Don Chester, Assistant Administrator, and Carol Roberts, hospital Governing Board member are honored with Legacy Awards for their leadership that led to the development of the trauma system in Palm Beach County.
St. Mary’s Medical Center and Palm Beach Children’s Hospital proudly honor Assistant Administrator, Don Chester and Governing Board member, Carol Roberts on the receipt of their Legacy Awards from the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. Roberts and Chester are both credited with playing an instrumental role in the development of the independent taxing district that is tasked with providing trauma services as well as an array of other healthcare programs.
“As respected leaders who represent our trauma system’s legacy of delivering what has been widely acclaimed as one of the best trauma systems in the country, both Don and Carol are extremely deserving of this recognition,” said Gabrielle Finley-Hazle, CEO of St. Mary’s and the Palm Beach Children’s Hospital. “We join the Health Care District in honoring them for their foresight that has ensured that Palm Beach County residents will have access to Level I trauma care.”
Chester is a trauma survivor himself, with more than 40 years of service at St. Mary’s Medical Center and The Palm Beach Children’s Hospital. Prior to his traumatic injury, he was involved in forming the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, which created the trauma system that would ultimately end up saving his life. Additionally, Chester has devoted the majority of his career to community advocacy through his service on several public and non-profit board throughout Palm Beach County. Roberts has a distinguished background in government on many levels-local, regional, national and international. Her government career spans over 28 years and includes Mayor and Commissioner of the City of West Palm Beach, Mayor and Commissioner of Palm Beach County, President of the Florida Association of Counties and Chairmen and Commissioner of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. She is currently a member of the St. Mary’s Medical Center and Palm Beach Children’s Hospital Governing Board.
The trauma system in Palm Beach County consists of a partnership between the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, fire rescue and EMS, expert physician specialists, St. Mary’s Medical Center and Delray Medical Center. This mature system is considered to be best in class with a 98% survival rate despite some of the highest level of severely injured patients. The Health Care District of Palm Beach County was founded more than 25 years ago to ensure appropriate county-wide, quality trauma care and support uninsured trauma patients.
About St. Mary’s Medical Center
St. Mary’s Medical Center is a 464-bed acute care hospital located at 901 45th Street in West Palm Beach. The hospital has been serving the medical and health care needs of the greater West Palm Beach area for more than 75 years.
St. Mary’s Medical Center offers a broad array of adult and pediatric services, including: a Level 1 Trauma Center, a state-designated Pediatric Trauma Referral Center, Comprehensive Stroke Center and a state-designated Brain and Spinal Cord Acute Injury Center. Additional services include the Neuroscience Center, High-Risk Obstetrical Unit with a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), the Institute for Advanced Orthopedics, the Rehabilitation Institute, the Memory Disorder Center, Kaplan Cancer Center, Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Medicine Center, Schwartz Kidney Dialysis Center and the Institute for Mental Health.
Pediatric services are provided at the Palm Beach Children’s Hospital at St. Mary’s Medical Center, which is the only dedicated children’s hospital between Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando. Along with 24/7 dedicated pediatric emergency and trauma care, Palm Beach Children’s Hospital’s medical staff consists of 196 pediatricians in 36 subspecialties. These include limb reconstruction and lengthening at the Paley Orthopedic and Spine Institute, pediatric oncology program, which includes membership in the Children’s Oncology Group – a clinical trials group supported by the National Cancer Institute, and pediatric orthopedics. In addition, in-house pediatric intensivists work with area pediatricians to care for children while staying at Palm Beach Children’s Hospital.
St. Mary’s Medical Center is fully accredited by the Joint Commission, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency, and is a member of the Children’s Hospital Association. The hospital has won many prestigious awards, including the Tenet Circle of Excellence award. To learn more about St. Mary’s Medical Center and Palm Beach Children’s Hospital, visit www.stmarysmc.com, www.palmbeachchildrens.com or call 561-844-6300.
