Sanford Fargo named top heart program
Nov. 4, 2026
Contact:
Nathan Aamodt
Sanford Health Media Relations
(701) 200-6080/nathan.aamodt@sanfordhealth.org
FARGO, N.D. – Sanford Medical Center Fargo has been recognized as having one of the top heart programs in the country.
For the second consecutive year, Sanford Health Fargo was named to Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2026 100 Hospitals and Health Systems with Great Heart Programs list. Becker’s recognized the hospitals and health systems that are setting the standard for cardiovascular care, boasting exceptional clinical outcomes, life-saving technology and groundbreaking research.
“We are excited and honored to be named a top heart hospital in the country,” said Paul Burud, Sanford Fargo vice president for heart services. “Our dedicated heart team utilizes cutting-edge technology and a specialized approach to patient care, helping ensure successful patient outcomes. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, making it even more important to provide world-class health care close to home.”
Sanford Fargo has a team of more than 400 professionals, including nearly 40 physicians and advanced practice providers. Sanford Fargo has led numerous state-first advancements, including transcatheter aortic valve replacement, cardiac PET imaging, TriClip tricuspid valve repair and renal denervation for resistant hypertension.
The program treats approximately 1,300 heart attack patients annually and has earned the American College of Cardiology “Chest Pain-MI Registry Performance Award” 10 times for consistently delivering guideline-based, high-quality care. Sanford Fargo has surpassed 2,000 transcatheter aortic valve replacement procedures and has completed over 1,000 Watchman procedures. In January 2026, Sanford Fargo performed the first Evoque procedure in the Dakotas.
Sanford Fargo is expanding access through extensive rural outreach, providing cardiology care in 12 communities and diagnostic services at additional sites across the region. Sanford Medical Center Fargo was recognized in 2025 as one of Premier’s “Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals” in the nation, making it the only hospital in North Dakota, South Dakota or Minnesota to earn this distinction. Earlier this year, Sanford Fargo launched a cardiovascular disease fellowship with the University of North Dakota.
A list of all hospitals and health systems recognized with great heart programs can be found here.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the healthcare experience and providing access to world-class healthcare in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 60,000 employees and serves more than 2.5 million patients and nearly 415,000 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 60 hospitals, 315 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,900 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. Nearly 450 residents and fellows are trained each year through over 40 graduate medical education programs, with Sanford Health serving as the primary funding source for 75% of the programs. Sanford Health also includes 92 retail pharmacies, including Sanford and Lewis Drug pharmacies with locations in 6 states, and more than 300 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural healthcare across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
