Press Releases

Nicklaus Children's Performs Region's First Pediatric Total Hip Replacement Using Innovative Mixed Reality-assisted Surgical Guidance

June 23, 2026 –

Game-changing procedure for patients and surgeons

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Orthopedic, Sports Medicine, and Spine Institute clinicians made history once again in South Florida after successfully performing the region's first pediatric total hip replacement using mixed reality-assisted surgical guidance. The procedure was performed by Dr. Thomas J. Utset-Ward, a pediatric orthopedic oncologist and one of only 10 specialists in the nation focused entirely on treating bone tumors and complex orthopedic conditions in children and adolescents.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Heart Institute Achieves Florida's First Staged Cardiac Septation Procedure

June 18, 2026 – The cardiovascular surgery team at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Heart Institute has successfully performed the first staged cardiac septation in the state of Florida on a 1-year-old baby. As one of only a handful of centers in the world offering this technique, Nicklaus Children’s cardiovascular surgeons used a staged multi-step approach in order to “make a pathway” inside the heart so oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor blood can move in a way that helps the heart work effectively and will allow for the heart to continue to grow and improve circulation over time.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital Patients Dance Among the Stars as Carlin Family Pledges Five More Years of Prom Magic

June 12, 2026 – Nicklaus Children's Hospital celebrated the 11th Annual Carlin Family Prom, bringing patients and their families together for an Out of This World-themed evening of joy, connection and milestone memories that illness too often puts out of reach. To add to the celebration, Adam and Chanin Carlin, the philanthropic force behind the prom since its founding in 2014, announced a generous new commitment that will extend the Carlin Family Prom for the next five years.

Nicklaus Children's Health System Appoints Vahe Musoyan to Board of Directors

May 14, 2026 – Nicklaus Children's Health System announced the appointment of Vahe Musoyan to its Board of Directors, further strengthening the organization's leadership with expertise in technology, data-driven strategy, and innovation.  

First Traveling Bedside PDA Closure Performed at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Fort Lauderdale NICU

April 22, 2026 – The team at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Heart Institute has successfully performed the first traveling bedside transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closure on a 22-week-old premature infant weighing 800 grams within Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Fort Lauderdale, located on the campus of Broward Health Medical Center.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Heart Institute Performs Florida’s First Partial Heart Transplant

April 15, 2026 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital’s Heart Institute cardiovascular surgery team successfully performed Florida’s first partial heart transplant on an 11-year-old patient, implanting a donor “living valve” designed to grow with the child and reduce the need for future open-heart surgeries.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital is First in Region to Offer Sedation-Free Evaluation of Upper Gastrointestinal Tract in Children

April 14, 2026 – Transnasal endoscopy procedure can especially benefit children with eosinophilic esophagitis, a condition often requiring repeat endoscopies throughout treatment.
 

Nicklaus Children’s Earns HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 Validation for Inpatient Care

February 18, 2026 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital has earned HIMSS EMRAM Stage 7 Validation for inpatient services, the highest level of recognition on the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model, reaffirming the health system’s continued leadership in the use of technology to support high-quality, patient-centered care.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Celebrates Lunar New Year with Grand Opening of Panda Cares® Center of Hope

February 17, 2026 – This Lunar New Year, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is celebrating the grand opening of the Panda Cares Center of Hope, made possible by Panda Express^® associates and guests through Children’s Miracle Network^®. Their generosity is helping make big change, for all kids. 

Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Heart Institute Leads the Region with Groundbreaking Techniques for Congenital Heart Disorders

February 04, 2026 – From partial heart transplantation and complex biventricular repairs to innovative procedures in the catheterization laboratory, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital's Heart Institute is pioneering new options for children with pediatric heart conditions.

NCH and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Announce Major Plans to Expand Care for Women and Children

January 20, 2026 – Naples Comprehensive Health (NCH) and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital today announced a major expansion of care for women and children in Southwest Florida, made possible by a visionary gift from Bill and Julia Van Domelen Foundation.

Nicklaus Children’s Health System Announces New Board Chair Appointments Across Health System, Hospital, Foundation

January 13, 2026 – Nicklaus Children’s Health System announced new board leadership appointments across its governing entities, with new chairs named for the Nicklaus Children’s Health System, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Foundation boards of directors.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital Earns Fourth Consecutive Top Children’s Hospital Award by The Leapfrog Group for Outstanding Quality and Safety

January 06, 2026 – Highlighting its nationally recognized achievements in patient safety and quality, Nicklaus Children's was named a Top Children's Hospital by The Leapfrog Group. This award is one of the most competitive honors hospitals and surgery centers in the United States can receive for their commitment to safety and quality.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital's Heart Institute Becomes First in Florida to Perform Pediatric Pulmonary Ozaki

January 05, 2026 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital's Heart Institute has successfully performed an innovative pulmonary heart valve repair utilizing a complex and unique technique known as the Ozaki procedure, becoming the first known pediatric program in the state of Florida to do so and among only a select group of pediatric health systems globally.

Nicklaus Children’s Health System Announces New Regional Structure to Meet Growing Healthcare Complexities of South Florida Children

December 19, 2025 – In response to the evolving healthcare needs of families across South Florida, Nicklaus Children’s Health System announced a new regional operating structure. The new model is designed to enhance and expand care for families across South Florida and to address increased need for complex care closer to home for thousands of children.

Nicklaus Children's Hospital and the Ryan Seacrest Foundation Celebrate Grand Opening of Miami's Seacrest Studios

December 09, 2025 – Inside Nicklaus Children's Hospital's Advanced Pediatric Care Pavillion, opening with a special live broadcast, Seacrest Studios is now "On-Air" in a state-of-the-art broadcast media center designed to inspire and uplift patients through the power of creativity, connection and entertainment. Made possible through a grant from the Ryan Seacrest Foundation, Seacrest Studios at Nicklaus Children’s will be the first bilingual studio in the network to offer content in Spanish for its partners.

Nicklaus Children's Young Ambassadors Raise Over $320K at 12th Annual Fashion Gives Back

November 19, 2025 – A group of young professionals committed to supporting Nicklaus Children’s, known as Nicklaus Children’s Young Ambassadors (NCYA), hosted their 12th annual Fashion Gives Back fundraiser raising over $320,000 for patients and families. This year’s event, hosted at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach, immersed guests in a world where fashion meets purpose, featuring stunning designs inspired by artwork created by Nicklaus Children’s patients. 

Nicklaus Children’s Named as One of America’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces®

October 22, 2025 – For the fourth consecutive year, Nicklaus Children’s Health System is listed in America’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces^® list. Rising to #34 on this year’s list, the ranking highlights 100 organizations across industries that are transforming employee experience and redefining retention strategies in today’s economy.

Nicklaus Children’s Hospital's Heart Institute Launches Bedside Transcatheter PDA Closure Offering for Newborns

October 16, 2025 – Nicklaus Children’s Hospital'sHeart Institute, a world-recognized leader in heart innovation, is now offering bedside transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) closures for medically fragile newborns.This new offering brings advanced therapy directly to the neonatal intensive care unit, allowing procedures to be performed within the baby’s own isolette or crib.

U.S. News & World Report Ranks Nicklaus Children's Among Nation’s Top 50 Hospitals

October 07, 2025 – Ranked among the nation's top 50 best by U.S. News & World Report, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital is listed in its 2025-26 “Best Children’s Hospitals” survey results with seven specialty ranked programs, making the hospital the children’s hospital with the most ranked programs in South Florida.