General Info

About Sarasota MemorialSarasota Memorial Health Care System, an 806-bed regional medical center, is the among the largest acute care public health systems in Florida. With more than 4, 000 staff and 1, 000 volunteers, it is one of Sarasota County's largest employers. A community hospital founded in 1925, Sarasota Memorial is governed by the nine-member elected Sarasota County Public Hospital Board. It is a full-service health system, with specialized expertise in heart, vascular, cancer, and neuroscience services, as well as a network of outpatient centers, long-term care and rehabilitation among its many programs. Sarasota Memorial is the only provider of obstetrical services and Level III neonatal intensive care in Sarasota County." " outperformed most U.S. hospitals in caring for heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia patients in a nationwide government study. SMH had the lowest ( best ) heart attack and heart failure readmission rates of any Florida hospital included in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( CMS ) report, and on a national level, ranked No. 2 out of more than 4, 000 hospitals for the lowest heart attack readmission rates, eighth for heart failure readmissions and in the top 100 hospitals for lowest number of pneumonia readmissions. The July, 2010 U.S. News and World Report's "America's Best Hospitals" publication singled out SMH in an article listing the top institutions with the lowest heart failure readmission rates." " ranks among the top 5% of hospitals in America based on its unusually low mortality and complication rates, according to a recent study reported on Forbes.com." " was the highest-rated hospital in the Tampa Bay area and among the top hospitals in the nation according to a Consumers' Checkbook survey reported in AARP The Magazine. Just 125 hospitals made the list. Consumers' Checkbook, a nonprofit research organization, surveyed doctors for hospital recommendations and rated nearly all acute-care hospitals in the United States based on death rates, complication rates, patient recommendations and other measures. The hospital's scores in each of the listed survey categories surpassed national averages.