This collaboration ushers in a new era for children and families across Northwest Florida. By aligning the expertise, strength and resources of these two pediatric health entities, we will collectively be better positioned to streamline the care journey for children.
Pensacola, Fla. (May 7, 2025) – The Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart Pensacola and Nemours Children’s Health today announced a strategic arrangement to advance pediatric specialty care in Northwest Florida. This collaboration brings together Studer Family Children’s Hospital, a leader in pediatric care in the region, and Nemours Children’s Health, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems.
Through this agreement between Studer Family Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children's Health, most pediatric subspecialists will be employed by Nemours Children’s Health and will practice on Studer Family Children’s Hospital’s campus.
“By collaborating with Nemours Children’s Health, we are working toward a healthier future for Pensacola families,” said Jason Foland, MD, MBA, CPE, FAAP, FCCM, President of Studer Family Children’s Hospital. “Through this coordination of clinical expertise, our organizations are stepping up to meet the needs of our most vulnerable patients.”
As part of the relationship, pediatric subspecialty services in the region will be centralized under Nemours Children’s Health. This will help ensure greater access to high-quality specialty care for children with complex medical conditions, as well as groundbreaking research to advance treatments.
“This collaboration ushers in a new era for children and families across Northwest Florida,” said Matthew M. Davis, MD, MAPP, Executive Vice-President, Enterprise Physician-in-Chief and Chief Scientific Officer of Nemours Children’s Health. “By aligning the expertise, strength and resources of these two pediatric health entities, we will collectively be better positioned to streamline the care journey for children.”
“Children and families in Northwest Florida deserve to have access to the highest quality health care close to home,” said Aaron Carpenter, DNP, MDiv, APRN, CPNP-PC, NEA-BC, North Florida President for Nemours Children’s Health. “We aim to leverage our world-class clinical expertise and grow the number of pediatric subspecialists in the area to provide families across the region the care they need.”
Both Studer Family Children’s Hospital and Nemours Children’s Health have a longstanding commitment to solely caring for children. The Studer Family Children’s Hospital dates back to 1969, blossoming into the area’s only full-service children’s hospital and opening its current building to the community in 2019. Nemours Children’s has provided pediatric services in Northwest Florida for more than 30 years.
With a vision to create the healthiest generations of children, Nemours provides services that address the health of all children, not just those requiring medical care. This includes preventative approaches to obesity, early literacy, mental health, and other aspects of health, in support of the well-being of America’s future adult population. This collaboration will further both organizations’ dedication to quality outcomes, a family-centered approach to care, and investment in life-changing research.
To learn more about the care offered at the Studer Family Children’s Hospital, visit the website or call 850-416-7000. To learn more about Nemours Children’s Health, visit the website or call 850-505-4700.
About Ascension Sacred Heart
Ascension Sacred Heart, based in Pensacola, Florida, operates five hospitals and more than 100 other sites of care and employs more than 6,440 associates. In fiscal year 2024, Ascension Sacred Heart provided more than $193 million in community benefit and other care for vulnerable persons. Ascension is a faith-based healthcare organization dedicated to transformation through innovation across the continuum of care. As one of the leading non-profit and Catholic health systems in the U.S., Ascension is committed to delivering compassionate, personalized care to all, with special attention to persons living in poverty and those most vulnerable.
About Nemours Children's Health
Nemours Children’s Health is one of the nation’s largest multistate pediatric health systems, which includes two free-standing children's hospitals and a network of more than 70 primary and specialty care practices. Nemours Children's seeks to transform the health of children by adopting a holistic health model that utilizes innovative, safe, and high-quality care, while also addressing children’s needs well beyond medicine. In producing the highly acclaimed, award-winning pediatric medicine podcast Well Beyond Medicine, Nemours underscores that commitment by featuring the people, programs and partnerships addressing whole child health. Nemours Children's also powers the world’s most-visited website for information on the health of children and teens, Nemours KidsHealth.org.
The Nemours Foundation, established through the legacy and philanthropy of Alfred I. duPont, provides pediatric clinical care, research, education, advocacy, and prevention programs to the children, families and communities it serves. For more information, visit Nemours.org.
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