Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center recently hit a major milestone for what was a heartfelt first for Palm Beach County residents. Thirty years ago, in November 1983, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center became the first hospital in Palm Beach, Martin, Okeechobee, Indian River and St. Lucie counties to provide open-heart surgery services.
The first open-heart surgery patient was 81-year-old George Flynn, who endured severe damage to his heart in a car accident. Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Richard Faro and his team successfully performed the surgery saving Flynn’s life. Since then, Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center continues to be one of the leading heart hospitals in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
“We are very proud of our achievements in cardiac care for the past 30 years,” said CEO Larry Coomes. “We’re always searching for new cutting-edge procedures that will increase our capabilities and help more patients. We look forward to seeing what Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center will accomplish in the next 30 years.”
The hospital has completed more than 16,000 open-heart procedures, 100,000 cardiac catheterizations and now provides TAVR, a minimally invasive heart procedure for patients with severe aortic stenosis. Healthgrades named Palm Beach Gardens Medical Center as a five-star recipient for heart failure eight years in a row.
