
It's an ambitious vision: creating a world without heart disease. However, at the nonprofit Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation, some of the country's leading researchers and population health experts are dedicated to helping that vision become a reality — and are making impressive strides toward it.

Since 1982, the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation has established a reputation as a national leader in cutting-edge cardiovascular health research that is helping to save lives. Today, through the foundation's population health arm — Hearts Beat Back — it's also a trailblazer in advancing heart disease prevention and education programs that are successfully improving the health of individuals and entire communities.

Hearts Beat Back is paving the way in helping move health beyond the walls of our health care establishments and into our communities to make health and well-being the easy choice where people live, learn, work, worship and play.
Here's what people are saying about Hearts Beat Back:
You have to control health care costs and increase efficiency. Programs like the Heart of New Ulm are reducing the number of strokes and heart attacks and making people healthier and more aware of how to do it.
Tim Walz
-Minnesota First District Congressman
I visited New Ulm to see what these folks are doing, how determined they are to make changes in their lifestyles. This dedication to prevention and wellness will keep individuals in New Ulm living longer, healthier lives. It will also save the health care system about $10 million over the next 10 years. When it comes to wellness, self-interest and the national interest are aligned.
Al Franken
-U.S. Senator
We tell people they have to be more active and eat healthier. But, we have to also make it easier for them. This is a great start and the idea is to keep it growing. The Heart of New Ulm Project is going to prevent heart attacks and keep people healthy. In the long run, it will save lives.
Dr. Regina Benjamin
-Former U.S. Surgeon General
Before the Heart of New Ulm project, I had quadruple-bypass heart surgery. My family and I went through a lot of pain and worry. If this project can prevent even one family from going through that experience, this will be worth it. But I know many more families that are and will be healthier because of this project. I’m so proud to be a part of it.
Robert Beussman
-Mayor Of New Ulm
The physicians of the Minneapolis Heart Institute are very excited to be a part of this successful and important project. The entire Heart of New Ulm team has shown that a broad community prevention program fostered by the local community can have a tremendous impact on overall health. This project serves as a model for health care institutions looking to combine the efforts of physicians and public health care workers with the electronic medical record to improve the quality of life of their community.
Thomas Knickelbine
-MD, FACC, FSCAI, Minneapolis Heart Institute
I only hope that other places in America will be able to follow suit and do what they can do to pull together like the people of New Ulm and make a difference in their health and welfare.
Bob Harper
-Health And Motivational Expert From “The Biggest Loser” TV Show