The Stern Cardiovascular Foundation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It owes more than it owns.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC.'S PRIMARY MISSION IS TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY HEALTH THROUGH THE PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND ESTABLISH, EQUIP, AND MAINTAIN GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED OUTPATIENT CLINIC LOCATIONS AT WHICH SUCH SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED.
- Income
- $63.4 million
- Spending
- $116.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- -40.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 98%
- Employees
- 587
- Volunteers
- 0
- Highest pay
- $2.3 million, physician/president/ex-officio
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 30 out of 100. Higher than 6% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
0 of 20It owes 2029% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 84% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 3% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 65 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (health care, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $109.2 million spent. THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. PROVIDES QUALITY MEDICAL HEALTH CARE REGARDLESS OF RACE, CREED, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, HANDICAP, OR AGE. PATIENTS OF EVERY RACE, CREED AND SOCIOECONOMIC GROUP COME TOTHE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. FROM SEVERAL STATES, WITH MOST OF ITS PATIENTS COMING FROM WEST TENNESSEE, EAST ARKANSAS, AND NORTH MISSISSIPPI. ALTHOUGH REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES RENDERED IS CRITICAL TO THE OPERATION AND STABILITY OF THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC., IT IS RECOGNIZED THAT NOT ALL INDIVIDUALS POSSESS THE ABILITY TO PURCHASE ESSENTIAL MEDICAL SERVICES, AND FURTHER, THAT OUR MISSION IS TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY WITH RESPECT TO PROVIDING HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND HEALTH CARE EDUCATION. THEREFORE, IN KEEPING WITH OUR COMMITMENT TO SERVE ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY, THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING:- FREE CARE AND/OR SUBSIDIZED CARE WHERE THE NEED AND/OR AN INDIVIDUAL'S INABILITY TO PAY COEXIST,- CARE PROVIDED TO PERSONS COVERED BY GOVERNMENTAL PROGRAMS AT BELOW COST, AND- HEALTH ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY.THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE WELLNESS PROGRAMS, COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAMS, PROGRAMS FOR THE ELDERLY, HANDICAPPED, MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED, AND A VARIETY OF BROAD COMMUNITY SUPPORT ACTIVITIES. THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. HAS ALIGNED WITH BAPTIST MEMORIAL HEALTH CARE CORPORATION AND NOW HAS 45 CARDIOLOGISTS. KNOWN AS ONE OF THE LARGEST MEDICAL RESEARCH AREAS IN THE COUNTRY, THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE LEADING CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH AND TREATMENT CENTERS IN THE COUNTRY. UTILIZING STATE-OF-THE-ART MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY, THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. IS COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE AND COMPASSION IN ITS TREATMENT OF PATIENTS. THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. OPENED THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR VEIN CENTER FOR COMPREHENSIVE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC VENOUS INSUFFICIENCY AND VARICOSE VEINS. WE ALSO HAVE SPECIALIZED OUTPATIENT CLINICS FOR THE TREATMENT OF A-FIB AND CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE (CHF). WE ARE VERY PROUD OF OUR MANY OUTREACH LOCATIONS WHICH ALLOW OUTPATIENT CONSULTS FOR RURAL NEIGHBORHOODS, WHICH DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TOP NOTCH MEDICAL CARE. INPATIENT SERVICES INCLUDE TESTS AND PROCEDURES TO DIAGNOSE AND TREAT CARDIAC NEEDS SUCH AS CARDIAC CATHETERIZATION - APPROXIMATELY 7,100; PTCA-STENT - APPROXIMATELY 2,300; ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY STUDY - APPROXIMATELY 1,700; PERIPHERAL VASCULAR STUDY - APPROXIMATELY 1,300; TAVRS - APPROXIMATELY 215; MITRAL CLIPS - APPROXIMATELY 75; AND ABLATION - APPROXIMATELY 2,100.THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. HAS AN ACTIVE BASE OF APPROXIMATELY 82,000 PATIENTS. OUR OUTPATIENT SERVICES INCLUDE CARDIAC WELLNESS EXAMS FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY,PACING AND ARRHYTHMIA MANAGEMENT, VASCULAR SCREENING EXAMS, DEVICE CLINIC, COUMADIN CLINIC AND LIPID CLINIC. WE OFFER EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS REGARDING LIPID MANAGEMENT AND WEIGHT CONTROL. OUR PHYSICIANS PROACTIVELY COUNSEL PATIENTS ON HEALTHY LIFESTYLES AT EACH APPOINTMENT AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH OTHER AREA PROVIDERS.CARDIAC WELLNESS EXAMS AND SCREENING TESTS ARE USED TO RULE OUT HEART DISEASE AND DETERMINE CARDIAC RISKS. AT THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC., WE TAKE A HEART HEALTHY APPROACH TO GETTING FIT.THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. ALSO HAS CLINICS IN WHICH DIAGNOSTIC TESTS ARE PERFORMED. PATIENTS MAY ALSO COME TO THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. FOR FLU SHOTS AND IMMUNIZATIONS WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT. THE STERN CARDIOVASCULAR FOUNDATION, INC. ALSO OFFERS PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE LIPID, COUMADIN, AND PACEMAKER CLINICS TO HELP PATIENTS BETTER UNDERSTAND AND MANAGE THEIR CARDIAC HEALTH.LIPID CLINIC - IF YOUR CHOLESTEROL IS HIGH, SO IS YOUR CHANCE FOR A HEART ATTACK, STROKE, OR BLOCKAGES IN YOUR LEG ARTERIES. AS YOUR CHOLESTEROL IS LOWERED, SO ARE YOUR RISKS FOR THESE PROBLEMS. THE LIPID CLINIC PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT FOODS THAT ARE GOOD OR BAD FOR YOUR CHOLESTEROL LEVELS. EMPHASIS ON SOME DEGREE OF EXERCISE IS ALSO ENCOURAGED.COUMADIN CLINIC - IF YOU ARE ON THE BLOOD THINNER, COUMADIN, YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR PROTHROMBIN TIME (INR) MONITORED ON A REGULAR BASIS IN OUR CLINIC. YOUR RESULTS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE SO YOUR COUMADIN DOSE CAN BE ADJUSTED, IF NECESSARY.PACEMAKER CLINIC - WE PROVIDE ONSITE ARRHYTHMIA MONITORING SERVICES BY SPECIALLY TRAINED NURSES. THESE NURSES CAN CHECK YOUR PACEMAKER OR DEFIBRILLATOR.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending September 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 2014.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.