Delray Medical Center Recognized with 17 Clinical Achievements from Healthgrades

Delray Medical announced today that it has achieved numerous accolades for clinical excellence from Healthgrades, one of the top sites Americans use when searching for a doctor or hospital. Among Delray Medical Centers distinctions: one of America’s Top 50 Hospitals for Cardiac Surgery, 2026 Cardiac Surgery Excellence Award, Pulmonary Care Excellence Award for the second year in a row, and Critical Care Excellence Award for the second year in a row.

Here is the full list of all the awards earned:

Cardiac Care

• Five-Star Recipient for Valve Surgery(2024-2026, 3 Years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Attack(2024-2026, 3 Years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Coronary Interventional Procedures
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Heart Failure(2003-2026, 24 Years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Defibrillator Procedures(2024-2025, 2 Years in a Row)

Neurosciences

• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Stroke(2008-2026, 19 Years in a Row)

Pulmonary Care

• Recipient of the Healthgrades Pulmonary Care Excellence Award (2 Years in a Row)
• Top 10% in the Nation for Overall Pulmonary Services(2 Years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Pneumonia(2024-2025, 3 Years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Critical Care

• Recipient of the Healthgrades Critical Care Excellence Award (2025-2026, 2 years in a Row)
• Top 10% in the Nation for Critical Care(2025-2026, 2 years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Sepsis(2004-2026, 23 Years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of Respiratory Failure(2023-2026, 4 Years in a Row)

Vascular Care

• Five-Star Recipient for Carotid Procedures

Gastrointestinal

• Five-Star Recipient Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeries (2022-2026, 5 Years in a Row)
• Five-Star Recipient for Treatment of GI Bleed

“Earning these prestigious accolades from Healthgrades is a reflection of our commitment to patient safety, outstanding outcomes, and the compassion that drives us every day,” said the hospital’s CEO, Heather Havericak. “Placing us among the top 50 hospitals in the United States for Cardiac Surgery, and earning excellence awards in cardiac surgery, pulmonary care and critical care means we are going above and beyond every day for our patients”

It was the first time the hospital earned five-stars for carotid procedures. The vascular program is led by renown surgeon, Dr. Joseph Ricotta, who was recently named the #1 vascular surgeon in Florida and #2 in the country by Newsweek. Dr. Ricotta is also National Medical Director of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy for Tenet Healthcare, Professor of Surgery and Vascular Surgery Fellowship Program Director at Florida Atlantic University’s School of Medicine, and founder of the Prime Vascular Institute.

“I’ve practiced medicine at many prestigious academic hospitals, and the team here at Delray is the best team I have worked with,” Dr. Ricotta said. “Ultimately, this is about our patients and having the best possible outcomes so they can get back to doing what they love. By having a high-quality team, we are able to elevate the program to new heights and deliver the care our patients expect from us.”

Delray’s achievements are based solely on what matters most: patient outcomes. Each year, Healthgrades evaluates risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for over 30 common conditions and procedures at approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide to identify the top hospitals in key specialty areas, including cardiac, pulmonary, and critical care. Through easy-to-understand, objective measures of hospital performance, Healthgrades empowers patients with the information they need to find a hospital that excels in their procedure or condition.

As performance gaps persist between the nation’s highest- and lowest-achieving facilities, seeking care at a top program has never been more important. Healthgrades’ 2026 analysis revealed that if all hospitals, as a group, performed similarly to five-star hospitals during the 2022-2024 study period, on average, 230,466 lives could have been saved and 156,797 complications could have been avoided.*

“Healthgrades’ specialty awards identify the nation’s top-performing hospitals in key service areas, helping consumers find high quality care tailored to their specific needs,” said Alana Biggers, MD, MPH, medical advisor at Healthgrades. “We’re proud to recognize Delray Medical Center for its consistently superior outcomes in key service areas, including cardiac surgery, pulmonary care and critical care.”

Consumers can visit healthgrades.com to learn more about how Healthgrades measures hospital quality and access a patient-friendly overview of how we rate and why hospital quality matters here.

*Statistics are based on Healthgrades analysis of MedPAR data for years 2022 through 2024 and represent three-year estimates for Medicare patients only. Click here to view the complete 2026 Specialty Awards and Ratings Methodology.

About Delray Medical Center

Delray Medical Center, part of the Palm Beach Health Network, is a 536-bed acute care hospital, spanning 30 acres, employing over 1,700 employees, 700 physicians, serving southern Palm Beach County for over 40 years. As both a community hospital and state-designated Level I Trauma Center Delray Medical Center offers several specialized services including state-of-the art cardiac and vascular facilities, orthopedics, neurosciences, emergency care, and weight-loss surgery.

Pinecrest Rehabilitation and Outpatient Hospital at Delray Medical Center is the only state designated brain and spinal cord injury rehabilitation program in the county by the State of Florida. Delray Medical Center is also home to Fair Oaks Pavilion, a 66-bed adult psychiatry unit. For more information about our services, visit our website at www.palmbeachhealthnetwork.com.

About Healthgrades

Healthgrades is dedicated to empowering meaningful connections between patients, doctors, and hospitals. As the #1 platform for finding a doctor and a leader in healthcare transparency, we help millions of consumers each month find and schedule appointments with their healthcare professional of choice and prepare for their appointments with best-in-class, treatment-focused content.

For over 20 years, our health system, group practice, and life sciences marketing solutions have helped our partners reach and engage consumers on their way to the doctor.

Healthgrades is part of RVO Health, a partnership between Red Ventures and Optum, part of UnitedHealth Group. RVO Health has the largest consumer health and wellness audience online across its brand portfolio, including Healthgrades, Healthline, Medical News Today, Greatist, Psych Central and Bezzy, which touch every part of the health and wellness journey. RVO Health helps more than 100 million unique visitors live their strongest and healthiest lives each month.