Heartfelt Progress: The Arizona Heart Foundation’s 2023 Year in Review

Each year, the Arizona Heart Foundation works to improve heart health and enhance quality of life for those living in the Grand Canyon State, and this year, we made some impactful strides in these areas. From opening a new, sonography school in southern Arizona to expanding heart disease detection tools and resources for athletes, first responders and others, the Foundation continued to shape the health care landscape in Arizona while reducing the risks that come with cardiovascular disease.

Here are some noteworthy highlights and milestones from this year’s fight for better heart health.

We opened our new Tucson campus.

You asked, and we delivered: The Arizona Heart Foundation opened a second School of Ultrasound in southern Arizona this summer to meet rising demand in the region. The Tucson school offers the same accelerated, 12-month program as our main Phoenix campus that trains students to work in a variety of medical settings and includes externship opportunities with local Tucson hospitals and medical offices. We expect this program to have the same 88% placement rate for new grads as our Phoenix program.

We added a new fall session in Phoenix.

Demand for cardiac sonographers is at an all-time high, and we now offer a new fall cardiac session that starts in October at our Phoenix campus. A permanent addition to the lineup, the fall session expands enrollment opportunities, helping fulfill a growing need for trained sonographers across the state and nation.

We conducted complimentary scans.

This year, we worked with local media to raise awareness about the complimentary heart scans our students offer to athletes, first responders and members of the public. With the help of Fox 10, AZFamily and other local news outlets, we spread the word about these non-invasive scans that provide valuable feedback about overall heart health – and conducted more than 100 complimentary heart scans after the news segments hit airwaves in September.

We published a book.

In another 2023 highlight, the Arizona Heart Foundation published a new book, the “Congenital Echocardiographers Pocket Reference.” Drafted and edited by 33 leading sonographers from across the country, the title supersedes its predecessor, “The Pediatric Echocardiographer’s Pocket Reference,” and serves as a valuable resource for those looking to advance their knowledge of congenital heart disease and address the evolving needs of those living with it.

As we reflect on this year’s many milestones, the Arizona Heart Foundation remains steadfast in its mission to expand educational opportunities, raise awareness about heart disease risks, and, ultimately, build a more heart-healthy future for communities statewide.