WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – St. Mary’s Medical Center was presented with an award by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for its success in increasing organ donation rates at the hospital.  St. Mary’s was the only Palm Beach County facility to be awarded the Department’s Medal of Honor for Organ Donations for achieving and sustaining a donation rate of 75 percent or higher among eligible donors.            

 “St. Mary’s Medical Center has made a strong commitment to expanding the viability of organ and tissue donation through education, awareness and compassionate counseling with patients and their families.  Word of this national honor is exciting news and confirms the dedication to this cause exhibited by our hospital and staff,” said CEO Davide Carbone.            

Only five other Southeast Florida hospitals received HHS recognition – all in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.            

HHS credits the success of hospitals such as St. Mary’s Medical Center, working through the Department’s Organ Breakthrough Collaborative, for helping to save lives by increasing the number of annual organ transplants to 31,184 in 2006, up 4,164 from the number of transplants in 2003.             

“We are pleased and proud to see the incredible progress of our nation’s hospitals in increasing donation rates,” said Elizabeth M. Duke, administrator of HHS’ Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), which houses the federal government’s organ donation activities.  “It is a remarkable accomplishment.”

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