Palm Beach County, Fla. – The Palm Beach Health Network which includes Delray Medical Center, Good Samaritan Medical Center, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center, St. Mary’s Medical Center, and West Boca Medical Center, receives the American Heart Association’s Gold Plus, and Gold Plus-Honor Roll Get With the Guidelines-Stroke Quality Achievement Award, for their commitment to ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment, according to nationally recognized, research based guidelines.

To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke. 

Additionally, Delray Medical Center also receives the Association’s Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed with more than 90% of compliance for 12 consecutive months for the “Overall Diabetes Cardiovascular Initiative Composite Score.”

“Our Palm Beach Health Network hospitals are honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to helping our patients have the best possible chance of survival after a stroke, and to treat those who are also living with diabetes,” said Maggie Gill, chief executive officer of The Palm Beach Health Network.  “This recognition shows that quality and safety is a testament to the commitment our entire team has to the health and well-being of our community.”

Here is what each Palm Beach Health Network hospital is receiving: 

Delray Medical Center: Stroke Gold Plus-Honor Roll, Advanced Therapy and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll

Good Samaritan Medical Center: Stroke Gold Plus-Honor Roll

Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center: Stroke Gold Plus-Honor Roll

St. Mary’s Medical Center: Stroke Gold Plus-Honor Roll

West Boca Medical Center: Stroke Gold Plus

Each year program participants apply for the award recognition by demonstrating how their organization has committed to providing quality care for patients. In addition to following treatment guidelines, participants also provide education to patients to help them manage their health and rehabilitation once at home.