coronary diagnosis, improving precision in patient care, and optimizing workflow efficiency across cardiology...

In this episode, Dr. Tom Nguyen, Professor and Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences at FIU and Chief Medical Executive at Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care, discusses how wearable devices, voice technology, and AI are transforming early detection, prediction, and treatment in cardiovascular care. He also shares insights on using technology to reduce disparities, enhance patient monitoring, and...

This episode features Vinay Badhwar, MD, FACS, FACC, Executive Chair of the WVU Heart & Vascular Institute and Gordon F. Murray Professor and Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery at West Virginia University School of Medicine. Dr. Badhwar discusses the importance of a strong organizational structure, shares insights into the innovative developments his team has been...

In this episode, Dr. Lisa Howley, Director of the Fetal Cardiology Program at Children’s Minnesota, discusses the biggest challenges and innovations shaping fetal and pediatric cardiology, including disparities in prenatal detection, the growing adult congenital population, and the promise of AI and telehealth in expanding access to care.