Florida Stroke Registry’s 13th Annual Meeting Highlights Progress, Collaboration and Future of Stroke Care
The FSR brings together stroke providers and researchers from across Florida in a collaborative effort to improve stroke care.
More than 200 stroke care professionals, researchers and health leaders from across Florida convened in Tampa, Fla., for the 13th Annual Florida Stroke Registry (FSR) Stakeholder Meeting, marking another milestone in the state’s effort to improve outcomes for stroke patients.
Led by Jose Romano, M.D., executive director of the FSR and professor and chair of the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Carolina Gutierrez, Ph.D., associate director of the FSR and research assistant professor in the Department of Neurology, the two-day event brought together voices from the Florida Department of Health, the Florida Community Health Worker Coalition, the Florida Hospital Association and the American Heart Association, and featured a keynote address by Gregory Albers, M.D., a member of the Stanford Medicine faculty and national leader in stroke research.
“Every year we see new momentum,” said Dr. Romano. “By working together across disciplines and communities, Florida is building a stronger, more responsive system of stroke care.”
“We are very proud that our pre-meeting network sessions continue to grow and our main conference sessions attract a multidisciplinary group of FSR stakeholders, including EMS, physical therapists, pharmacologists and, of course, stroke ‘victors’ and their caregivers,” said Dr. Gutierrez.
Participants traveled from more than 20 cities across Florida, underscoring the registry’s broad reach and influence.
Hands-On Stroke Learning
Hands-on learning was a central feature of the meeting. In partnership with the Gordon Center for Simulation and Innovation in Medical Education, attendees honed their assessment and management skills through a 60-minute, hands-on training session, the Advanced Stroke Life Support® (ASLS) course.
Community preparedness was also emphasized through the Health Emergency Life Protection (HELP) course, offered in conjunction with Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue. Participants gained practical tools in early stroke recognition, bleeding control, CPR for adults and children and airway emergency management, skills designed to empower communities before first responders arrive.
Statewide Stroke Collaboration
The meeting marked the second gathering of the Coalition of Coalitions, an alliance of local stroke groups from six regions of Florida. Leaders from hospitals, health departments and treatment centers shared successes, set new goals and explored strategies to strengthen stroke systems of care.
By working together across disciplines and communities, Florida is building a stronger, more responsive system of stroke care.
Dr. Jose Romano
A motivational keynote address from Mic Gunderson, a former EMT and president of the Center for Systems Improvement, described the Fourth Generation System of Care model. The fourth generation construct aligning closely to that of the FSR as the FSR drives an effective, statewide system of stroke care.
Florida health leaders emphasized the registry’s growing role in shaping policy and systems of care.
• Dr. Kenneth Scheppke, Florida Deputy Secretary of Health, gave an overview of the state’s stroke landscape.
• Tara Hylton, chief of chronic disease prevention, outlined the Department of Health’s collaborative initiatives with the registry.
• Christopher Cogle, M.D., Florida Medicaid chief medical officer, spoke on building stroke systems that address prevention, treatment and post-acute recovery.
Debates and Emerging Technologies
Interactive debates sparked discussion on pressing clinical questions. Gillian Gordon Perue, M.D., associate professor of clinical neurology at the Miller School, director of Jackson Health System’s stroke program and the FSR education core director, and Angus Jameson, M.D., state EMS medical director and member of the FSR Advisory Committeee, led an expert debate of EMS bypass protocols, pre-hospital blood pressure management and the role of artificial intelligence in acute stroke treatment.
Dr. Gordon Perue also contributed her expertise as facilitator of the community health worker course. She led interactive discussions on strengthening the role of community-based providers in stroke education and prevention, emphasizing the value of education in improving both primary and secondary stroke outcomes.
In addition to Dr. Gordon Perue, several Miller School stroke experts played key roles in advancing the program’s mission to improve stroke care and outcomes across the state.
Negar Asdaghi, M.D., associate professor in the Stroke Division at the Miller School and Florida Stroke Registry research and outcomes core director, delivered a featured presentation on the risk factor burden among young adults with intracranial hemorrhage and acute ischemic stroke in the Florida Stroke Registry. Her talk highlighted the growing importance of understanding stroke risk in younger populations and the implications for prevention and treatment strategies.
Hannah Gardener, Sc.D., an epidemiologist, research assistant professor in neurology and the FSR’s biostatistics core director, facilitated a meeting discussion focused on maintaining excellence in performance for door-to-needle time. In this role, she guided discussions on sustaining best practices in acute stroke treatment and ensuring rapid, effective care delivery statewide.
2025 FSR Awards
The meeting concluded with the 2025 Florida Stroke Registry Awards, celebrating hospitals and individuals advancing stroke care statewide:
• Most Improved Door-to-Needle Time (2022–2024): University of Florida Health Jacksonville, Sarasota Memorial Hospital–Venice, AdventHealth Waterman
• Most Improved Defect-Free Care (2022–2024): AdventHealth Heart of Florida, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Oviedo Medical Center
• Maintained Excellent Door-to-Needle Performance (2022–2024): Memorial Hospital West, Cleveland Clinic Tradition Hospital, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital
• Maintained Excellent Quality of Care for All (2022–2024): HCA Florida Westside Hospital, HCA Florida Osceola Hospital
• EMS Award Most Collaborative and Engaged: Ben Abo, D.O., and Desmond Fitzpatrick, M.D.
• Citizenship Award 2024: Brittany Courchene and Gail Flanz, B.S.C., PT
Florida is among the states most affected by stroke, so the FSR’s work remains critical. The 2025 meeting underscored not only progress in data-driven stroke care but also the importance of community education, policy advocacy and cross-sector collaboration.
Tags: Advanced Stroke Life Support, Dr. Carolina Gutierrez, Dr. Jose Romano, Florida Stroke Registry, neurology, neuroscience, stroke