{"id":39218,"date":"2026-04-06T16:04:22","date_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=39218"},"modified":"2026-04-06T16:04:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-06T16:04:33","slug":"pulse-heart-institute-tackles-cardiac-sonographer-shortage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/pulse-heart-institute-tackles-cardiac-sonographer-shortage\/","title":{"rendered":"Pulse Heart Institute tackles cardiac sonographer shortage","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

When people have heart concerns, an echocardiogram, or cardiac ultrasound, is often the first step in diagnosis and treatment.<\/p>\n

This noninvasive test, given by a cardiac sonographer, takes real-time images of the heart to assess its structure and functioning. But across the country, a shortage of cardiac sonographers jeopardizes timely access to this critical diagnostic tool.<\/p>\n

To address this workforce gap, Pulse Heart Institute\u2019s Imaging Center of Excellence (COE) launched the satellite School of Cardiac Ultrasound in partnership with the Arizona Heart Foundation<\/a> (AHF).<\/p>\n

\u201cThis school represents an outside-the-box solution that improves access to care, addresses hiring challenges and creates a pathway for employees to further their careers,\u201d says Andrew Smith, director of imaging services at Pulse Heart Institute. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the most rewarding projects I\u2019ve been part of.\u201d<\/p>\n

A growing shortage of sonographers<\/h2>\n

The demand for qualified sonographers across a variety of specialties, including cardiology, has increased sharply in recent years. While the number of U.S. sonography graduates in rose by 23 percent between 2011-2021<\/a>, open sonographer positions grew by 36 percent. During the same time frame, the number of ultrasound exams performed nationally surged by 55 percent.<\/p>\n

Without timely access to cardiac ultrasound, care may be delayed. These tests are required before patients can undergo cardiac surgery. Care teams also rely on them to detect heart conditions and develop treatment plans. When access lags, patient outcomes and experiences can suffer.<\/p>\n

Those already in the sonography field face consequences, too. Shortages can lead to high workloads, exacerbating work-related burnout. More than half of sonographers in a 2024 study experienced moderate to severe burnout<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A significant factor driving the cardiac sonographer shortage both locally and across the nation is a lack of training programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cWashington as a whole is very underserved when it comes to cardiac sonography schools, given the size of our population and the number of job vacancies,\u201d Smith says. \u201cThere are only a few schools to serve the entire state.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When people have heart concerns, an echocardiogram, or cardiac ultrasound, is often the first step in diagnosis and treatment. This noninvasive test, given by a cardiac sonographer, takes real-time images of the heart to assess its structure and functioning. But across the country, a shortage of cardiac sonographers jeopardizes timely access to this critical diagnostic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":367,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,63,79,103],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community","category-heart-health","category-profiles-stories","category-research"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPulse Heart Institute tackles cardiac sonographer shortage - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The School of Cardiac Ultrasound helps Pulse Heart Institute expand echo access, address workforce shortages and support employee growth.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/pulse-heart-institute-tackles-cardiac-sonographer-shortage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Pulse Heart Institute tackles cardiac sonographer shortage - 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