Sarasota hospital cracks list

SARASOTA — The Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has been named one of the country's best hospitals by HealthGrades, a hospital data firm.

The hospital is one of six in Florida, and the only on the Gulf Coast to make HealthGrades' “America's Best 50 Hospitals” list. It has made the list every year since its inception, in 2007.

The list is based on patients' clinical outcomes. HealthGrades specifically looks at the rates of risk-adjusted mortality and in-hospital complications in ranking the hospitals.

“This distinction is a testament to the dedication of our physicians and entire staff,” Sarasota Memorial CEO Gwen MacKenzie said in a press release. “At the end of the day, the most important measure of our success comes from our patients — it's their healthy outcomes, experiences and satisfaction that drive our quest for quality every day.”

Sarasota Memorial earned two other awards from HealthGrades over the past year, including one for excellence in patient safety.