Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure helps Palmetto General Hospital’s staff develop and implement acute and secondary prevention guideline processes. The program includes quality-improvement measures such as care maps, discharge protocols, standing orders and measurement tools. This quick and efficient use of guideline tools will enable Palmetto General Hospital to improve the quality of care it provides heart failure patients, save lives and ultimately, reduce healthcare costs by lowering the recurrence of heart attacks.

Palmetto General Hospital, part of Tenet's Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital at 2001 W. 68th St. in Hialeah, Florida. The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years.

Palmetto General Hospital offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, and sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services, a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence as designated by the American College of Radiology. Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

The hospital is the Best-Rated Hospital in Miami-Dade County for Bariatric Surgery and ranks second in Florida and among the Top 5% in the Nation for Bariatric Surgery for two consecutive years in a row by HealthGrades, a health care quality rankings company.　

In addition it has earned a five-star rating and is among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades. The Hospital has also received 2009 American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) Gold Performance Achievement Award, 2009 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association – choose the America's Best Hospitals issue (July 2009) – US News and World Report to recognize the Hospitalfs for Achievements in Get With The Guidelines Programs.  Palmetto General Hospital is also one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's 100 Top Hospitals designation six or more times.

Dr. Marquez is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Disease.  He holds his medical license in Florida, New York and Georgia. Dr. Marquez has been practicing medicine in Miami since 1987.  He attended the City College of New York, where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in pre-medical studies and an associate’s degree in Biology. He received his medical degree from Universidad Central del Este in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 

About Palmetto General Hospital

Palmetto General Hospital, part of Tenet's Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital located at 2001 West 68th Street in Hialeah, Florida. The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years.

Palmetto General Hospital offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, and sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services, a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence as designated by the American College of Radiology.

Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. The hospital is the Best-Rated Hospital in Miami-Dade County for Bariatric Surgery and ranks second in Florida and among the Top 5% in the Nation for Bariatric Surgery for two consecutive years in a row by HealthGrades, a health care quality rankings company. 

In addition it has earned a five-star rating and is among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades.  The Hospital has also received 2009 American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) Gold Performance Achievement Award, 2009 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association – choose the “America’s Best Hospitals” issue (July 2009) – US News and World Report to recognize the Hospital’s for Achievements in Get With The Guidelines Programs.  Palmetto General Hospital is also one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's

“At Palmetto General Hospital, we strive to add new procedures and services to better serve our community,” said CEO Ana Mederos. “Offering minimally invasive procedures is important for our patients, as these procedures generally offer less recovery time.”

EVAR is a minimally invasive way to repair an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA).  The abdominal aorta supplies blood to the lower body. An AAA is formed when a part of the aorta expands or bulges. Pressure on an AAA can cause it to rupture, which can then lead to blood clots, internal bleeding or even death. 

The EVAR procedure, an alternative to standard surgical repair, uses a small incision, usually in the groin, to insert a special catheter that has a stent graft on the tip. The stent is placed into the aorta to reline the area of the aneurysm, making the inner layer stronger. EVAR has several advantages over “open repair":  less chance of mortality, less time in intensive care, less time in the hospital overall and earlier return to normal activity.  

Palmetto General Hospital has an operating room dedicated to endovascular surgery. This OR, and incorporating EVAR into the hospital's realm of vascular services, allow physicians to offer quality care to vascular patients.

ABOUT PALMETTO GENERAL
Palmetto General Hospital, part of Tenet's Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital located at 2001 W. 68th St., Hialeah, FL. The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years.

Palmetto General Hospital offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, and sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services, a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence as designated by the American College of Radiology..

Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. The hospital is the Best-Rated Hospital in Miami-Dade County for Bariatric Surgery and ranks second in Florida and among the Top 5% in the Nation for Bariatric Surgery for two consecutive years by HealthGrades, a health care quality rankings company. 

 It has earned a five-star rating and is among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades.  The Hospital has also received 2009 American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) Gold Performance Achievement Award 2009. American Heart Association/American Stroke Association choose the “America’s Best Hospitals” issue (July 2009) US News and World Report to recognize the Hospital’s Achievements in Get With The Guidelines Programs.  Palmetto General Hospital is one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's 100 Top Hospitals designation six or more times.

HIALEAH, FL-- A clinically proven, minimally invasive technology for treating chronic sinus inflammation is now available at Palmetto General Hospital. The Balloon Sinuplasty™ system by Acclarent™ uses a small catheter and balloon to quickly open and expand blocked sinuses.

Sinusitis is one of the most common chronic health problems in the U.S., afflicting 37 million Americans each year. Patients suffer headaches, congestion, fatigue and other symptoms.  This condition can significantly impact physical, functional, and emotional quality of life.

Historically, sinusitis patients were limited to two treatment options:  medical therapy such as antibiotics and topical nasal steroids, or conventional sinus surgery such as Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS).  Medical therapy can help alleviate symptoms as many as 80% of patients but is inadequate for the rest.  For them, sinus surgery is often the best option. However, FESS is a conventional surgery that requires bone and tissue removal in order to open up blocked sinus passageways.  In lieu of a desired treatment, approximately 900,000 patients each year elect to live with painful sinus conditions.

There is an alternative solution in endoscopic sinus surgery with the Balloon Sinuplasty™ technology by Acclarent.  A small, flexible balloon catheter is placed through a nostril into the blocked sinus passageway.  The balloon is then inflated to gently restructure and open the sinus passageway, restoring normal sinus drainage and function.

Dr. Julio Torres is one of the first physicians in this area to offer this technology.  He said, “The Balloon Sinuplasty™ devices by Acclarent are a true advance in sinus care because in many cases it can be done without removing any tissue or bone.  That means faster recovery times and less post-procedure discomfort.  In fact, many of my patients have been able to return to normal activities within 24 hours and have had significant improvement in their symptoms.”

The international, multi-center study, CLEAR1, published in the prestigious journal, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery2, confirmed at all time points – 24-week, one-year and two-years - earlier clinical validation that the Balloon Sinuplasty™ instruments are safe and effective for opening blocked sinuses.  The CLEAR study reported:

91.6% functional patency rate at one-year; 70 patients (217 sinuses)
No serious adverse events at two-years; 65 patients (195 sinuses)
Symptom improvement for 85% of patients across the two-year-postsurgery period.

HIALEAH, FL --  More than 300 attendees got free health screenings, heard physician lectures and gained health information at Palmetto General Hospital's free community Heart Fair, held Feb. 20 to support American Heart Month. 

"We are pleased to be able to offer the community free health fairs," said Ana Mederos, CEO of Palmetto General Hospital. "Education is an important part of prevention and the more knowledge we can provide the community, the more empowered they are to make smart decisions as it pertains to their health."

Health screenings included body mass Index, blood pressure and blood sugar. Attendees could hear physicians speak and participate in Question & Answer sessions with physicians, including Dr. Romualdo J. Segurola, FCCP, Medical Director of The Heart Institute at Palmetto General Hospital; Dr. Miguel A. Diaz, Interventional Cardiologist, who spoke on having a Healthy Heart for Life; and Dr. Sofia Vasquez-Solomon, FACE, Endocrinologist, who discussed Diabetes and Heart Risks.

Experts spoke about fitness, diet, eldercare and more. Shape Lovers provided healthy cooking demonstrations. The American Heart Association, which took registrations for the upcoming Heart Walk, provided information on signs and symptoms of stroke. The Florida Department of Health gave out smoking cessation information, and seniors could learn how to deal with emergencies when home alone.

Palmetto General Hospital will host a free community Heart Fair on Saturday, February 20, at the hospital, 2001 W 68 St., Hialeah. All are invited.

The Fair will offer FREE screenings including blood sugar, blood pressure and body mass index (BMI).  A variety of experts will speak about fitness, diet, eldercare and more.

Physician educational lectures, in English and Spanish, by these speakers start at 10 am and continue throughout the event. 

• Dr. Luis Zavala-Roman -- Treatment of Stroke
• Dr. Romualdo Segurola, Medical Director, The Heart Institute at Palmetto General Hospital
• Dr. Miguel Diaz -- Healthy Heart for Life
• Dr. Sofia Vasquez-Solomon -- Diabetes and Heart Risks

LA Fitness will perform free body composition evaluations. Shape Lovers will provide food, and a cooking expert will do healthy cooking demonstrations. The American Heart Association will encourage persons to sign up for the upcoming Heart Walk.  The Florida Department of Health will give out information on smoking cessation.  Attendees can learn about elderly care, specifically how to deal with emergencies when one is home alone.

　　　　　
Palmetto General Hospital, part of Tenet's Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital at 2001 West 68th Street in Hialeah, Florida. The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years.

Palmetto General Hospital offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, and sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services, a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence as designated by the American College of Radiology.

Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. The hospital is the Best-Rated Hospital in Miami-Dade County for Bariatric Surgery and ranks second in Florida and among the Top 5% in the Nation for Bariatric Surgery for two consecutive years by HealthGrades, a health care quality rankings company. In addition it has earned a five-star rating and is among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades.　

The Hospital has also received 2009 American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) Gold Performance Achievement Award, 2009 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association – chose the America's Best Hospitals issue (July 2009) – US News and World Report to recognize the Hospital for Achievements in Get With The Guidelines Programs. Palmetto General Hospital is one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's 100 Top Hospitals designation six or more times.

Community Hospitals Team Up To Send Much-Needed Aide to Haiti

Palmetto General Hospital, in partnership with the Archdiocese of Miami and Notre Dame de Haiti Church, is collecting checks from employees and community members who would like to donate to Haitian earthquake victims. 

Checks made out to Catholic Charities Earthquake Relief may be brought to the hospital's Administration Department from 9 am - 5 pm through Feb. 1.  This date may be extended.  Checks to the American Red Cross Haitian Relief Fund also are being accepted. 

Palmetto General Hospital is at 2001 W. 68th St., Hialeah, FL, 305-823-5000. 

The partnership includes sister Tenet hospitals North Shore Medical Center in Miami and Hialeah Hospital, which also are accepting checks for Haitian relief from 9 am to 5 pm.  Here is donation information for these hospitals:

North Shore Medical Center

• Main Lobby Registration Desk
• 1100 NW 95th St.
•  Miami, FL
• 305-835-6000

Hialeah Hospital

• Administration
• 651 E 25th St.
• Hialeah, FL
• 305-693-6100

HIALEAH,  FL – Palmetto General Hospital has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR).

By awarding the Breast Imaging Center of Excellence status, ACR recognizes centers that have earned accreditation in all of the college's voluntary, breast-imaging accreditation programs and modules, in addition to the mandatory Mammography Accreditation Program.

"We are pleased that our hospital has been recognized by CIGNA for the high quality care we provide," said Ana Mederos, chief executive officer of Palmetto General Hospital. "Our physicians and staff work very hard to provide quality patient care, and these designations are evidence of the high standard of care we deliver every day."

Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. The hospital has earned a five-star rating and is ranked among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades, a health care quality ratings company, and is one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's 100 Top Hospitals designation six or more times.

Drs. Emery Salom, an OB/GYN Oncologist and Edward L. Gheiler, Urological Surgeon at Palmetto General Hospital along with hospital CEO Ana Mederos, showed off the da Vinci® Surgical System/da Vinci® SI™ System and talked about its many benefits. Guests, who included community leaders, former patients, and hospital staffwere also treated to a demonstration. The robot was guided to pick up a small espresso cup, which it did with great accuracy to demonstrate the precision of the equipment.

The Governing Board Members are responsible and accountable for the performance of the hospital, its long term strategy and vision. The new members are:

• Frederick Lippman, R. Ph., Ed.D., Chairman - Chancellor, Nova Southeastern University
  
• Jose Gomez, M.D., Vice Chairman -Psychiatry
• Frederick Lancet, M.D., Secretary - Pathology
• Raul Alonso, MD - Cardiovascular Disease
• Rev. Monsignor Franklyn Casale - President, St. Thomas University
• Yioset De La Cruz - Mayor, City of Hialeah Gardens
• Orlando Garcia, D.O. - Internal Medicine
• Vincent Omachonu, Ph.D. - Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, University of Miami
• Frank Recio - SabiaMed
• Karen Robinson - Principal, Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School
• Hugo Salinas, M.D. - Colon/Rectal Surgery
• Albert Tano, M.D. - Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
• Ana Mederos - Chief Executive Officer, Palmetto General Hospital
• Jose Font, M.D. - Chief of Staff

About Palmetto General Hospital
Palmetto General Hospital, founded in 1971, part of Tenet’s Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital located at 2001 West 68th Street in Hialeah, Florida. 

The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years. 

Palmetto General Hospital offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services and a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and accredited as a Level 1b facility by The Bariatric Surgery Center Network (BSCN) Accreditation Program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS).

Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation’s oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. 2008 American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines-Coronary Artery Disease (GWTG-CAD) Silver Performance Achievement Award.

The award recognizes Palmetto General Hospital’s commitment and success in implementing a higher standard of cardiac care that effectively improves treatment of patients hospitalized with coronary artery disease.

The hospital has earned a five-star rating for clinical excellence and is ranked among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care (six years in a row) by HealthGrades, a health care quality ratings company, and is one of only 40 hospitals nationwide to earn Thomson 100 Top Hospitals® designation six times. 

Hialeah, Fl  – Palmetto General Hospital, a 360-bed acute care hospital, proudly unveiled its new PET-CT Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 17.

PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography and Computerized Tomography), a type of nuclear medicine imaging, is a standard medical diagnostic tool that enables physicians to pinpoint cancer and other irregularities.

“At Palmetto General Hospital we consistently strive to ensure that we have the technology to provide quality patient care and diagnosis,” said Ana Mederos, CEO of Palmetto General Hospital. “The new PET CT will allow our physicians diagnoses to be faster and more efficient.”

At the event, Palmetto General Hospital was presented with proclamations from the City of Hialeah by Mayor Julio Robaina, the City of Hialeah Gardens by Mayor Yioset de la Cruz and the Town of Miami Lakes by Mayor Michael Pizzi. Over 75 guests enjoyed refreshments while taking a private tour of the new PET-CT.


About Palmetto General Hospital 

Palmetto, part of Tenet's Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital located at 2001 West 68th St. in Hialeah, Florida.

The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years.

Palmetto offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services and a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.

Palmetto is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

The hospital has earned a five-star rating and is ranked among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades, a health care quality ratings company, and is one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's 100 Top Hospitals designation six or more times.

Palmetto received eight CIGNA Quality Designations for the following areas:  Caesarean Section, Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal, Gastric Bypass, Heart Attack, Total Abdominal Hysterectomy, Total Knee Replacement, Stroke and Vaginal Delivery 

These quality designations are based on outcomes for treatment of 29 surgical procedures and medical conditions. The patient outcomes data are in part based on a hospital’s Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare measures, Leapfrog Patient Safety Measures, and their mortality and complication rates.

The designations indicate superior outcomes and about 57 percent of CIGNA HealthCare’s network hospitals receive a quality designation for treatment of at least one condition.

“These designations provide evidence of our hospitals’ commitment to providing high quality care,” said Stephen L. Newman, M.D., Tenet’s chief operating officer and interim chief medical officer. “Such recognitions demonstrate that our hospitals and staff deliver care that exceeds nationally recognized standards for the specific condition.

In fact, 76 percent of Tenet’s hospitals received a CIGNA HealthCare quality designation. We also have increased the total number of designations at our hospitals from 134 in 2007 to 214 in 2008, a 60 percent increase.”

In addition to these quality designations, 21 Tenet hospitals have received 60 Center of Excellence (COE) designations for 2008 from CIGNA HealthCare. These COE classifications mean that the hospitals met CIGNA HealthCare’s high standards for quality and efficiency.

“Our goal is to provide individuals with valuable information regarding those hospital programs that achieve both superior quality outcomes and superior affordability,” said Dick Salmon, M.D., Ph.D., senior national medical director at CIGNA HealthCare. “The Centers of Excellence designations are readily available to patients who use CIGNA Care Connections, an integrated online provider directory or through CIGNA HealthCare’s clinical resources such as 24 Health Information Line nurses.”

Along with Palmetto General Hospital, participating hospitals were Coral Gables Hospital, Hialeah Hospital and North Shore Medical Center. 

As the Signature Sponsor, the Tenet Healthcare Foundation donated $75,000  to the American Heart Association.  Each hospital also raised additional funds. Many hospital employees joined Team Tenet as walkers to fight heart disease.

At the event, the Mayors of Hialeah and Hialeah Gardens announced their plans to make their cities 2009 Heart Ready Cities-- with the help of Palmetto General Hospital and the Heart Institute at Palmetto General Hospital.

    Digital mammography allows the radiologist to view the x-ray image more closely, meaning they can zoom in on suspicious or concerning areas and make immediate decisions as to whether additional images are needed. Although a digital mammogram is like a traditional film-screen exam in that it uses x-rays to generate images of the breast, it takes less than half the time of traditional exams and allows the radiologist to review the images while the patient is still in the examination room.

    "Our goal is to provide exceptional care to the women of our community," explained. Ana Mederos, CEO of Palmetto General Hospital. "Digital mammography allows us to deliver even more advanced, personalized care to our patients in the fight against breast cancer."

    Digital mammography offers a number of other practical advantages and patient conveniences. Because there is no waiting for film to be developed it can reduce the time patients spend in the breast center, as well as reduce the need for repeat exams due to under or over exposure. Digital images are easily stored and transferred electronically, eliminating the dependency on one set of original films, which can be misfiled or lost in transit.

    Breast Cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women, exceeded only by lung cancer. Statistics demonstrate that one in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime in their life. The stage at which breast cancer is detected influences a woman's survival.

    Palmetto General Hospital, part of Tenet's Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital located at 2001 West 68th Street in Hialeah, Florida. The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years. Palmetto General Hospital offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services and a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency. The hospital has earned a five-star rating and is ranked among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades, a health care quality ratings company, and is one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's 100 Top Hospitals designation six or more times. To learn more about Palmetto General Hospital, visit www.palmettogeneral.com.

Alfredo Rego, MD, Chief of the Vascular Section, and Abelardo Vargas, MD, Medical Director, Diagnostic Vascular Lab, lead the program.

Among the Vascular Institute's array of services are: arterial bypass surgery, carotid artery surgery and stenting, aortic and peripheral aneurysms, surgical and endovascular repair, complex revascularization of the lower extremity, visceral artery reconstruction, thoracic outlet syndrome and venous bypass surgery. Also offered are management of deep venous thrombosis, comprehensive treatment of venous insufficiency, minimally invasive vein stripping, percutaneous peripheral interventions, dialysis access and graft interventions, and non-invasive diagnostics.

The Vascular Institute also offers beneficial therapy for patients experiencing severe pain who cannot be cured surgically. Often, patients with non-healing leg and foot ulcers may be overlooked.  The Vascular Institute offers these patients a combination of treatment and diet changes, designed to bring relief.

"Anything you can do as a doctor to improve the patients' quality of living and make them more comfortable is great," said Dr. Vargas.

The Vascular Institute at Palmetto General Hospital will go beyond standard care for vascular patients--it will also offer free screenings and patient education to the community.

Palmetto General Hospital, part of Tenet's Miami-Dade/Broward Health Network, is a 360-bed acute-care hospital located at 2001 West 68th Street in Hialeah, Florida. The hospital has served the medical and health care needs of Northwest Miami-Dade and Southwest Broward counties for more than 30 years.

Palmetto General Hospital offers a broad range of services, including adult and pediatric emergency rooms, maternity, mental health, cancer center, hyperbaric, wound care, and sleep disorders center, a cardiac program that includes both medical and surgical services, a bariatric program that has been designated a Center of Excellence by the American Society for Bariatric Surgery and a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence as designated by the American College of Radiology.. Palmetto General Hospital is fully accredited by The Joint Commission, the nation's oldest and largest hospital accreditation agency.

The hospital is the Best-Rated Hospital in Miami-Dade County for Bariatric Surgery and ranks second in Florida and among the Top 5% in the Nation for Bariatric Surgery for two consecutive years in a row by HealthGrades, a health care quality rankings company.　 In addition it has earned a five-star rating and is among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for maternity care by HealthGrades.　

The Hospital has also received 2009 American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines (GWTG) Gold Performance Achievement Award, 2009 American Heart Association/American Stroke Association – choose the gAmericafs Best Hospitalsh issue (July 2009) – US News and World Report to recognize the Hospitalfs for Achievements in Get With The Guidelines Programs. Palmetto General Hospital is also one of only 34 hospitals nationwide to earn Solucient's 100 Top Hospitals designation six or more times.