Sanford awarded grant to advance heart diagnosis and care
December 9, 2025
Contact:
Chelsey Kralicek
Sanford Health Media Relations
701-516-4903 / Chelsey.Kralicek@SanfordHealth.org
In collaboration with Pfizer, funds allow Sanford to improve the capabilities of identifying and early diagnosis of rare, progressive heart disease
BISMARCK, N.D. — Sanford Health has been selected as one of only three recipients of a highly competitive grant offered through a collaboration between Pfizer and the American College of Cardiology (ACC). This grant supports innovative quality improvement initiatives aimed at increasing identification and accurate diagnosis of heart failure patients with cardiac amyloidosis.
Through this funding, Sanford will design and implement a comprehensive initiative focused on:
- Improving capabilities for cardiac amyloidosis identification and diagnosis, particularly among hospitalized heart failure patients.
- Reducing time to correct diagnosis by enhancing coordination of care across specialties.
- Implementing interventions for holistic patient management, including early identification and post-discharge care strategies.
- Leveraging AI and digital health tools to identify patients at risk for cardiac amyloidosis.
- Defining and augmenting quality and performance measures for screening and diagnosis.
“This grant represents an incredible opportunity to improve outcomes for patients with cardiac amyloidosis and heart failure,” said Nayan Desai, M.D., interventional cardiologist, Sanford Bismarck. “By advancing diagnostic accuracy and coordination of care, we hope to make a meaningful impact on patient lives.”
Pfizer will provide funding for the initiative, while ACC will convene an Expert Review Panel, foster a community of practice among grantees and offer guidance to ensure program success. Importantly, the initiative will be independently designed and conducted by Sanford, with no involvement from Pfizer in project development or monitoring.
The Sanford Bismarck region provides health care to central and western North Dakota, eastern Montana and northern South Dakota. It includes 26 clinics in Bismarck, Mandan, Minot, Dickinson, Williston and Watford City, as well as a Level II trauma center located in Bismarck.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
