St. Mary’s Medical Center & The Palm Beach Children’s Hospital Team Members Receive Top Honors from the Health Care District of Palm Beach County

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.