SARASOTA, Fla. – (Nov. 2, 2026) – Sarasota Memorial Health Care System honored two longtime physicians for outstanding service and announced its 2026-2027 chiefs of staff for the SMH-Sarasota and SMH-Venice campuses.
John Abu, MD, received Sarasota Memorial’s 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award and Steven Halbreich, MD, was named 2026 Physician of the Year. After input and recommendations from the medical staff, a committee of physician leaders recognized Drs. Abu and Halbreich at SMH-Sarasota’s annual medical staff meeting on Oct. 29.
SMH Lifetime Achievement Award
John Abu, MD, received the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award for decades of dedicated service to Sarasota Memorial and the community.
A longtime obstetrician-gynecologist in the community, Dr. Abu was honored by his peers not simply for years of service, but the lasting contributions he made to patients, colleagues and the community. After graduating with his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio in 1989, he completed his internship and residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mount Sinai Medical Center. He joined the Sarasota Memorial medical staff in 2003 and spent much of his early career providing obstetrical services at the Florida Department of Health - Sarasota County, supporting mothers and families during the most significant moments of their lives.
When the state began phasing out primary prenatal and OB services, Dr. Abu joined Sarasota Memorial’s OB hospitalist team in 2012 and helped develop SMH’s dedicated OB Emergency Care Center, ensuring high-quality emergency care and labor and delivery services were available 24/7 to women in need. In 2019, he became part of SMH’s First Physicians Group OB Hospitalist practice. Over the years, he has served in multiple physician leadership roles, including chair of SMH’s Obstetrical Department and member of the Medical Executive Committee. He continues to serve on SMH’s OB physician leadership team while providing essential prenatal services for women at SMH’s Pregnancy and Wellness Center and Sarasota County’s health department.
Washington Hill, MD, who joined the medical staff the same year as Dr. Abu and worked closely with him over more than two decades, praised his longtime friend and colleague while presenting the award.
“True medical leadership is measured not only by clinical expertise, but also by the lives we touch, the colleagues we inspire, and the needs of our community we help meet,” Dr. Hill said. “[Dr. Abu] exemplifies these qualities. His leadership, compassion, dedication to women's healthcare, and willingness to serve those most in need reflect the very best of our profession and the values we strive to uphold at Sarasota Memorial Hospital.”
SMH Physician of the Year
Board-certified general surgeon Steven Halbreich, MD, was named Sarasota Memorial’s 2026 Physician of the Year. Dr. Halbreich joined Sarasota Memorial’s medical staff in 2003
and specializes in minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery, as well as traditional surgical treatments for diseases and conditions affecting the abdomen, breast and soft tissues.
In 2015, he joined First Physicians Group’s general surgery practice, where he played a key role in expanding the group’s services to include 24/7 emergency surgical coverage and trauma care for hospitalized patients. Throughout his career at SMH, he has taken on numerous physician leadership roles, mentoring and helping train medical students and residents and serving on SMH’s Medical Executive Committee, Surgical Governance Council, and Trauma and Interdisciplinary Care Committees. He also served as chief of SMH’s General Surgery section and currently chairs the Surgery Department’s Quality Improvement Committee.
Before joining FPG, Dr. Halbreich spent 12 years with Vascular and Surgery Associates in Sarasota. He earned his medical degree from New York University School of Medicine in 1998 and completed his internship and general surgery residency at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York in 2003.
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD, praised both honorees for their clinical excellence and commitment to patients.
“Dr. Abu and Dr. Halbreich are excellent clinicians who have demonstrated extraordinary care for their patients and a deep commitment to strengthening the services we provide to our community,” Dr. Fiorica said.
In related news, the Medical Staffs of SMH-Sarasota and SMH-Venice also confirmed their 2026-2027 Chiefs of Staff:
Joel Baker, DO, was named Chief of Staff, serving as the top representative of SMH-Sarasota campus’ 2,100-plus medical staff members and advanced practice providers. He succeeds Daniel Kaplon, MD, who completes his one-year term as chief this month.
Daniel Murphy, MD, will begin the second of his two-year term as Chief of Staff for the SMH-Venice campus, serving as the top representative for that hospital’s 1,300-plus medical staff members and advanced practice providers.
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). The 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.