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Sarasota Memorial Hospital will open third branch, first North Port hospital. Business. SRQ DAILY MONDAY BUSINESS EDITION MONDAY JUL 20, 2026 | BY MALLORY EVANS Pictured: SMH-North Port is slated to be on a 32-acre site in the 4800 block of North Sumter Boulevard. Photo courtesy Sarasota Memorial Hospital. In response to rapid growth in North Port and Sarasota County, Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) is expanding to a North Port hospital, projected to open in late 2028. "As the population in North Port grew, we knew we needed to build a hospital there," says Jeffrey Wesner, President of SMH-North Port. The construction marks the third hospital SMH has built in its 100-year history, and it will also be the city's first acute-care hospital. SMH released a virtual tour on June 22 of the hospital's layout. Wesner says the project will result in improved access to high-quality healthcare and a stronger local economy through job creation. "We're really excited about being the first hospital in North Port and bringing our five-star health care closer to the people in that market," he says. This $507 million hospital campus will be a nine-story building-the city's first high-rise-and will feature an adjacent three-story medical office building. SMH-North Port will offer emergency care, in-patient and surgical services, full imaging, intensive care and specialty care, including cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, neurology, urology and pulmonology. "The medical office building will bring much needed physician space to the community," Wesner says. "There are not a lot of physician offices in North Port." While the hospital will open with 100 beds, the top three floors have shell space that allows expansion to 208 beds. Wesner adds that already constructing shell space is something no other SMH has implemented on an initial build. The campus design has the capacity to increase to more than 400 beds in the future. It will also house six surgical suites, two cardiac cath labs and two endoscopy labs. Wesner says SMH-North Port will help recruit additional physicians to the community and will support greater regional growth. "By having a hospital in North Port, it will help the community grow significantly," he says. 941-917-9000, [email protected] Pictured: SMH-North Port is slated to be on a 32-acre site in the 4800 block of North Sumter Boulevard. Photo courtesy Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital welcomes 12 new resident physicians. Plus: Sarasota County Schools' "A" rating, Pinecraft's Carlisle Inn is recognized by Tripadvisor, and more. By Staff July 13, 2026 HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital welcomed 12 resident physicians during a white coat ceremony on Thursday, July 2. The new doctors, who have come from medical schools around the world to train in Sarasota, recited the Hippocratic Oath and received their white coats. Shawn Yeager has been named Sarasota County's director of parks, recreation and natural resources. The Florida Department of Education has awarded Sarasota County Schools an overall "A" rating for the 2025-2026 school year. All distract-managed middle schools earned an "A" or "B" grade; Emma E. Booker Elementary School and Booker Middle School both earned "A" grades for the first time since Florida's school grading system was established; the district increased its overall accountability score by 32 points compared to the previous year; and 14 district-managed schools improved by at least one letter grade and no district-managed schools decreased a letter grade. The Sarasota Performing Arts Foundation has announced its board officers for the 2026-2027 fiscal year: Dr. Jenne K. Britell and Drayton Saunders (co-chairs), Nanci Weaver (vice chair), Gerald L. Biller (treasurer) and Julie Harris (secretary). The other members of the board are Mark P. Famiglio, Ella Chase Hyland, Eileen A. Kamerick, David Koffman, Ling Markovitz, James Matras, Dr. John Maupin, Karl Newkirk, Steven G. Osgood, Barbara Ann Sellinger, James Travers, Monica Van Buskirk and Michael Wilson. Pinecraft's Carlisle Inn has been recognized as a 2026 Travelers' Choice Award winner, placing it in the top 10 percent of hotels in the world on Tripadvisor for the third year in a row. The American Heart Association has recognized Sarasota Memorial Health Care System's Sarasota and Venice campuses with multiple "Get With The Guidelines" awards for the hospitals' exceptional, evidence-based care to patients experiencing heart and stroke emergencies. The Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority, which operates Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), has appointed Joseph Centanni as its new chief of police. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast has announced the promotion of Vinnie Mascarenhas to vice president of marketing and communications. Visit Sarasota County has been recognized by Smart Meetings as a 2026 Smart Stars Award winner in two categories: Best Waterfront CVB/DMO and Best Beach CVB/DMO. The Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota announced that Keren Shani-Lifrak is stepping down from her role as executive director. The organization will conduct a regional search to fill the role. Leadership Sarasota, a program of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce, has announced the winners of its 2026 Outstanding Leadership Awards. They are Lucy Nicandri (Lifetime of Leadership Award), Fiona Farrell (Impact in Action Award), Kari Queen (Leadership Sarasota Dedication Award), David Verinder (Community Catalyst Award) and Heather Todd (Civic Champion Award). Big Waters Land Trust has added of Joel Johnson to its board of trustees. He joins trustees Daniel Vigne, chair; David Crawford, vice-chair; Joseph Lieberman, secretary; Patrick Pedonti, treasurer; and Mario Bernardis, Robert W. Brown, James Caldwell, Patrick Carlton, Carol Carter, Michael Knupp, Elizabeth Moore and and Eileen Scudder-Zimmermann. The Venice Symphony board of trustees recently re-elected Roger Effron as chair and welcomed new members Linda Cantrell, Bob Hite and Samuel Stempler. Filed under Show Comments

Sarasota Memorial again recognized as national leader in lifesaving stroke and heart care. Thursday, July 9, 2026 SARASOTA (July 9, 2026) - The American Heart Association has once again recognized Sarasota Memorial Health Care System for delivering exceptional, evidence-based care to patients experiencing heart and stroke emergencies, honoring both the Sarasota and Venice campuses with multiple Get With The Guidelines(R) achievement awards. Presented annually, the national awards recognize hospitals that consistently apply the latest scientific guidelines and best practices to improve patient outcomes, reduce disability and save lives. James Fiorica, MD, chief medical officer of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, said the recognitions reflect the experience and expertise of SMH's skilled cardiovascular and stroke teams, and the organization's continuing investment in, and commitment to, clinical excellence. "Every minute matters when caring for patients experiencing a stroke or cardiac arrest," Dr. Fiorica said. "These awards recognize the dedication of our physicians, nurses, therapists and clinical teams who work together every day to deliver the highest standard of care using the most current evidence-based practices. Their commitment helps ensure our patients receive the right treatment as quickly as possible and achieve the best possible outcomes." National Recognition for Stroke Care Both Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota and Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice earned the American Heart Association's highest award for stroke care, the Get With The Guidelines(R) Stroke Gold Plus Achievement Award, recognizing sustained excellence in the rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients while consistently meeting or exceeding national quality measures. Along with the Stroke Gold Plus designation, AHA gave both SMH campuses supplemental awards for providing additional layers of specialized care for stroke patients. Both campuses received the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite Plus, recognizing hospitals that consistently provide rapid, evidence-based treatment to eligible stroke patients, helping reduce disability and improve recovery. They also received the Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll, for hospitals that follow the latest treatment guidelines to optimize care for stroke patients with Type 2 diabetes, a condition that can increase the risk of complications. Additionally, SMH-Sarasota earned Advanced Therapy - Honors for hospitals with expertise in delivering advanced stroke interventions, including specialized procedures for patients experiencing severe or complex strokes. These honors recognize the hospitals' ability to rapidly deliver advanced stroke therapies and provide specialized care that improves outcomes for patients with Type 2 diabetes who experience a stroke. Excellence in Life-Saving Resuscitation Care Both SMH campuses earned the Get With The Guidelines(R) Resuscitation Gold Adult Achievement Award, recognizing its continued success in providing rapid, evidence-based treatment for adults who experience cardiac arrest while hospitalized. In addition, both hospitals received the supplemental Target: CPR Achievement Award and Target: Survival Award, recognizing their commitment to implementing the latest resuscitation science and achieving higher-than-expected survival rates for patients who experience an in-hospital cardiac arrest. About Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional medical center offering Southwest Florida's greatest breadth and depth of care, with about 2,500 physicians and advanced practice providers, 11,000 employees and 2 million patient visits a year across its network of care. Sarasota County's largest employer, the community-owned health system includes two full-service hospitals in Sarasota and Venice (and third under construction in North Port), freestanding ERs in North Port and Lakewood Ranch, a rehabilitation hospital, skilled nursing facility and comprehensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and First Physician Group primary and specialty care practices. Founded in 1925, SMH's flagship Sarasota campus also is home to the Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion and Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute. Both Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota and Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice have earned the highest 5-Star quality ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). SMH-Sarasota is the only Florida hospital - and one of just 11 in the nation - to earn a perfect 5-Star rating from CMS every year since the federal rating program began in 2016.