Sarasota Memorial still stands tall as a community pillar
As Sarasota Memorial nears its 100th anniversary in 2025, it’s worth looking back at the hospital’s shared history with another anchor of this community that celebrated its own century of service a few years ago: the Sarasota Chamber. Established in 1920, the Sarasota Chamber is only a few years older than Sarasota Memorial, which opened in 1925 with 32 beds.
Over the past 100 years, as the Chamber worked to attract and support businesses to serve our growing community, Sarasota Memorial grew as well, expanding its services and facilities and hiring the staff needed to care for our increasing number of residents. As health care has evolved, Sarasota Memorial has been at the forefront of the latest advances in medicine, bringing the latest treatments and technology and world-class physicians to the region.
Sarasota Memorial remains a vital pillar of our community today, which is why it’s troubling and bewildering to see some question the value of the community-owned health system and its contributions to the Suncoast.
As one of the largest employers in the area, Sarasota Memorial is a major economic engine that sustains thousands of local jobs and supports local businesses. It is a reliable job creator that attracts and retains top talent in medical, research and technological fields, drawing highly skilled professionals to Sarasota County. Its earnings are reinvested back in the community, including nearly $743 million annually in total payroll that supports its 9,000-member local workforce.
At a time of national shortages of caregivers, Sarasota Memorial is serving as a training ground for the next generation of clinicians, partnering with academic institutions on medical residency and educational programs that bring new doctors and nurses to the community. There is also a massive ecosystem of businesses that support and are supported by Sarasota Memorial, including local vendors and care providers.
Sarasota Memorial’s focus on improving access to high-quality care complements the Chamber’s efforts to strengthen Sarasota’s long-term vitality. The Chamber works to cultivate Sarasota’s economic prosperity and quality of life through our member businesses; in all, the Chamber serves nearly 1,300 local businesses that employ 60,000 employees across the region.
Sarasota Memorial, meanwhile, has 1,011 inpatient beds at two hospitals – and a network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and physician practices that stretches from Heritage Harbour to North Port, filling gaps in care throughout the region.
Amid the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarasota Memorial invested roughly $1.2 billion in new local centers of care over the past few years. These projects included opening a hospital in Venice, as well as an oncology and surgical tower on the Sarasota campus. Upcoming projects include the launch of a much-needed behavioral health facility, a new hospital in North Port and a medical campus in Wellen Park in south Sarasota County.
Sarasota Memorial's national reputation for excellence is an important draw for those who may be relocating to this area. Whether it is a young family drawn to Sarasota Memorial's dedicated maternity, neo-natal and pediatric services or a business looking for new headquarters with close access to high-quality care, Sarasota Memorial makes Sarasota County and the surrounding Suncoast region an attractive place for everyone.
The Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce has always focused on one underlying vision: to make Sarasota the best place to live and work. And along with the longstanding support of the community, Sarasota Memorial has helped to make our vision a reality – thanks to its commitment to providing high-quality health care throughout the region. We are proud to stand strong in support of this invaluable asset and its exceptional team.
Heather Kasten is the CEO of the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota Memorial is one reason why Sarasota is such a great community
