01 · Tell the story
Start with what brought you here.
Symptoms, prior care, daily function, and your priorities give the review its context.
Neurosurgery · clear guidance · organized care
Organized authority.Expert clarity.Protective compassion.
Disciplined, expert neurosurgical care—organized reliably, explained clearly, and carried out with the compassion patients and families deserve in high-stakes moments.
Your visit to NNG
Your visit, from arrival to follow-up.
A place to bring your questions, understand your findings, and discuss a practical plan with Dr. Stacey.
The consultation
Understand the concern. Know the next step.
Dr. Stacey reviews your symptoms and imaging with you, explains the findings, and discusses the options that fit your situation.
Insurance
Please call 754-300-0817 to confirm your specific plan before your visit.
- Aetna
- Curative
- Cigna Healthcare
- TRICARE Select · Humana Military
- UnitedHealthcare
- Florida Medicaid
- Medicare
- BCBS Florida
- Humana
- Claritev / MultiPlan
- Oscar
The NNG standard
Organized authority. Expert clarity. Protective compassion.
Our mission, vision, and promise guide how we care for patients and work with families and referring clinicians.
Why we exist
Disciplined care, explained clearly.
To deliver disciplined, expert neurosurgical care—organized reliably, explained clearly, and carried out with the compassion patients and families deserve in high-stakes moments.
The North Star experience
The values behind your care.
Our North Star brings six commitments into the visit: excellence, clarity, compassion, integrity, respect, and discipline.
01 · The Standard Is the Care
The standard should hold when the moment becomes difficult.
We prepare carefully, explain our recommendations, and follow through on the plan.
Neurosurgical care pathways
Care for brain and spine concerns.
Learn about the conditions we evaluate, what to bring, and questions to discuss at your appointment.
01Lumbar pathwayBack Pain, Sciatica & Leg Symptoms
02Cervical pathwayNeck Pain, Myelopathy & Arm Symptoms
03Cranial imagingBrain Tumors & Intracranial Cysts
04Continuity careHydrocephalus & Shunts
05After hospital careNeurotrauma
Back and leg pain, lower-extremity radiculopathy, leg weakness, walking difficulties, and urinary or bowel changes.
Open this care pathway ↗
02Cervical pathwayNeck Pain, Myelopathy & Arm SymptomsNeck and arm pain, weakness, hand changes, gait difficulties, and balance concerns.
Open this care pathway ↗
03Cranial imagingBrain Tumors & Intracranial CystsClear review of brain findings, symptoms, surveillance, and treatment options.
Open this care pathway ↗
04Continuity careHydrocephalus & ShuntsLong-term shunt care, transition from pediatric care, normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), and idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH).
Open this care pathway ↗
05After hospital careNeurotraumaFollow-up after brain or spine injuries, hospitalization, or surgery, including collar and brace decisions.
Open this care pathway ↗ 06Decision claritySecond OpinionsA careful second review of a brain or spine diagnosis, scan, or proposed treatment plan.
Open this care pathway ↗Inside the practice.
Meet Dr. Stacey and take a closer look at the consultation setting.
When surgery is part of the plan
Understand why surgery is recommended.
A consultation helps determine whether surgery is appropriate. If it is, Dr. Stacey discusses the purpose of the operation, alternatives, risks, and what to expect during recovery.
About these photographs: Operating-room photography shown for context; it does not depict a specific patient’s procedure or result.
Before and after your appointment
Help with each step of your care.
The practice team helps coordinate your appointment and the records needed for review. Ask who to contact with questions about scheduling, preparation, or follow-up.
Request your appointment
Call or use the appointment request form. The team will contact you to confirm the visit details and explain the intake process.
Arrange records before the visit
Ask how to send imaging and records securely. Actual images, not only the written reports, are needed when reviewing a possible operation.
Review your options together
Dr. Stacey considers your history, examination, and imaging, then explains the recommendation and answers your questions.
Plan your follow-up
Before you leave, ask what happens next, when you should return, and whom to contact if you need help with the plan.
Leadership behind the care
Meet the practice leadership.
Dr. Stacey leads neurosurgical care. Dr. Laura supports the management and coordination that help the practice serve patients and families.
Neurosurgical leadDr. Stacey E. Podkovik
NeurosurgeonDr. Podkovik evaluates brain and spine concerns. He reviews your symptoms, imaging, and previous treatment with you, explains what the findings mean, and discusses your options.
Read the biography
Dr. Laura Purdy, MD, MBA
Practice management leadershipDr. Purdy supports practice management and care coordination, with attention to how patients move from their first inquiry through follow-up. Dr. Stacey leads neurosurgical evaluation and treatment.
Read the biographyAsk Dr. Stacey
Clear answers, in his own words.
Hear Dr. Stacey explain common questions about imaging, treatment options, and surgical decisions. Select a question, then press play.
What if the pain is severe but the MRI looks normal?
Pain is real even when imaging is unrevealing. Operating without a target can create risk without improving symptoms, so the cause needs careful evaluation.
Explore related care ↗Press play to hear Dr. Stacey’s answer.
These recordings provide general education and do not diagnose, treat, or replace an individual medical evaluation. New or rapidly worsening neurologic symptoms may require emergency care.
Before your visit
Common questions.
Do I need the actual images or just the report?
Please arrange access to your actual MRI, CT, X-ray, or other relevant images as well as the reports. Earlier scans can help with comparison. Actual imaging is required for surgical review; ask the team how to send it securely before your visit.
Can I request a second opinion?
Yes. Bring the recommendation you received, your imaging, and relevant records. Dr. Stacey can review the findings with you and discuss the reasons for different treatment options.
Does a consultation mean I need surgery?
No. A consultation helps establish what your symptoms and findings mean. The recommendation may include monitoring, treatment without surgery, more testing, another referral, or surgery when appropriate.
What should I bring to my appointment?
Bring your imaging and reports, relevant medical or operative records, a medication list, and your insurance information. Write down your main questions and a brief timeline of your symptoms and previous treatment.
What happens after I request an appointment?
The practice team will contact you to discuss your request, confirm the visit details, and explain which records are needed. Sending the form does not reserve a time. Call 754-300-0817 if you need help with scheduling.
How do I check insurance and referral requirements?
Before your visit, ask the practice and your insurer to confirm participation in your specific plan, referral or authorization requirements, and expected costs. Coverage varies by plan and service.
When symptoms should not wait.
Call 911 or seek emergency care for signs of stroke, sudden or rapidly worsening weakness, seizure emergencies, loss of consciousness, severe trauma, new bladder or bowel dysfunction, saddle numbness, or another abrupt neurologic change. This website and its navigator do not provide emergency assessment.
General educational information only. This site does not replace an in-person medical evaluation. Calling the office, using the navigator, or reading these pages does not establish a physician-patient relationship.