Becker’s Healthcare -- Cardiology + Heart Surgery Podcast

In this episode, Jeffrey Marshall, MD, Chief of Cardiology at the Northside Hospital Heart Institute, joins the podcast to reflect on defining moments throughout his career and the evolution of cardiology at Northside. He also shares how his role has changed over time and offers his perspective on the growing attention surrounding artificial intelligence, including why he believes AI may be overhyped by the media.

In this episode, Arun Kumar, MD, Director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at MU Health Care, and Amy Begemann, Senior Director of Cardiovascular, Neuroscience and Ancillary Services, join the podcast to discuss their certification journey and the process behind achieving it. They also share insights on standardizing clinical processes and protocols to deliver more consistent, high-quality outcomes for patients.

In this episode, Radha Gopalan, MD, Clinical Professor at University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, discusses an inpatient cardiac prehab and rehab program designed to reduce frailty, improve functional capacity and help patients become eligible for advanced heart failure therapies.

In this episode, Mark J. Ricciardi, MD, Section Chief Interventional Cardiology and Structural Heart; Charles Walgreen Jr Chair, Endeavor Health (formerly NorthShore) Cardiovascular Institute; Clinical Prof University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, discusses cardiovascular innovation, minimally invasive valve therapies, clinical trials and the importance of building a culture that prioritizes research alongside clinical care.

Tom Nguyen, M.D., System Chief Executive, Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care; Chief Medical Executive, Baptist Health Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute; Chair and Professor, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, and Ashford Denman, Vice President of Heart & Vascular Services at Baptist Health South Florida, where he oversees operations for Baptist Health Heart & Vascular Care, which includes both Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute and Lynn Cardiac & Vascular Institute, discuss how they are advancing cardiovascular care through clinical excellence, minimally invasive technologies, and strategic growth.

In this episode, Faraz Ahmad, MD, Associate Director at the Center for Artificial Intelligence, and Jonathan Hourmozdi, MD, Heart Failure and Heart Transplantation at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute, discuss how AI is improving heart failure diagnosis, care delivery, and patient engagement while emphasizing the importance of responsible implementation and governance. They also share their vision for an AI-powered future that reduces administrative burden, strengthens clinician-patient relationships, and expands access to high-quality cardiovascular care.

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 collaboration.

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-assisted imaging technology and how it is enhancing diagnostic accuracy, improving clinical workflows, and supporting better patient outcomes.

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 supporting clinical and operational teams by improving efficiency, enhancing workflows, and helping create a more connected patient experience.

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, improve care delivery, and drive better outcomes for patients.