‘Medical freedom’ activists keep Sarasota Memorial Hospital embroiled in COVID politics

Sarasota Memorial Hospital is caught in a public battle with a group of “medical freedom” activists calling for an independent review of the hospital’s COVID-19 treatment protocols.

More than 40 people addressed the public hospital’s board during a meeting Monday afternoon. Many of them called on the hospital to update its COVID-19 policies and questioned the effectiveness of treatments that have been approved by public health experts.

“The American people are watching you — and every hospital — now,” said Jane Ruby, who has spread misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines and treatment online.

Following similar protests from residents in November, hospital board members approved a review of its pandemic response over the past three years. That report, released in February, found that Sarasota Memorial Hospital outperformed other hospitals based on mortality rates, staff management and informational outreach.

“We are very proud of our results managing the COVID pandemic over the past three years,” said Jim Fiorica, the hospital’s chief medical officer, who also highlighted the hospital’s 91% survival rate for COVID-19 patients.

But dozens of activists told the board that they believe the report to be inadequate because it was compiled by the hospital itself. They called on the hospital leaders to conduct an independent review and allow patients to seek alternative treatments, such as ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine.

SMH leaders receive threats

Ruby joined dozens of other speakers who criticized hospital leadership and demanded the right for patients to receive those unproven medical treatments.

While some groups have floated hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin as potential COVID-19 medications, studies have shown them to be ineffective against the virus, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Hospital board members say the protests have gotten out of control, pointing to bullying tactics and death threats that have been lobbed at nurses, staff and other hospital leaders.

“I am not alone in having received many threatening phone calls threatening to destroy me and, multiple groups that are present today, you have unsuccessfully attempted to bully me online with sexist comments,” said Britt Riner, a hospital board member.

Board chairman Tramm Hudson made similar statements during a Friday morning press conference to address the concerns of the “medical freedom” activists.

“The attacks, I think, are unfounded and, frankly, are reprehensible,” Hudson said. “We’ve had death threats to some of our doctors. Our medical staff has been subjected to some very, very rude behavior. Frankly, it’s reprehensible.”

In an email to the Bradenton Herald, Kim Savage, the hospital’s public information officer, described the criticism as a “targeted” and “malicious misinformation campaign.”

“What’s most concerning are some of the organizers involved and their affiliations to the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, including former National Security Advisor General Mike Flynn and Cindy Chafin, director of the Sarasota Moms for America chapter and the executive director of the Zelenko Foundation,” Savage said in an email.

Flynn tweeted last month that the hospital should be privatized over the controversy.

Activists push for ‘medical freedom’

Earlier Monday, the Zelenko Freedom Foundation, an anti-vaccine group that promotes “medical freedom,” hosted an “Expose the Coverup” press conference in Venice. They called for an external investigation into the COVID-19 protocols that “endangered, injured, or killed patients,” according to a press release.

Speaking to the board, Ann Vandersteel, president and chair of the Zelenko Freedom Foundation, pushed hydroxychloroquine as a treatment while casting doubt on the effectiveness of remdesivir, the first approved treatment for COVID-19.

“You can be the change agent for all hospitals in this nation because all eyes are on you,” Vandersteel said. “Rebuke the protocols that aren’t working and look at the facts that have been projected by your own government agencies.”

Barbara Vaughn, another Sarasota County resident, urged the hospital to conduct a separate review.

“We want the truth. That’s why we’re here. We want a report we can believe in. How many times do you have to hear that? It’s not that difficult,” Vaughn told the board. “We want Sarasota Memorial Hospital to submit to an impartial, third-party audit.”

A handful of residents at Monday’s board meeting spoke in support of Sarasota Memorial and praised hospital leadership for their approach to patient care.

“I just want to say thank you and to please continue to do your work based on science and compassion and with the assistance of the CDC, the (National Institutes of Health) and the people with expertise to do your job,” said Morgan Davis, a Sarasota resident.

Hospital pushes back on protests

After listening to more than 2 1/2 hours of public comment, hospital board members weighed in to address the concerns. Hudson explained that the hospital continues to put forth the best practices available and that doctors may prescribe alternative treatments, such as ivermectin, on a case-by-case basis.

“As with any medication or medical procedure, treatment decisions are made between patients and their doctors, but most physicians at Sarasota Memorial and across the nation do not recommend or use ivermectin for hospitalized COVID patients due to lack of proven efficacy in large, randomized and controlled trials,” the report said.

“The hospital does not give prescriptions — doctors do,” Hudson said. “We all have the same interest. We want to do what’s best for the healthcare of the people in Sarasota County. I think at the end of the day, we all have the same objective.”