Dr. Poole is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington, Division of Cardiology, Section of Electrophysiology. She received her medical degree from the University of Washington and went on to complete the majority of her post graduate training at the University of Washington, including training in Cardiology and the sub-specialty of Cardiac Electrophysiology.
She has had a clinical research career primarily focused on prevention of sudden cardiac death and use of implantable devices, such as implantable defibrillators (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices. Additional areas of interest include atrial fibrillation. She has over 200 publications, editorials, book chapters and books. She has been a leader for many of the large National Institutes of Health cardiovascular arrhythmia trials such as the Sudden Cardiac Death in Heart Failure Trial (SCD-HeFT) and the Effect of Catheter Ablation versus Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy Trial (CABANA).
Over the course of her career, Dr. Poole has been a champion to increase female enrollment into clinical trials. Traditionally, the female enrollment rates have been woefully low (<30%), precluding the generalizability of therapy across sexes. She has given lectures at national and international symposium, authored pivotal papers highlighting this knowledge gap, and addressed mechanisms to increase enrollment of women into clinical trials.
A very important project started with WomenHeart Champions over ten years ago, Dr. Poole worked with Dr. Brooke Allocco to review surveys of women with heart disease regarding their perceptions of clinical trials, clinical trial participation and barriers for women to enroll. Following several more interviews of female and male patients with heart disease across the US, this effort led to WinHer™, a suite of clinical trial ‘helps’ to be used by investigators in clinical trials. A very important theme emerged that women wanted their involvement in a clinical trial to matter – to their daughters and to their granddaughters. Incorporating the important components of this project, the ongoing BIOΩLIBRA study of heart failure patients receiving an ICD, has enrolled a remarkable 48% female enrollment (Co-PI’s Dr’s J.Poole and V. Kutyfia)
An additional effort of her career has been to encourage, support and mentor women in medicine who are training in, or considering a career in cardiac electrophysiology. She has been involved from the inception in “Women in Electrophysiology” programs which provide a vehicle for women to meet each other, network for research opportunities, and to support their promotion and leadership. Through these efforts, significant strides have been achieved resulting in women gaining greater visibility and prominence. Dr. Poole has been a mentor, leader and role model for women nationally and internationally. She led the Electrophysiology Section at the University of Washington for over 20 years, was the Chair of the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) Education committee, was a member of the HRS Board of Trustees and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the HRSO2 Journal – one of few women serving in an editor-in-chief position amongst cardiovascular journals. A special section within the Journal is Global Voices. This section publishes papers dedicated to the representation of woman and racial/or ethic minorities in research, showcasing our colleagues working in health resource constrained global regions of the world, challenges in managing common or region-unique cardiac disorders and featuring authors on HRStv you-tube interviews. Our goal with this HRO2 section is to represent all cardiovascular health care providers and all patients suffering with heart rhythm disorders, regardless, of sex, gender, race, ethnicity or cultural differences.
