Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

07/25/2025

🕊️🖤 It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of an extraordinary leader and beloved member of the SMH family. Duncan Finlay, MD, who served as Sarasota Memorial’s CEO from 2000 to 2005, died yesterday at the age of 85.

He passed away while hospitalized for ongoing health issues, surrounded by the care of at the very institution he previously led with exceptional vision, expertise and compassion.

"Dr. Finlay was a wonderful mentor and friend to so many of us. We owe him an enormous debt of gratitude for the major role he played in our storied history, and his 3+ decades of outstanding service and dedication. We send our deepest condolences to his wife Michele and his family," said David Verinder, President & CEO of Sarasota Memorial.

07/24/2025

🎉 SMH-Sarasota and SMH-Venice were recently recognized by the American Heart Association (AHA) as role models for advanced treatments, safety protocols and evidence-based practices!

Both campuses were honored with the AHA's top stroke award, Stroke Gold Plus, as well as additional life-saving resuscitation awards, including Target CPR, Target Survival and Gold Resuscitation—reflecting SMH's dedication to having expert teams, technologies and protocols in place to deliver immediate, life-saving care.

💙 Many thanks to for their dedication and expertise in ensuring the best possible outcomes for patients facing heart and stroke emergencies!

07/23/2025

💙 When mental health challenges, grief, or emotional trauma arise, it can be difficult to accept—let alone ask for support.

That’s why the dedicated team at Sarasota Memorial's Cornell Behavioral Health Pavilion created a specialized program to support mental wellness for adults 55+ and their loved ones.

📞 If you are 55+ or caring for someone who is, call 941-917-5921 to connect with our compassionate team.

07/22/2025

💜☺️ What if 5 simple habits could boost your mood and overall well-being?

Elizabeth Bornstein, Oncology Clinical Counselor at Sarasota Memorial's Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, says it starts with self-care—prioritizing exercise, sleep and healthy eating; surrounding yourself with uplifting people; embracing kindness, laughter and practicing daily gratitude.

07/21/2025

⚽ Attention parents! Get ready for the upcoming school year and sports season with Sarasota Memorial's Urgent Care Centers. Our seven convenient locations are offering $20 school and sports physicals for students in grades K-12.

Need to see a doctor, but don’t want to wait? When flu or allergies, a sore throat or sprain slows you down, stop in to your neighborhood Sarasota Memorial Urgent Care Center. Be seen today with little or no wait time. The 7 conveniently located offices offer walk-in service from 8 am to 8 pm, 7 d...

07/19/2025

✨💙 8-year-old Kennedy was recently treated in the ER at SMH-Sarasota. She shared that she felt scared when she first arrived, until a visit from Sarasota Memorial’s Child Life Specialists changed everything! With toys and comforting activities, helped Kennedy feel safe, supported and more at home.

Inspired by their kindness, Kennedy visited SMH-Sarasota yesterday, this time to give back. Using her own allowance, she carefully selected and donated toys and activities for other young patients, hoping to brighten their stay just as hers was.

Thank you, Kennedy, for your incredible generosity!

07/18/2025

👏 🏆 Congrats to our latest TEA ROSE Award winner: Ana Moreno-Guerrero, MST.

The "TEA ROSE" award — or Technician Excellence Award Recognizing Outstanding Service & Experience — is a nomination-based honor given to standout patient-care technicians.

Ana was nominated for her extraordinary compassion and professionalism. When an unhoused, unmedicated Baker Act patient arrived to the hospital—neglected and having not bathed in over a month—Ana treated the individual with unwavering dignity and respect. She personally assisted with bathing and hygiene, ensuring that they had everything needed to feel clean. The patient, who had arrived agitated, resistant and unkempt, became calm, cooperative and grateful after Ana’s care.

Thank you, Ana, for all you do!

07/17/2025

💙👶 The first trimester is a crucial time in a woman’s pregnancy, when obstetricians monitor fetal development, manage potential risks and help ensure a safe, healthy delivery. A shortage of obstetricians, however, is making accessing prenatal care early a challenge for women in our community and across the nation.

🙌 To help close the gaps in care, SMH created a Pregnancy Care Team that is helping women access the vital care they need throughout their pregnancy.

07/16/2025

🍞 Most store-bought sourdough is just white bread in disguise—made with commercial yeast, preservatives, and additives?

True sourdough is a different story, providing numerous health benefits over sugar-filled brands.

Nutrition and exercise experts from the SMH RENEW Program discuss the benefits of true sourdough and how to spot the real thing! https://www.smh.com/blog/the-health-benefits-of-sourdough-bread

07/15/2025

In the 1950s, 18-month-old Karen McKinney was diagnosed with polio after her mother, a former WWII Army nurse, noticed that her lower limbs were nearly paralyzed. From age 4 to 9, Karen underwent four reconstructive operations at SMH—one of them experimental at the time, but ultimately life-changing.

💙 Today, Karen walks with gratitude, crediting Sarasota Memorial’s physicians for changing her life. “I feel blessed every day that the doctors were willing to take a chance on me,” she says. “I thank my lucky stars every day.”

Now, she’s inspired to see that spirit of research continuing through the Kolschowsky Research and Education Institute, where SMH's tireless team of medical researchers and physician-scientists is exploring uncharted avenues and turning questions into potential cures!

07/14/2025

🏥💙 Your July Dose of Better Health is Here!

Check out SMH's Healthe-Matters Newsletter:
✅ TMINI – Handheld Robots Fine-Tune Knee Replacement Surgery at SMH
✅ Back to School – Why School and Sports Physicals Matter
✅ SMH Named Among Nation’s Stand-Out Hospitals by MONEY
✅ Tech-Related Injuries – Steven Papuchis, DO, and Regina Bonynge, OTR/L, Discuss “Tech Neck” and “Text Claw”

07/13/2025

Nearly 2,000 seemingly healthy people under the age of 25 in the US die from sudden cardiac arrest each year?

💙 That's why SMH & All Children’s Specialty Physicians team up each year to present Cardiac Athletic Screening for Adolescents – an opportunity for parents to have their children evaluated for risk of sudden cardiac arrest, free of charge.

This year’s screenings are set for Saturday, August 2 & Saturday, August 16. 📞To schedule an appointment, call ‭941-917-1190‬.