SARASOTA, Fla. (Feb. 3, 2026) – Sarasota Memorial Hospital was recognized among the nation’s “50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals®” in an independent quality analysis provided by Premier Inc. and published in Modern Healthcare today.
The prestigious list, shared during American Heart Month, is based on an analysis of publicly available data from nearly 1,000 acute-care hospitals and cardiac-related care they provided to Medicare patients from 2021 through 2024. The study spotlights 50 “outstanding” U.S. hospitals that delivered better results across all 21 measures, including medical management and surgical outcomes, extended outcomes, and patient experience.
According to the 2026 report, SMH and other top-performing hospitals have:
- Better survival rates: Top facilities had significantly higher inpatient survival rates (24-56%) across all patient groups – heart attacks, heart failure, cardiac bypass and coronary angioplasty.
- Fewer complications: Patients undergoing cardiac bypass and angioplasty at top hospitals had shorter hospital stays and lower complications.
- Fewer readmissions: Patients treated at top hospitals had lower 30-day readmission rates. as well as higher 30-day survival rates.
- Better patient experience: Patients had a better experience (HCAHPS survey),
- Lower costs: Top hospitals showed lower average costs per patient case in all patient groups. The most notable difference was in the heart failure patient group, with a 19.6 percent difference ($9,859 vs. $12,264, respectively).
These outcomes add up to meaningful differences. “If all U.S. hospitals’ cardiovascular service lines performed at the level of these study winners, more than 14,300 additional lives and over $2.0 billion could be saved, and over 27,300 additional bypass and angioplasty patients could be complication-free,” the 2026 report states.
SMH-Sarasota was the only hospital in the Tampa Bay region that made this year’s list. David Verinder, CEO of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, said the recognition belongs to every member of Sarasota Memorial’s heart team, as well as the many clinicians and staff that help support SMH’s safe, high-quality care.
“This recognition is a testament to our highly skilled cardiac team, and the excellent outcomes they achieve for our patients,” Verinder said. “But it also reflects our organization’s culture and deeply rooted public mission to deliver 5-star care to our community.”
Sarasota Memorial’s recognition in the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals list adds to a growing list of accolades Sarasota Memorial receives for quality and safety from independent rating organizations, including U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, Forbes, Leapfrog Group and HealthGrades. In U.S. News’ 2025-2026 rankings, SMH was recognized among the best hospitals for more than 20 types of care, including six of the most common cardiac conditions and procedures – aortic valve surgery, abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, TAVR, heart attack, heart bypass surgery and heart failure.
SMH also is the only hospital in Florida that has consistently earned the highest 5-star rating from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services since the federal government started the overall star quality rating program in 2016.
Hospitals evaluated in the 50 Top Cardiovascular Hospitals study were ranked within peer groups based on bed size and teaching status: teaching hospitals with cardiovascular residency programs (302), teaching hospitals without cardiovascular residency programs (348) and community hospitals (206). For more information or to view the full rankings, visit: www.modernhealthcare.com/awards/mh-premier-100-top-hospitals-2026
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.