SMH Achieves What No Other Florida Hospital Could: Perfect 5-Star Rating, 10 Years in a Row

SARASOTA, Fla. (Jan. 14, 2026) - Sarasota Memorial Health Care System kicked off 2026 achieving what no other Florida hospital could: a perfect 5-Star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services - every year - for 10 years straight.

For patients and families on the Suncoast, the decade-long quality streak serves as a powerful promise, said David Verinder, CEO of the community-owned Sarasota Memorial Health Care System.

"This is far more than a plaque on the wall - it is a promise and personal commitment from 2,500 physicians and 11,000 staff members - the people behind our stars - to prioritize our patients' health and safety above all else," Verinder said.

The 5-Star rating places Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in the top tier of medical institutions nationally. Of more than 4,000 U.S. hospitals evaluated, the flagship Sarasota hospital is one of only 17 nationwide - and the only one in Florida - to earn 5-Star ratings from CMS every year since it launched the star rating program in 2016.

In addition to the federal government's top rating, SMH is repeatedly ranked among the nation's best and safest hospitals by multiple independent hospital rating organizations, including U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and Forbes, and has earned straight "A's" for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group for a decade. It also is among 2% of hospitals that have maintained Magnet Nursing Recognition, the nation's highest honor for nursing excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, for more than 20 years.

The CMS star ratings are particularly meaningful because they summarize a hospital's overall performance, with broad, standardized metrics across five critical areas: Mortality, Safety of Care, Readmission, Patient Experience, and Timely/Effective Care.

To celebrate the quality milestone, Sarasota Memorial launched a multi-media "Written in the Stars" campaign this month spotlighting its CMS 5-Star rating and the clinicians and staff behind the stars.

"While the five stars are a symbol of hospital quality, the real story is the people behind the stars," Verinder said. "This campaign is a tribute to the dedication and diligence of our clinicians and staff and all that they do on a daily basis to provide the best care and outcomes for our patients."

Send an SMH "Stargram"

As part of its celebration, Sarasota Memorial is inviting the community to help honor the team with a "Stargram." Community members can share a note of thanks and send a digital Stargram recognizing staff members who went above and beyond on the hospital's website. Stargrams will be delivered directly to recognized employees and their leadership teams, ensuring the people "behind the stars" receive the personal recognition they deserve.

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.