Supporting the Future of Stroke Care at NCH

NCH is one of the busiest stroke centers in the state, providing care to more than 800 stroke patients each year. NCH is the only Comprehensive Stroke Center certified by the Joint Commission in Southwest Florida. We’re also one of Healthgrades America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Stroke Care six years in a row.

With donor support, the Wingard Stroke Institute will expand its stroke program and continue to provide top-quality care to patients in need. The funds will be used to enhance clinical services, make capital improvements, support research, and develop new programs to address the needs of stroke patients and their families.

Recently, NCH identified areas of opportunity across our system in thrombolytic cases, which pertain to blood clots. We moved from a system where patients waited for emergency-department physicians to evaluate and activate stroke alerts to a faster nurse-activation model, resulting in record-setting improvements at our hospitals and paving the way for industry-wide stroke care advancements. NCH is also improving stroke care with leader Dr. Mazen AbuAwad, the John and Susan Morrison Endowed Chair.

The Wingard Stroke Institute will operate out of the new $265 million R.M. Schulze Family Heart and Stroke Critical Care Center at the NCH Baker Downtown campus, putting critical services less than 10 miles from 70 percent of those needing this type of care in Collier County.