Letters from a Heart Patient

From the desk of Boots Knighton on

Game Creek Bluff in Idaho, USA

Issue 35 | April 8, 2025

Hello. :)

Welcome to a slightly reimagined newsletter. I've changed the name to Letters from a Heart Patient. I find myself saying on a daily basis, "The world needs heart surgery." I say this because I feel that the world needs a shift in perspective, a shift in how seemingly important things in life need to be reevaluated. While I continue to sift through the new chapter of my own health struggles, I haven't been quick to bemoan my situation. It's not fun and it is quite isolating and expensive, but I'm also glad to be put in a time out again. I, myself, needed a review on what is important and what is not. So, Letters from a Heart Patient will likely feel like all past newsletters but with more emphasis on my reflections as well as past guests who've shared their journeys. Your feedback is most welcome, no matter what you think. Please don't hold back.

This week's guest, Dr. Marschall Runge, is quite the fixture in cardiology, and he also just feels like your grandpa... at least that is how I felt talking to him. Check out is bio. I'm not sure when he sleeps. ;)

Because of my conversation with him, I have been using ChatGPT to help guide my care for my heart. I'm not kidding! I have uploaded all of my symptoms with past echocardiograms, heart caths, VO2Max tests and blood test results and within seconds, it picked out trends (both good and not so good) that I know my cardiologist doesn't have time to find on her own. It also gave me research links, questions to ask my providers and suggested further testing. I am now considering traveling to a bigger hospital, so I asked it consider Cleveland Clinic, Mayo and National Jewish. It gave me pros and cons for each. All of this was done in minutes from the comfort of my own home and for free. I have found some weird comfort from being "heard" by ChatGPT. It truly is super duper weird. But what I make up about my comfort is that it just provides legitimate research into my situation that I can then take to my team. Knowledge is power.

Speaking of knowledge is power... Remember the cardiac dietitian, Michelle Routhenstein, I've had on the pod in the past? I've shared how much she has helped me. She has actually been pivotal lately in helping me understand what is happening with my heart. Anyways, she is hosting her next Optimize program in early May. There have been quite a few listeners of the podcast who have found great value in working with her. You can sign up for her program with the following link. :)

​https://openheartsurgerywithboots--entirelynourished.thrivecart.com/optimize-group-program/​

But on to today's episode.... so so exciting...

Episode Highlight:

This was such a thought-provoking discussion with Marshall Runge, a leader in academic medicine and an advocate for integrating artificial intelligence into healthcare systems. As the dean of the medical school at the University of Michigan, Marshall is reshaping the modern healthcare landscape with his cutting-edge work. In this episode, he shares his perspectives on how AI is revolutionizing heart health management and what it means for the future of preventive care. Plus, I press Dr. Runge in our interview about how we balance the importance of the human connection with our providers with AI.

Key Takeaways:

• AI in Healthcare: Dr. Runge brings to light the intriguing world of AI and its potential in predicting heart disease patterns, like the groundbreaking ability to analyze retinal scans.
• Heart Health and AI Tools: Discover how AI tools can complement your relationship with healthcare providers, offering deeper insights without replacing the invaluable human connection.
• The Changing Role of AI: Understand why Dr. Runge sees AI as a tool to help map information and patterns rather than a cure-all.

Words of Wisdom:

Marshall emphasizes the importance of being the CEO of your own health. With advancements in healthcare and tools like AI to guide us, we can all become more proactive in managing our health.

Final Thought:

As Marshall says, "We have a future in healthcare that's accelerating more than at any time during my 40 years in health care. Proactive care rather than reactive care is within reach, thanks to advancements like AI."

I really hope you listen to this episode.

Thank you for being here. It means so much to me. Tell a friend about this newsletter and the podcast. You never know who might need to hear it.

I love you. Boots