SMH Again Earns Awards for Quality and Safety

Sarasota Memorial continues to lead the region in quality and safety, earning a 5-star rating for overall quality from the federal government and another “A” for patient safety in hospital report cards recently released by The Leapfrog Group.

The five-star quality rating makes Sarasota Memorial the only hospital in Florida to earn the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ highest quality honor in every reporting period since the federal rating system launched in 2016. Less than 10 percent of 5,000-plus hospitals across the nation received 5 stars in the CMS ratings updated in recent weeks, and SMH is one of just 24 hospitals in the U.S. who have received five stars since 2016.

Sarasota Memorial also retained its straight-A streak for patient safety, earning consecutive A’s in every grading cycle since it began participating in Leapfrog’s safety survey in 2016.

The only hospital rating program based exclusively on hospitals’ prevention of medical errors and other harms to patients in their care, Leapfrog releases hospital report cards in the spring and fall of each year to help patients choose the safest hospitals to seek care. Of more than 2,700 hospitals graded this spring, 906 (33%) received an “A” grade; 24% received a “B;” 35% received a “C;” 7% received a “D;” and less than 1% received an “F.”

“Hospitals with a consistent pattern of protecting patients from errors, accidents and injuries, like these straight ‘A’ hospitals, seem to have been more prepared when the pandemic hit,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “For many, safety and quality are embedded in their daily work at all levels of the organization, which prepared them in turn to respond to the rapidly evolving pandemic.”

Lorrie Liang, president of the SMH-Sarasota campus, applauded the efforts of the entire health care team for achieving the twin awards, crediting staff’s sustained focus on patient safety and dedication to delivering quality care.

David Verinder, president and CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, also credited the publicly elected Sarasota County Public Hospital Board and its longstanding public mission.

“Sarasota Memorial’s culture has been built on decades of quality and safety,” David said. “The dedication, leadership and support of our Hospital Board has helped make SMH what it is today and continues to shape the future of our health system.”