Spine Surgeon for Marco Island Patients: Nicholas J. Clark, MD at HSS at NCH
Marco Island residents with neck pain, back pain, sciatica, or spinal stenosis can be evaluated by Nicholas J. Clark, MD, a board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon at HSS at NCH in North Naples. The office is on the mainland, about 26 to 31 miles from most of the island. There is no office on Marco Island; all visits take place at HSS at NCH, 11190 Health Park Blvd, Building 2, Suite 2102, Naples, FL 34110.
Dr. Clark trained in orthopedic surgery at Mayo Clinic and completed a spine surgery fellowship at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He has practiced in Naples since May 2024, with a focus on minimally invasive and robotic-assisted spine surgery, motion preservation when appropriate, revision surgery, and nonoperative care whenever it can solve the problem. Surgery, when needed, is performed at NCH facilities, where Dr. Clark holds hospital privileges.
Driving From Marco Island to HSS at NCH
Every route starts the same way: north on Collier Boulevard (SR 951) across the Jolley Bridge to the mainland. From there, two routes work well. The drive often takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and longer during peak season, roughly January through April, when Collier Boulevard and US 41 are busiest. Set navigation to 11190 Health Park Blvd, Naples, FL 34110. The office is in Building 2, Suite 2102.
Option 1: Collier Boulevard to I-75
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Take Collier Boulevard (SR 951) north off the island and continue past US 41, about 14 miles, to I-75 (Exit 101).
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Take I-75 North for about 9 miles to Exit 111, Immokalee Road.
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Turn left (west) onto Immokalee Road and continue about 2.7 miles to the NCH campus at Health Park Boulevard.
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Continue to Building 2, Suite 2102.
Option 2: Collier Boulevard to US 41 and Airport-Pulling Road
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Take Collier Boulevard (SR 951) north off the island about 7 miles to US 41 (Tamiami Trail East).
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Turn left (west) onto US 41 and continue about 6 miles.
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Turn right (north) onto Airport-Pulling Road and continue about 10 miles.
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Turn left (west) onto Immokalee Road and continue about 1 mile to the NCH campus at Health Park Boulevard.
Choosing a route: Option 1 covers a few more miles but stays on the interstate for much of the trip. Option 2 is slightly shorter in distance with more traffic signals. Without traffic, both run about the same time; checking live traffic before leaving is the best way to choose.
Directions are also on the office information page.
Nearby mainland communities
Patients from Isles of Capri, Goodland, Fiddler's Creek, Hammock Bay, and other communities along Collier Boulevard use the same routes. From Fiddler's Creek, the drive is closer to 35 minutes without traffic.
Planning Around a Longer Drive
Because the trip from the island is longer than from much of Naples, a little planning reduces the number of drives.
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Send records ahead. Having outside reports faxed ahead, and bringing MRI, CT, and X-ray images on a CD or image-sharing link, helps avoid a second trip just to review imaging.
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Schedule with traffic in mind. In season, allowing extra time for Collier Boulevard and US 41 helps with on-time check-in.
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Arrange a driver for surgery day. A driver is required for the ride home after surgery. The ride back to the island is long enough that planning a comfortable seat position and a stop if needed is reasonable.
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Plan rides for early follow-up visits. Driving usually resumes only after narcotic pain medicine is stopped and the patient can brake and turn safely.
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Therapy closer to home. Postoperative instructions and therapy protocols are available online in the rehab and postoperative protocols section, and postoperative physical therapy can usually be arranged close to home.
Seasonal and Part-Year Residents
Many Marco Island residents split the year between Florida and another home. A few points help when spine care overlaps with travel:
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Records and imaging from physicians in another state are useful at the first visit, so requesting copies before arriving in Florida saves time.
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If surgery is a possibility, scheduling the evaluation early in the season leaves room for the operation and the early follow-up visits before travel resumes.
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Travel plans, including flights and long car trips after surgery, are discussed before a surgery date is set, since early recovery includes activity limits and follow-up visits.
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Questions about sending visit records to a physician in another state can be directed to the office at (239) 624-0306.
Conditions and Treatment Options
Neck symptoms, such as arm pain, tingling, weakness, or hand clumsiness, may come from radiculopathy or cervical myelopathy. When surgery is indicated, the main options are ACDF and cervical total disc replacement, a motion-preserving option for appropriate candidates. See ACDF vs. cervical disc replacement.
Low back and leg symptoms, such as sciatica or leg pain with walking, may come from a herniated disc, spinal stenosis, or spondylolisthesis. Options include MIS microdiscectomy, MIS decompression (ULBD laminectomy), synovial cyst excision, and, when fusion is needed, MIS TLIF, MIS LLIF, or MIS ALIF.
Other concerns include degenerative disc disease, spinal arthritis, neck and back pain, and symptoms after a prior operation (revision spine surgery). Robotic-assisted guidance is used when it adds precision.
Nonoperative care comes first whenever it can realistically solve the problem. Hand clumsiness, balance changes, or new weakness should be evaluated promptly rather than waiting for the next convenient trip off the island.
Before the First Visit
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Complete the patient registration form or call (239) 624-0306.
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Review insurance information.
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Spanish-speaking patients can be seen by Jorge Monje, APRN, who sees patients in English and Spanish.
About Dr. Clark
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Board-certified orthopedic spine surgeon
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MD, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
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Orthopedic surgery residency, Mayo Clinic
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Spine surgery fellowship, Hospital for Special Surgery
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Practicing in Naples at HSS at NCH since May 2024
Read more, including patient feedback, on the About page, or browse the spine surgery FAQs. Clinicians on Marco Island can find referral details on the referring physicians page.
Nearby Communities
Schedule a Visit
To request an evaluation with Dr. Clark at HSS at NCH, call surgery scheduling at (239) 624-0306 or complete the patient registration form.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Dr. Clark have an office on Marco Island?
No. All visits take place at HSS at NCH, 11190 Health Park Blvd, Building 2, Suite 2102, Naples, FL 34110, in North Naples on the mainland.
How long is the drive from Marco Island?
Often about 45 minutes to an hour, and longer during peak season. The trip is about 26 to 31 miles, starting north on Collier Boulevard (SR 951) across the Jolley Bridge.
Which route is better, I-75 or US 41?
Both work. Collier Boulevard to I-75 (Exit 101), then north to Exit 111 (Immokalee Road), stays on the interstate longer. Collier Boulevard to US 41, then Airport-Pulling Road north to Immokalee Road, is slightly shorter with more traffic signals. Live traffic is the best tiebreaker.
Can care be planned around seasonal travel?
Yes. Scheduling the evaluation early in the season leaves room for any surgery and the early follow-up visits before travel resumes. Travel plans are discussed before a surgery date is set.
Where is spine surgery performed?
Surgery is performed at NCH facilities in Naples, where Dr. Clark holds hospital privileges. Many minimally invasive procedures allow a same-day discharge or a one-night stay, depending on the operation.