NAPLES, Fl. – September 19, 2022 –NCH Healthcare System and Nicklaus Children’s Health System are excited to announce a collaboration that will enhance the care provided to the Naples and southwest Florida community’s youngest members and their families while keeping them closer to home.
Both NCH Healthcare System and Nicklaus Children’s are committed to providing exceptional pediatric care to our patients. Nicklaus Children’s, through its multi-specialty medical group practice, Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists, will be providing inpatient services for NICU, PICU/Peds patients as well as newborn routine screenings. NCH Healthcare System will be taking over the newborn hearing screening.
Nicklaus Children’s Health System is the parent organization of Nicklaus Children’s Pediatric Specialists and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, a 309-bed pediatric specialty hospital that is the health system’s flagship. Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is renowned for excellence in all aspects of pediatric medicine and was ranked a #1 children’s hospital (tied with two other hospitals) in Florida by U.S. News & World Report in its 2022-2023 Best Children’s Hospitals ranking.
NCH Healthcare System’s future plans call for development of a Level III NICU as well as expansion of the level and number of pediatric specialties offered for the growing community. Nicklaus Children’s was chosen because it is the most aligned with NCH’s goals and intentions for the services they want to be able to provide to the growing community. NCH and Nicklaus Children’s remain committed to continuing to work with other pediatric specialty groups in the region to ensure families receive high quality, collaborative care.
“NCH Healthcare System is in a period of transformational change to become an Advanced Community Healthcare System,” said Paul Hiltz, President and CEO, NCH Healthcare System. “Today marks a wonderful collaboration that not only helps us meet that goal, but more importantly, will allow more children in need of specialized pediatric care to get it – right here at NCH and close to home – with fewer needing to be transferred outside Collier County.”
Both NCH Healthcare System and Nicklaus Children’s Health System are committed to keeping as many pediatric patients as close to home as possible, only transferring patients when it is medically necessary to move the patient to another facility that can provide a higher level of care.
“Nicklaus Children’s is honored to collaborate with NCH Healthcare System to support exceptional pediatric care in southwest Florida,” said Matthew A. Love, President and CEO of Nicklaus Children’s Health System. “We are excited to bring our pediatric specialists and our 72-year legacy to Collier County so that the region’s children and their families can remain close to home when receiving patient care. Our goal is to be part of the community, not just in it. It’s more than just delivering medical care; it is about being an active and contributing member of this community that we are now pleased to call home.”
“A year ago, NCH Healthcare System started a journey to elevate pediatric and women’s care services in Collier County” said Paula DiGrigoli, Administrative Director for Women’s and Children’s Services, NCH Healthcare System. “I am thrilled to witness the realization of many months’ worth of effort to make exceptional pediatric care available to our growing community.”
Nicklaus Children’s will be providing inpatient pediatric coverage at the NCH North Naples Hospital located at 11190 Health Park Boulevard. Services start on October 1, 2022.
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