SARASOTA, Fla. (Jan. 28, 2026) – Sarasota Memorial Hospital has once again been recognized as a national leader in healthcare, earning a spot on Money magazine’s list of the Best Hospitals in America for 2026.
This year’s list highlights 75 top hospitals that received Money magazine’s highest marks for a score card that balanced quality care and financial aspects of a patient’s stay.
The Money team evaluated more than 100,000 data points on approximately 4,000 acute-care facilities to come up with its 2026 list. Among other quality indicators, top-scoring hospitals had the highest clinical outcomes and patient experience ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. The analysis also factored in and favored designations from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the Emergency Nurses Association and American College of Surgeons, academic medical and research centers, 24/7 trauma centers, and physician experience. Money’s list also highlighted hospitals with fair billing practices and price transparency, though did not factor that into the quality rankings.
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, freestanding ERs in North Port and Lakewood Ranch, a rehabilitation hospital, behavioral health hospital, skilled nursing facility and comprehensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and physician practices. Founded in 1925, SMH’s flagship Sarasota hospital is the only Florida hospital to earn a perfect 5-Star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — every year — since the federal rating program began in 2016.