This is the third year in a row Delray Medical Center has achieved this distinction.

Hospitals achieving  this award had quality outcomes rated in the top five percent in the country for the most consecutive years across 26 different procedures and conditions.

Patients admitted to an America’s 50 Best Hospital are about 27 percent less likely to die and eight percent less likely to suffer from a major complication than patients admitted to non-recipient hospitals, according to HealthGrades.

"To be ranked among America’s 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades for three years in a row is truly an honor and testament to the hard work and dedication of our talented physicians and staff who provide excellent care to our patients each year,” said CEO Robert Krieger.

“We look forward to continuing our commitment to provide our community with the best possible care for many years to come.”

To determine America’s 50 Best Hospitals, HealthGrades analyzed over 110 million Medicare hospitalization records from every hospital in the nation.

Facilities must have demonstrated superior clinical outcomes, not just in one medical specialty, but across 26 different procedures and conditions--and must have maintained this superior level of care year after year.

To make this year’s list, the recipients maintained quality levels among the top five percent in the nation for a minimum of six consecutive years.

“The hospitals who receive this distinction have figured out how to hardwire clinical excellence into the fabric of their organizations,” said Dr. Samantha Collier, HealthGrades' chief medical officer and lead study author. “They are able to maintain superior levels of quality and excellence day after day, year after year.”

The HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospital designation is based exclusively on clinical outcomes – risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for patients at every one of the nation’s nearly 5,000 non-federal hospitals. Hospitals cannot opt-in or out of this independent analysis.

Delray Medical Center service lines’ clinical quality excellence, which contributes to the America’s 50 Best Hospital designation, includes:

• Cardiac services ranking among the top ten percent nationwide for nine consecutive years
  
• Pulmonary services ranking among the top ten percent nationwide for two consecutive years
  
• Gastrointestinal medical services ranking among the top ten percent nationwide for five consecutive years
  
• Five-star rated – the top rating from HealthGrades – for coronary bypass surgery, coronary interventional procedures, treatment of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, COPD, pneumonia, sepsis, pulmonary embolism, GI bleed, pancreatitis, GI surgeries/procedures, and total hip replacement surgery
  
  

About Delray Medical Center
Named one of America's 50 Best Hospitals and a recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence by Healthgrades, Delray is a 493-bed acute care hospital, conveniently located between the Florida Turnpike and I-95.

As the hub of a 42-acre medical center, Delray has 493 beds and a range of specialized services, including always open emergency care, the Heart Center, Rehablitation and more.

The hospital was recognized for the Get With The Guidelines Performance Achievement Awards for Coronary Artery Disease, Heart Failure and Stroke.

Delray Medical Center is one of only four hospitals to achieve Triple Gold Recognition.

For the second consecutive year, Delray Medical Center has been recognized as one of America's 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades®, a leading independent healthcare ratings company.           

The HealthGrades America's 50 Best Hospitals designation, presented last year for the first time, is the only national hospital quality rating based solely on clinical outcomes.  It recognizes hospitals that have demonstrated superior clinical quality over an eight-year period. 

For 2008, the honor is based upon an analysis of tens of millions of Medicare patient records from 1999 through 2006.   Delray and the 49 other hospitals honored this year have achieved higher survival rates and lower complication rates, not just in one or two clinical specialties, but across 27 different medical procedures and diagnoses, from cardiac care to orthopedic surgery, consistently ranking among the top five percent in the nation for overall clinical outcomes.

"The Delray staff is dedicated to providing exceptional care.  Our consistently strong performance in clinical quality outcomes is a reflection of the special attention this hospital and the people who are its 'face' provide to patients every day," explained Robert Krieger, CEO. 

"Having the latest technology at our fingertips 'raises the bar' for the standard of treatment that those in our community can expect when they are under our care."

Recipients of HealthGrades America's 50 Best Hospitals were selected by identifying hospitals across the country that also have received the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical ExcellenceTM the most consecutive times from previous years through 2008. 

Delray has received this prestigious national quality award from HealthGrades annually since 2003 -- six years in a row.

In its most recent clinical study, issued on Jan. 31, HealthGrades analyzed tens of millions of Medicare patient records from 4,971 hospitals over a three-year period (2004-06).

HealthGrades found that patients admitted to Distinguished Hospitals, such as Delray, are, on average, 27 percent more likely to survive and five percent less likely to have a major complication.  HealthGrades also estimates that if all patients were treated at Distinguished Hospitals, 171,424 lives could have been saved and 9,671 post-operative complications could have been avoided during the three years studied. 

This is consistent with Distinguished Hospital studies conducted in previous years.In addition to its clinical excellence, Delray's cardiac, pulmonary, orthopedic and gastrointestinal services consistently have been recognized in HealthGrades studies. 

The hospital has been ranked among the top five percent in the nation for overall cardiac services for seven years in a row, receiving HealthGrades 2007 Specialty Excellence Awards in Cardiac Care and Cardiac Surgery.

Delray Medical Center, part of Tenet's Palm Beach Health Network, is a 493-bed acute care hospital located at 5352 Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach.  The community-based hospital has been serving the health care needs of south and central Palm Beach County for 25 years.  Delray Medical Center, a state-designated Level II Trauma Center for adults and children, offers a broad array of specialized services-, ranging from acute care to rehabilitation, and psychiatric services to outpatient care. 

In 2008, Delray Medical Center was recognized for the second straight year as one of America's 50 Best Hospitals by HealthGrades, a leading national health care quality group, and received HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for the sixth consecutive year.  In 2005 and for the fourth year in succession, Solucient, a leading health care information company, listed Delray Medical Center as one of the nation's 100 Top Hospitals.

The hospital also was honored with the prestigious Tenet Circle of Excellence award for outstanding performance; the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce's  2005 Business of the Year award; and its Cardiac Program was named 2005 Hospital-Based Program of the Year by the South Florida Business Journal.

Delray Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

Delray Medical Center received Get With The Guidelines Gold Performance Achievement Awards in coronary artery disease, for stroke and for heart failure.  This triple level of achievement shows Delray Medical Center's commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of care for heart disease and stroke patients.           

The accomplishment signifies that Delray Medical Center has reached an aggressive goal of treating coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure patients with 85 percent compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines and recommendations.           

Get With the Guidelines helps ensure that patients treated and discharged receive quality care in accordance with guidelines that will reduce the risk of secondary events.  It takes advantage of the "teachable moment" shortly after a heart attack or stroke when patients are most likely to listen to their healthcare professionals' recommendations.  Studies demonstrate that patients who are taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second heart attack or stroke.           

"Delray Medical Center is dedicated to making its care for heart disease and stroke patients among the best in the country.  We will continue to build upon the success achieved through ongoing implementation of this valuable program," said hospital CEO, Robert Krieger.  "Get With The Guidelines enhances the ability of our professionals to improve the long-term outcomes of cardiac and stroke patients and we are pleased to again be recognized for our achievements.

Delray Medical Center staffers develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes.  The program includes quality improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. 

Quick, efficient use of guideline tools enable Delray Medical Center to save lives, improve the quality of care it provides heart disease and stroke patients and, ultimately, reduce healthcare costs by lowering recurrence of events.             

According to GWTG treatment guidelines, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics and anticoagulants in the hospital, or in the case of stroke, they may receive TPA, antithrombotics and DVT prohphylaxis.  They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling as well as referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.           

"The full implementation of acute and secondary prevention guideline recommended therapy is a critical step in reducing death and disability of cardiovascular disease patients," said Gregg C Fonarow, M.D., National Chairman of the GWTG Steering Committee and Director of Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center. 

"The goal of the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines program is to help hospitals like Delray Medical Center implement appropriate evidence-based care and protocols that will reduce the number of deaths in these patients and in their communities. Delray Medical Center has achieved a high level of performance in terms of implementing these life-prolonging treatments.          

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, each year approximately 300,000 people suffer a recurrent heart attack, 5.2 million people suffer from heart failure and 700,000 people suffer a stroke.                                       

The coronary artery disease module of Get With The Guidelines is developed with support from an unrestricted educational grant from the Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceutical Partnership. Glaxo Smith Kline, Inc. has provided support for Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure.

“Delray Medical Center is committed to making its care for heart disease and stroke patients among the best in the country and we will continue our efforts to build upon the success achieved with continued implementation of this valuable program,” said CEO Robert Krieger.  “Get With The Guidelines makes it easier for our professionals to improve the long-term outcomes of our cardiac and stroke patients, and we are pleased to be recognized for our ongoing dedication and achievements.”            

Get With the Guidelines helps ensure patients treated and discharged receive quality care in accordance with guidelines that will reduce the risk of secondary events.  It takes advantage of the “teachable moment,” time soon after an acute event, when patients are most likely to listen to their healthcare professionals’ treatment recommendations.  Studies demonstrate that patients taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second heart attack or stroke.             

The recognition signifies Delray Medical Center has reached an aggressive goal of treating coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure patients with 85 percent compliance to core standard levels of care outlined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology secondary prevention guidelines and recommendations.  Under the protocols, patients are started on aggressive risk reduction therapies such as cholesterol-lowering drugs, beta-blockers, ACE inhibitors, aspirin, diuretics and anticoagulants in the hospital, or in the case of stroke, they may receive tPA, antithrombotics and DVT prohphylaxis. They also receive alcohol/drug use and thyroid management counseling and referrals for cardiac rehabilitation before being discharged.

“Full implementation of acute and secondary prevention guidelines is a critical step in saving the lives of patients,” said Gray Ellrodt, M.D., chairman of the GWTG Steering Committee.  “The aim of the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines program is to help hospitals implement appropriate evidence-based guidelines for care and protocols that will reduce the number of deaths in these patients and in their communities.  Delray Medical Center is well above the national average in terms of implementing these life-saving treatments.”            

According to the American Heart Association, each year more than 450,000 people suffer a recurrent heart attack, about five million people suffer from heart failure and about 700,000 people suffer a stroke. 

Delray Medical Center’s staff develops and implements acute and secondary prevention guideline processes that include quality improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools.  This quick and efficient use of guideline tools enables the hospital to improve the quality of care it provides heart disease and stroke patients, save lives and ultimately, reduce healthcare costs by lowering recurrence of events.  

Delray Medical Center, a 493-bed acute care hospital located at 5352 Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach, has been serving the health care needs of south and central Palm Beach County for more than 20 years. A state-designated Level II Trauma Center for adults and children, Delray Medical Center offers a broad array of specialized services, ranging from acute care to rehabilitation, and psychiatric services to outpatient care.   According to HealthGrades, Delray Medical Center is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2007, recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for five consecutive years (2003-2007), and the Cardiac Care Excellence Award for three consecutive years (2005, 2006, 2007).   To learn more about Delray Medical Center, visit www.delraymedicalctr.com.    

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. – Surgery patients at Delray Medical Center now have the advantage of some of the newest operating room technology in the state of Florida.

The hospital is the first in Florida to have the Interoperative O-Arm™ Imaging System. The new technology offers Delray Medical Center surgeons real-time, 3-D images, as well as multi-plane, 2-D and fluoroscopic imaging.

“The O-Arm provides our surgeons with a view of the patient’s anatomy in the operative position and enables them to monitor the status of the surgery, verify implant placement and surgical changes with a 3-D image without the patient ever leaving the surgical suite,” said hospital CEO Robert Krieger.

The O-Arm was designed to be used in standard operating rooms. Its electromechanical features enable the O-arm to be re-positioned easily between imaging shots, giving the surgeon easy patient access. The expected benefit of using these high-quality images during surgery is that patients undergoing procedures may experience less invasive surgeries, faster recovery times, a decreased risk for return to surgery and improved outcomes. The hospital will be using this technology for spine, neurosurgery, orthopedic and ENT procedures.

Delray Medical Center, a 493-bed acute care hospital located at 5352 Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach, has been serving the health care needs of south and central Palm Beach County for more than 20 years. A state-designated Level II Trauma Center for adults and children, Delray Medical Center offers a broad array of specialized services, ranging from acute care to rehabilitation, and psychiatric services to outpatient care.

According to HealthGrades, Delray Medical Center is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2007, recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for five consecutive years (2003-2007), and the Cardiac Care Excellence Award for three consecutive years (2005, 2006, 2007).

The new 50 Best Hospitals designation recognizes hospitals that demonstrated superior clinical quality over seven years, based upon analysis of tens of millions of Medicare patient records from 1999-2005.

These hospitals have achieved better survival rates and lower complication rates across dozens of medical procedures and diagnoses, from cardiac care to orthopedic surgery, consistently ranking among the top five percent in the nation for overall clinical outcomes.

“Delray’s staff is dedicated to providing exceptional care. Our consistently strong performance in clinical quality outcomes is a reflection of the special attention this hospital provides to patients every day,” explained CEO Robert Krieger.

“Having the latest technology at our fingertips helps us ‘raise the bar’ for the standard of treatment our community can expect.”

Recipients of HealthGrades America’s 50 Best Hospitals were selected by identifying hospitals across the country that have received the HealthGrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence^TM the most consecutive times from previous years through 2007.   Delray has received this prestigious national quality award from HealthGrades annually since 2003.

In addition to its clinical excellence, Delray’s cardiac, pulmonary, orthopedic and gastrointestinal services have consistently been recognized in HealthGrades’ studies. The hospital has been ranked among the top five percent in the nation for overall cardiac services for seven years in a row, receiving HealthGrades 2007 Specialty Excellence Awards in Cardiac Care and Cardiac Surgery.

Delray has repeatedly received five-star ratings for the following procedures and diagnoses:
· Coronary Bypass Surgery
· Valve Replacement Surgery
· Cardiac Interventional Procedures including angioplasties and stents
· Treatment of Heart Attack
· Treatment of Heart Failure
· Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation
· Hip Fracture Repair Surgery
· Back & Neck Spinal Fusion Surgery
· Treatment of Community Acquired Pneumonia
· Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
· Treatment of GI Bleeds.

Quality has become a mandate in healthcare and HealthGrades launched this new award to be responsive to consumers’ demand for information about the quality of care. The award is unique in that it can only be achieved through outstanding clinical excellence maintained over time.

Sustained quality excellence does not happen by “chance.” In working with hospitals throughout the nation, HealthGrades found that clinical leaders establish a culture of quality, in which there is an expectation and ownership of excellence from the CEO’s office through every other individual within the organization. The organization also has found that people are more likely to have successful treatment without major complications, on average, at hospitals in this category.

Delray Medical Center, a 493-bed acute care hospital located at 5352 Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach, has been serving the health care needs of south and central Palm Beach County for more than 20 years. A state-designated Level II Trauma Center for adults and children, Delray Medical Center offers a broad array of specialized services, ranging from acute care to rehabilitation, and psychiatric services to outpatient care.   According to HealthGrades, Delray Medical Center is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2007, recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for five consecutive years (2003-2007), and the Cardiac Care Excellence Award for three consecutive years (2005, 2006, 2007).   To learn more about Delray Medical Center, visit www.delraymedicalctr.com.    

Delray Medical Center, a 493-bed acute care hospital located at 5352 Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach, has been serving the health care needs of south and central Palm Beach County for more than 20 years. A state-designated Level II Trauma Center for adults and children, Delray Medical Center offers a broad array of specialized services, ranging from acute care to rehabilitation, and psychiatric services to outpatient care.   According to HealthGrades, Delray Medical Center is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2007, recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for five consecutive years (2003-2007), and the Cardiac Care Excellence Award for three consecutive years (2005, 2006, 2007).   To learn more about Delray Medical Center, visit www.delraymedicalctr.com.    

Delray Medical Center, a 493-bed acute care hospital located at 5352 Linton Boulevard in Delray Beach, has been serving the health care needs of south and central Palm Beach County for more than 20 years. A state-designated Level II Trauma Center for adults and children, Delray Medical Center offers a broad array of specialized services, ranging from acute care to rehabilitation, and psychiatric services to outpatient care.   According to HealthGrades, Delray Medical Center is one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals for 2007, recipient of the Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence for five consecutive years (2003-2007), and the Cardiac Care Excellence Award for three consecutive years (2005, 2006, 2007).   To learn more about Delray Medical Center, visit www.delraymedicalctr.com.    

The Joint Commission's Primary Stroke Center certification program is based on recommendations published by the Brain Attack Coalition and American Stroke Association. Achievement of certification signifies that Delray Medical Center’s services include all critical elements required to improve stroke patient outcomes on a long-term scale. Certification is an indicator that the hospital’s care is effectively managed to meet the specialized needs of stroke patients.

“This certification lets the community know that our hospital is meeting national standards and performance expectations for stroke care,” says Mitch Feldman, chief executive officer of Delray Medical Center. “We are committed to providing first-rate health care for our stroke patients and will continue working to enhance those standards of excellence.”