U.S. News: SMH Makes List of 57 Standout Hospitals with Strong Ratings in 9 Procedures and Conditions

SARASOTA (July 30, 2019) – U.S. News & World Report spotlighted Sarasota Memorial Hospital among 57 “standout” hospitals with strong ratings in all 9 procedures and conditions it evaluated in this year’s “Best Hospitals” study.

As part of its annual report, U.S. News evaluated more than 4,500 hospitals for their handling of 9 surgical procedures and chronic conditions: colon cancer surgery, lung cancer surgery, COPD, heart failure, heart bypass surgery, aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, knee replacement and hip replacement.

Barely 1% of those hospitals – just 57 including SMH – got that top rating in all nine. SMH also received a high performer specialty ranking for overall orthopedic care.

The results earned SMH the national spotlight as a “standout” hospital and the No. 1 “Best Regional Hospital” in the Sarasota-Bradenton-North Port metropolitan area.

The ratings are designed to help patients and health care consumers make informed decisions about where to receive care for specific medical needs.

“We are proud to set the benchmark for care in our community, not just for our success in managing the most difficult cases, as with the orthopedic specialty ranking, but also for the more common treatments needed by the majority of patients who entrust us with their care,” said Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder, who attributes the consistently high-quality outcomes to the diligence and dedication of its physicians, staff, volunteers and publicly elected Sarasota County Public Hospital Board.

Now in its 30th year, the annual “Best Hospitals” rankings are calculated based on several factors, including survival, patient safety, nurse staffing and other care-related quality indicators in 16 specialties. In recent years, U.S. News added the ratings for 9 surgical procedures and treatments for chronic conditions commonly needed by Medicare patients. Out of more than 4,500 hospitals, barely 1% got top ratings across the board.

“Older patients are at greater risk – they tend to have higher incidence and severity of comorbidities upon admission and illnesses that are more advanced than those of younger patients,” U.S. News noted in this year’s methodology report. “The quality of care of over-65 patients is generally regarded as indicative of a hospital’s capabilities.”

For more information about the 2019-20 U.S. News rankings, visit: https://health.usnews.com/health-care/best-hospitals/articles/hospitals-with-strong-ratings-in-procedures-and-conditions

About Sarasota Memorial: Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional referral center offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, with more than 1 million patient visits each year. Its flagship 839-bed hospital has been consistently recognized as one of the nation’s best, with superior patient outcomes and a complete continuum of outpatient services – from urgent care, trauma and emergency services to laboratory and diagnostic imaging, home health, skilled nursing and rehabilitation. SMH is the only hospital in Florida to have consistently earned the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ highest five-star quality award since the rating system launched in 2016.  For information, visit www.smh.com.

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