SARASOTA, Fla. (June 3, 2026) – Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) has once again been named among America’s best hospitals by Newsweek, earning top honors today in its 2026 ranking of America’s Best Hospitals for Specialized Care.
To help patients confidently navigate their health care journey, Newsweek partnered with global market research firm Statista to rank America’s Best Hospitals for Specialized Care in 2026, recognizing 1,375 hospitals in the U.S. across seven medical specialties.
The SMH-Sarasota campus was recognized in three specialties: endrocrine, neurology and orthopedic care. It is one of 20 Florida hospitals on the 2026 list, and the only hospital in the four-county Suncoast region.
The specialty rankings are based on a comprehensive evaluation of hospital performance, including quality of care, safety indicators, accreditations, patient outcomes and satisfaction and recommendations from medical professionals. In addition to its specialty rankings, Sarasota Memorial was recognized by Newsweek as one of eight "Standout" hospitals for its implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), an approach that evaluates treatment success through the patient's perspective. PROMs go beyond traditional measures of quality and safety by assessing how patients feel and function after treatment, providing valuable insight into whether care is improving their health, mobility, symptoms and overall quality of life.
The recognition reflects Sarasota Memorial's commitment to delivering care that not only meets the highest clinical standards but also achieves meaningful outcomes for the patients it serves, said Sarasota Memorial President & CEO David Verinder.
“These rankings are a testament to the skill and commitment of our physicians, nurses and staff,” Verinder said. “Their diligence and dedication ensures our community has access to nationally recognized specialty care close to home."
The recognition adds to a growing list of national honors for Sarasota Memorial Health Care System. Last month, Sarasota Memorial was named one of the nation’s 15 Top Health Systems by Modern Healthcare and Premier Inc., placing the community-owned health system among the highest-performing in the United States. This spring, both Sarasota Memorial Hospital campuses received the highest 5-Star quality ratings from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and “Straight A” designations in The Leapfrog Group’s Spring 2026 Hospital Safety Report Cards. The Sarasota campus also was named among Premier’s 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals®, highlighting the health system’s excellence in specialized cardiac care.
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.