2023 Impact Report
A Year of Transformation
Annual Reports
The annual reports highlights NCH’s remarkable achievements over the past year, showcasing its commitment to advancing healthcare in Southwest Florida. Notable milestones include the opening of the Judith & Marvin Herb Family Simulation Center, recognized as one of the nation’s top 35 facilities for immersive medical training, and the approval of a $200 million heart and stroke center expansion on the Downtown campus. NCH earned prestigious accolades such as the Pathway to Excellence recognition for nursing, the Joint Commission Gold Seal for Comprehensive Stroke Center Accreditation, and several Healthgrades awards for excellence in stroke, spine, and pulmonary care. The organization also celebrated groundbreaking innovations, including being the first in the region to implement advanced procedures and technologies for stroke recovery and cardiac care. With the establishment of new programs, facilities, and leadership roles, NCH reinforced its mission to provide exceptional patient outcomes and lead medical advancements, driven by strategic partnerships, cutting-edge research, and the generous support of the community.
A note from our CEO
NCH (Naples Comprehensive Health) is transforming healthcare in Southwest Florida. We began as a single-location hospital built by and for the community. From that foundation, we’ve evolved to a model of premiere comprehensive care: an Advanced Community Healthcare System®. Our patient-centered quality care delivered by top-tier professionals has placed us in the top 2 percent of hospitals in the nation, according to Healthgrades™. We’re combining state-of-the-art facilities, emerging technology and innovative research to bring the next generation of medical advancement to Naples and beyond.
The future is bright, but so is the here and now. As I reflect on the past year at NCH, I see a multitude of firsts, bests and onlys. The Rooney Heart Institute was the first in the region to conduct more than one groundbreaking procedure. Our partnership with HSS brings the world’s #1 in orthopedics to NCH. And we are the only recipient of the Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval® for Comprehensive Stroke Center Accreditation on Florida’s West Coast and the region’s only Level 3 Geriatric Emergency Department.
More than 25 clinical trials are underway at NCH, representing progress toward life-changing treatment options. NCH’s Graduate Medical Education program brings some of the nation’s top medical minds to our community. New facilities for heart, stroke and musculoskeletal care promise to be award-winning treatment destinations.
It’s an exciting time at NCH. A new brand launched last fall-a bold statement of our commitment to world-class care that helps people live longer, happier, healthier lives. At NCH, we are always going above and beyond to ensure more firsts, bests and onlys happen here. We are proud to review our journey and look forward continuing to serve our community as an independent, non profit pillar in our community focused on first class quality and patient care.
PAUL HILTZ, FACHE
NCH PRESIDENT + CEO
DIANA & DONALD WINGARD
CHAIR IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
NCH PRESIDENT + CEO
DIANA & DONALD WINGARD
CHAIR IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP
Mission
Helping everyone live a longer, happier, and healthier life
Vision
Be a world-class leader of excellence in healthcare
Core Value
Excellence in every patient experience
Advancing the Vision
Milestones from the past year highlight the impactful ways that NCH is evolving to meet the needs of our community, state and the next generation of medical care.
The Judith & Marvin Herb Family Simulation Center opened 12,000 square feet of sophisticated technology-driven training and meeting facilities, regarded as one of the Top 35 simulation centers in the United States by Becker’s Hospital Review. It’s immersive, hands-on learning that leads to life saving.
In February, Naples City Council approved the $200 million, 189,000-square-foot expansion of NCH’s Downtown campus to house the heart and stroke center. It was a major milestone to advance world-class critical care for Southwest Florida.
Pathway to excellence
NCH was one of 215 hospitals to earn the American Nursing Credentialing Center’s Pathway to Excellence recognition, one of the most esteemed credentials a healthcare organization can achieve for nursing excellence and patient care. It signifies an unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality of care, a culture of sustained excellence, and exceptional patient outcomes.
We reflected on the anniversary of Hurricane lan, the most financially devastating storm in Florida’s history. In the midst of destruction, our community stood together, and our NCH team put their hearts into caring for those affected by the storm.
The newly established
NCH Physicians Leadership Academy engages physicians in co-creating initiatives to further our mission, vision and values and develop as leaders of self, others and operations.
The Marco Urgent Care groundbreaking illustrates how we are expanding our footprint to meet communities where and when they need us most.
Awards and recognition
NCH is proud to have earned numerous awards, recognitions and accreditations from some of the country’s most notable medical organizations.
Society of Thoracic Surgeons
3-star isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR)
3-star isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
American Heart Association
Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Award
Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Fifth year in a row with 4 out of 5-star rating
Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval® for Comprehensive Stroke Center Accreditation, one of only five in the state and the only center on the west coast
American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Level Three Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation, the only one in Southwest Florida
Moody’s A3 Rating for Financial Stability
ANCC Pathway to Excellence recognition
Healthgrades
America’s 100 Best Hospitals™ recognitions:
- Pulmonary Care
- Stroke Care
- Spine Care
- Cranial Neurosurgery
Healthgrades® Excellence recognitions:
- Critical Care
- Neurosciences
- Outpatient Orthopedic Surgery
Excellence Across the System
The NCH Rooney Heart Institute & Cardiology
Building on momentum, progress building The NCH Rooney Heart Institute included city council approval on the new downtown facility, addition of top-tier practitioners and debuting new procedures and devices. We grew our literal footprint and our reputational footprint with service in new areas, additional graduate medical education and fellowships, and the second Cardiovascular Summit.
In the coming year, we are developing new areas of excellence including Thrombectomy, STEMI, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Cardiac Amlyoidosis. It promises to be a groundbreaking year.
New devices debuted at NCH. We were first in the nation to use the FDA-approved SensoraM cardiac disease detection platform, and the region’s first success with the Inari’s FlowTriever™ to quickly and effectively treat clots related to pulmonary emoolism.
Our team and footprint expanded with new facilities, personnel and programs. We added the Cardiac Catheterization and Electrophysiology Lab on North Campus. Dr. Edwards Shmukler joined to offer service on Marco Island, and Dr. Carl Orringer is now at the helm of the Preventive Cardiology Departments
Cardiovascular summit
The second annual Cardiovascular Summit held in partnership with Northwestern Medicine focused on updating primary care professionals on the latest advancements in cardiology, improving assessment and treatment in crucial moments.
4 endowed chairs
30+ cardiovascular clinical trials
6 fellows
326
cardio pulmonary
bypass cases
bypass cases
The Wingard Stroke Institute
Under the direction of Dr. Mazen AbuAwad, the Wingard Stroke Institute is transforming the level of stroke care in Southwest Florida. As the region’s only recipient of the Gold Seal of Approval® for Comprehensive Stroke Center Accreditation, it’s setting the standard for this vital care on Florida’s west coast.
FIRSTS, BESTS, & Onlys
First in the region to successfully perform an innovative procedure using the Vivistim System aimed at restoring mobility in those suffering moderate to severe upper extremity motor deficits caused by ischemic stroke.
We were recognized with the American Heart Association Get with the Guidelines® Stroke Gold Plus Award. Gold recognizes performance of 24 consecutive months or more of achieving seven measures of treatment success in 85% of patients.
NCH received a $5 million donation from the John and Susan Morrison Foundation to establish an endowed chair at the NCH
Wingard Stroke Institute for Dr. AbuAwad’s clinical, teaching and research activities.
Orthopedics
With newly appointed leadership and a comprehensive state-of-the-art facility set to open in 2025, the leading edge of musculoskeletal care is taking shape at NCH.
HSS at NCH brings the world’s #1 in orthopedics to Southwest Florida to deliver top-tier musculoskeletal care. In 2023, we opened the Orthopedics Now walk-in clinic and began construction on the 80,000-square-foot inpatient and outpatient surgical, treatment and rehabilitation center.
HSS at NCH attracted one of New York Magazine’s “Best Doctors” and Castle-Connolly’s “America’s Top Doctors.” as its Executive Medical Director.
Justin Blohm was appointed as Vice President of the Musculoskeletal Center and Service Line. Most recently Blohm served in the same role at an orthopedic practice in Fort Myers, and prior to that was Chief Executive Officer at a medical group in Michigan.
NCH Medical Group
In alignment with the system’s rebrand, NCH Physician Group is now NCH Medical Group, encompassing the comprehensive field of professionals providing patient care. Aspirational outcomes of the newly branded group include an enhanced experience for patients and providers, greater numbers of referrals and attracting top talent to the medical group.
Year to date, we are achieving higher scores in all domains of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems with many areas at the 75th and 90th percentile.
Key milestones
NCH Medical Group established Regional Medical Directors with the North Region served by Dr. Gilberto Riveron and the South Region by Dr. Rebecca Whitehall. These individuals play a vital role in upholding the highest standards of clinical practice and medical integrity within our organization.
We launched the physician mentor group to increase patient satisfaction, achieve quality metrics and reduce physician attrition.
Integration of EPIC’s MyChart led to a more seamless patient journey between routine
medical care and critical care within the system.
NCH Medical Group grew its footprint with a location in North Naples.
Premier Partnerships
Bringing the best to NCH
A strategic initiative that is crucial to realizing an Advanced Community Health System’™ are the partnerships established between NCH and leading providers to bring the best comprehensive care available to Southwest Florida. We are proud of the partnerships that help us achieve excellence in all areas of the patient experience.
NCH Research Institute
Research & academics
Focused on providing the highest quality of care and clinical outcomes through access to potential treatment options, the NCH Research Institute brings national and international clinical trials and research furthering what’s possible.
25+ clinical trials underway at NCH
Research includes treatment therapies, emerging surgical techniques and medical devices
Clinical Trial sponsors
Nearly 50 residents participated in the only graduate medical education (GME) training program in Collier County. All graduates passed the American Board of Internal Medicine exam and eight went on to competitive fellowship training programs.
Advancing Technology & Innovation
Emerging technology
Achieving transformation puts us at the leading edge of innovation and technology. That includes patient-centric measures like partnering with Epic on MyChart to create seamless access to information that gives patient and providers a holistic view of treatment across our system. NCH also brought new surgical procedures, medical devices and treatment approaches to Collier County, Southwest Florida and the United States.
Our ability to continue that path will be amplified with the groundbreaking of two new critical state-of-the-art facilities with the cardiovascular and stroke institute and the musculoskeletal center. In 2023, NCH saw transformative progress through technology and innovation:
NCH Research Institute furthered the future of medicine through almost 50 residents who went on to exceptional fellowships and notable professional placements. The Institute participated in more than 30 clinical trials.
New devices debuted at NCH. We were first in the nation to use the FDA-approved Sensora™ cardiac disease detection platform, and the region’s first success with the Inari’s FlowTriever’™ to quickly and effectively treat clots related to pulmonary embolism.
NCH is the first in the region to successfully perform an innovative procedure using the Vivistim System aimed at restoring mobility in those suffering moderate to severe upper extremity motor deficits caused by ischemic stroke.
Building Community
Powered by Philanthropy
Generous philanthropic contributions are the backbone of empowering the Advanced Community Healthcare System™. Without your support, the evolution of NCH into a premier system bringing the leading edge of medicine to Southwest Florida simply isn’t possible.
We are thankful for our community and the transformational gifts. Multiple projects have helped elevate NCH’s culture of giving and have stimulated dramatic changes thanks to this generous community of grateful patients. As we continue our multiyear comprehensive campaign, all gifts are contributing campaign, all gifts are contributing to the goal of elevating NCH to a healthcare system with top quality care with the best physicians, technology, innovative procedures, and clinical trials, to not only be one of the best healthcare organizations in Florida, but in the nation.
A second bloodmobile to expand our donation radius was made possible by Bill and Nancy Marino, The Martin Foundation and Collier County Foundation.
Philanthropy supported the opening of the Judith & Marvin Herb Family
Simulation Center in its permanent location where it will serve as a crucial medical training center for the community.
The 64th Annual NCH Ball, themed Body in Motion and chaired by Reinhold and Erika Schmieding, raised $1.3 million for the Orthopedic Center of Excellence.
Philanthropic gifts to name major institutes are furthering the NCH vision to elevate care to world-class excellence in critical care areas.
Transformational Giving in 2023
$20 million
naming of Patty and Jay Baker Orthopedic Pavilion
$20 million
naming of Rooney Heart Institute
$20 million
naming of Wingard Stroke Institute
$20 million
naming of R.M. Schulze Family Heart and Stroke Critical Care Center
Your Gift, Your Impact
$142,855,410
from 1,401 donors
$363,000
in scholarships for
staff education
$268,230
to support our
employees after Hurricane Ian
825 Medical Diplomat households provided $5,240,673
in unrestricted support for our mission
Community impact
Everything we do at NCH is for the community we serve and ensuring more people in Southwest Florida live longer, healthier, happier lives. As an independent non-profit, we provide more than $70M in Charity Care at low or no cost. We support other non-profits and programs that bring greater quality of life to our neighbors.
410
volunteers, providing 50,565 number of
volunteer hours
Habitat For Humanity
The NCH team came out strong this year for the Habitat for Humanity’s International Whitaker Woods location in Naples, Florida. Together, we contributed 60 hours of sweat equity to support fellow NCH employees working toward their dream of homeownership. The turnout was extraordinary, with representation from Nursing, OR, critical care, informatics, education, administration, population health, pre-admit, wound care, government relations, revenue integrity, strategy. and OR tech teams. This effort not only allowed NCH volunteers to connect with new colleagues but also gave back to our community in a meaningful way. We are deeply grateful to all the volunteers and their families for showing up with such dedication and teamwork, proving that together, we can make a powerful difference in our community.
