Press Release

The two systems will collaborate on endovascular care, ensuring patients will benefit from leading-edge interventions, advanced imaging, rapid response, and the highest level of comprehensive stroke services. 

UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute will provide dedicated endovascular expertise at St. Elizabeth, ensuring patients have access to fellowship-trained neurointerventional specialists for patients experiencing complex ischemic strokes and other neurovascular emergencies.

As the National and Regional Coordinating Center for the National Institute of Health’s StrokeNet, UC Health and the UC College of Medicine operate at the forefront of stroke research in the U.S. and around the world. For more than 35 years, UC Health stroke experts have helped define today’s standard-of-care treatments through groundbreaking research, clinical innovation, and sustained community service. By deepening this collaboration, UC Health and St. Elizabeth are doubling down on a partnership with one of the world’s leading stroke teams, ensuring patients across the region have access to the very best in stroke care. 

“This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring every stroke patient has access to the highest level of care, no matter where they enter the system delivering exceptional stroke care across the region,” said Brett Kissela, MD, MS, director of the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute. “By expanding endovascular stroke expertise at St. Elizabeth, we are strengthening the regional stroke system of care and ensuring timely access to advanced, life-saving treatment.” 

Through this collaboration patients with large vessel occlusions and other high-acuity stroke conditions benefit from seamless coordination between UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute’s nationally recognized stroke specialists and St. Elizabeth’s emergency, neurology, radiology, and critical care teams.

By combining the clinical depth and academic expertise of UC Health’s stroke team with the exceptional frontline care provided by St. Elizabeth, this partnership strengthens the regional stroke system of care, improves care coordination across the continuum and supports improved patient outcomes when minutes matter most. 

“Partnering with UC Health allows us to further strengthen our shared commitment to delivering advanced endovascular treatment,” said Stephanie Dalton, DO, a Neurologist with St. Elizabeth Physicians. “By combining our expertise, technology and clinical excellence with the team at UC Health, we’re building on our foundation of excellent emergency care, ICU, and neurologic care ensuring patients receive the highest level of stroke care close to home.”

The collaboration builds upon both systems’ commitment to evidence-based protocols, multidisciplinary care, rapid decision-making and continuous quality improvement to deliver the highest level of stroke care. 

Stroke remains a leading cause of death and long-term disability nationwide, and timely access to advanced, endovascular treatment is critical to improving survival and recovery. By expanding this partnership, patients across Northern Kentucky can receive advanced stroke care close to home without delay. 

Both organizations are committed to evaluating opportunities for additional collaboration, working together to elevate the standard of stroke and neurovascular care across the region.

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About UC Health:

UC Health is Greater Cincinnati's adult academic health system—where world-class care, groundbreaking research and the next generation of medicine come together to transform health and improve life within our community. To learn more, visit UCHealth.com. 

About St. Elizabeth Healthcare:

St. Elizabeth Healthcare operates six facilities and more than 172 primary care and specialty practices throughout the Northern Kentucky, Southeastern Indiana and Greater Cincinnati region. Sponsored by the Diocese of Covington, St. Elizabeth is a mission-based organization committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, providing more than $100 million in uncompensated care and benefits to the community each year. St. Elizabeth is a leader in the Greater Cincinnati region by providing quality care, as demonstrated by the following accolades: St. Elizabeth Edgewood was named the top hospital in Kentucky by U.S. News in 2025, multiple hospitals achieving 5-star ratings from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, all hospitals earning Magnet Recognition® for nursing excellence and its physicians group receiving the American Medical Group Association’s Acclaim Award for excellence and innovation. To learn more, visit StElizabeth.com.

UC Health Media Contact

Alex Lolli
Media Relations Manager, UC Health
Alex.Lolli@UCHealth.com 

St. Elizabeth Healthcare Media Contact

Sally Thelen
Public Relations Manager, St. Elizabeth Healthcare
Sally.Thelen@StElizabeth.com