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® 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 str
oke 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® 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® 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.