July: SMH Earns Prestigious National Honors
U.S. News Best Hospitals Recognition
In July, Sarasota Memorial heard the good news that it earned top marks in U.S. News’ 2021-2022 “Best Hospitals” list.
The new rankings placed SMH among the 50 “Best Hospitals” in America for specialized rehabilitation for people recovering from serious injuries and debilitating diseases.
“This is a tribute to our exceptional Rehab team, and the departments and physicians they collaborate with to deliver superb care to patients recovering from serious injuries and illness,” said Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder.
SMH also achieved “high performer” ratings in 15 procedures and conditions common among Medicare patients, including:
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAA)
- Aortic valve surgery
- Back surgery (spinal fusion)
- Congestive Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Colon cancer surgery
- Diabetes
- Heart attack
- Heart bypass surgery
- Heart failure
- Hip replacement
- Kidney failure
- Knee replacement
- Lung cancer surgery
- Stroke
- Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR)
Of the nearly 5,000 hospitals that U.S. News evaluated, SMH was among 175 across the nation – and the only hospital in the Suncoast region – to earn a national ranking in at least one specialty.
Best Employer for Women
In July, Sarasota Memorial also was named among America’s best employers for women, a designation given to less than 1% of large companies nationwide.
Forbes, in partnership with research company Statista, developed a list of the 300 Best Employers for Women based on independent surveys of 50,000 Americans, including 30,000 women, working for businesses with at least 1,000 employees. Representing 31 industries across the United States, the surveyed employees were asked to share opinions about their respective employer’s culture, image, opportunities for career development, working conditions, salary and wages, and diversity.
SMH ranked in the top 12 percent of 300 multinational companies and in the top 10% in the “Health care & Social” category.
Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder credited the health system’s longstanding mission and vision, and forward-thinking leaders, including its two female presidents – Lorrie Liang, president of SMH-Sarasota campus, and Sharon Roush, president of the SMH-Venice campus — for helping to build a diverse team dedicated to supporting each other and caring for the community.
Lorrie noted the hospital has a commitment to creating an inclusive workplace through strong hiring/retention practices, family-friendly policies, diversity training and leadership development. More than 70% of Sarasota Memorial’s leaders are female, including half of its directors and executive team.
Sharon, who recruited hundreds of staff to help open the new Venice hospital, said diversity is especially important in health care, where people from every race, gender, age and belief system count on care providers to help them overcome myriad medical and life challenges.
“Diversity increases the cultural and clinical competency of our staff and leads to better care and outcomes for our patients,” she said.