HCA Florida Memorial Hospital has received the Silver Level Center on the Path to Excellence award for its Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) program. The recognition was given by ELSO, an international nonprofit consortium focused on supporting healthcare institutions and professionals delivering ECMO therapies.
Dale Mueller, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon and Chief of Medical Staff at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, described the beginnings of the hospital’s ECMO program: “Our ECMO program started five years ago during the pandemic – during a national shortage of ECMO machines – we acquired one just at the right time,” said Mueller. “ECMO is one of the most advanced forms of life support available to patients experiencing acute failure of the cardio-respiratory system. ECMO allows time for the patient’s lungs or heart to heal over a period of time by using a heart-lung machine to oxygenate the blood outside the body.”
Donna Wagner, Vice President of Cardiovascular, Critical Care and Neurosciences at HCA Florida Memorial Hospital, commented on receiving this distinction: “We are honored to be the recipient of such a prestigious award regarding the critical care services and life support equipment and training provided to our patients at our hospital. The ECMO Center accomplishments reflect the dedication to advancing health care that we continuously strive to achieve at Memorial Hospital.”
ELSO brings together healthcare providers, researchers, and industry partners with an aim toward developing new therapies for organ failure.
The award ceremony took place in Washington, DC on September 27, 2025. Donna Wagner and Trina Younger, MBA, BS, RRT, CES-A, CES-P, ECMO Coordinator were present for HCA Florida Memorial Hospital.
HCA Florida Memorial Hospital is part of HCA Florida Healthcare. The network includes 49 hospitals across Florida along with urgent care centers and physician practices throughout the state. Located in Jacksonville as a full-service acute care hospital with 454 beds and several freestanding emergency rooms in surrounding counties, it holds certifications including Level II Trauma center status and Comprehensive Stroke Center DNV certification. The hospital has also been recognized among America’s 250 Best Hospitals 2025 by Healthgrades as well as among America’s 100 Best Orthopedic Surgery Hospitals 2025.
More details about HCA Florida Memorial Hospital can be found at https://www.hcafloridahealthcare.com/.
