Broward mayor urges Pembroke Pines residents to take county-funded preventive heart scan

Broward County Mayor Mark Bogan asked Pembroke Pines residents on Dec. 11 to consider a county-funded preventive cardiac scan he said has identified thousands of previously undetected problems.

"We have scanned 7,000 people in Broward County, all who have no symptoms," Bogan told the Pembroke Pines City Commission. "Out of 7,000, over 4,000 of them needed either open heart surgery, stents, or medication because they had no idea that their arteries were blocked." He added that the county set aside $10 million to pay for the exams and that tests will be available at the Cleveland Clinic; residents can register at takehearttest.com.

The program screens asymptomatic adults with a 15-minute scan Bogan described as widely available but underused by physicians as a preventive measure. He said donors including the Florida Panthers have supplemented county funds and that organizers found other conditions such as lung cancer and atrial fibrillation in a minority of participants.

Commissioners thanked Bogan and urged city staff to share the information on municipal channels. "You took the effort to create a program that saves lives," Commissioner Goode said during the meeting, praising the county's funding commitment.

The commission did not take formal action on the program. City staff agreed to consider amplifying outreach through the city's social media and local government television. Bogan encouraged residents over age 45 or those with family members at risk to sign up while county funds are available.

What happens next: County staff and participating hospitals will manage scheduling and follow-up for residents who register at the site Bogan provided. The program's ongoing availability depends on county funding and any additional donations.