11/2/16
Dear Board Members, Community Members, Employees and Physicians:
For more than 25 years, Delray Medical Center and St. Mary’s Medical Center, in partnership with the
Health Care District of Palm Beach County, have operated in a systematic approach to ensure
comprehensive trauma care for the county. Both of our hospitals are state-designated Level 1 trauma
centers, which is the highest level of care available. Our outcomes are notable and many patients have
benefited from the combined expertise of our centers. We continue to make significant investments in
our hospitals and trauma services.
To that end, we want to alert you to a development that could change the availability of this imperative
service in the event that you or a loved one experiences a traumatic incident. Just last week, JFK
Medical Center submitted a Letter of Intent to the Department of Health (DOH) announcing their plans
to open a Level 2, adult only trauma center. This action threatens the entire care system in our county
being delivered by Delray Medical Center and St. Mary’s Medical Center. It also goes against the
recently adopted 5-year plan approved and submitted to the DOH by the Health Care District of Palm
Beach County; an independent taxing district voted on and developed by the citizens of the county that
oversees trauma care. Their plan states that there is no need for any other trauma centers in the area.
How a surplus of trauma centers will affect the citizens of Palm Beach County:
 Level 1 trauma care could potentially cease to exist in Palm Beach County. There are
approximately 3,000 trauma activations in Palm Beach County each year and they are split
almost evenly between Delray Medical Center and St. Mary’s Medical Center. JFK entering the
system will likely result in no facility having enough trauma cases to maintain level 1 status and
would potentially impact quality outcomes by diluting the activations at each center.
 JFK Medical Center is only planning to offer adult trauma services. This means when an event
occurs where an entire family needs trauma care, children will be separated from their parents
being treated at JFK and will have to be taken to either Delray Medical Center or St. Mary’s
Medical Center.
 Costs will go up: http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/how-hca-turned-trauma-into-amoney-maker/2169280
 There will be a lack of qualified trauma surgeons to cover an excess center and decreased
trauma center staff proficiency.
No one plans on needing trauma care. But as the over 64,000 Palm Beach County trauma patients who
have been served by our hospitals over the last 25 years would attest, it’s a matter of life, or death. We
appreciate your support to help protect this lifesaving service.

Mark Bryan, CEO
Delray Medical Center

Gabrielle Finley-Hazle, CEO
St. Mary’s Medical Center and
The Palm Beach Children’s Hospital