Hospital appoints new head of staff

SARASOTA — The Sarasota Memorial Health Care System named Dr. M. Cindy VonWaldner, an anesthesiologist, chief of staff of the medical facility.

VonWaldner replaces Dr. Richard Brown, whose chief of staff term ended Oct. 31, according to a release. VonWaldner will oversee more than 800 medical staff employees in the new role. VonWaldner has been with Sarasota Memorial Hospital since 1995, and she was chief of staff-elect last year. A doctor with Sarasota Anesthesiologists P.A., VonWaldner chaired the anesthesiology department at SMH from 2006-2008, the hospital says.

The hospital also announced other medical staff leaders for 2013-2014. That list includes chief of staff-elect Dr. James Fiorica, an oncologist; secretary/treasurer Dr. Gregory Hanes, a neurologist; member-at-large Dr. John Collins, internal medicine/pediatrics; and member-at-large Dr. Jon Yenari, a gynecologist.

An acute-care hospital with 806 beds, SMH has 4,000 employees and 800,000 patient visits a year. The hospital recently built a new tower, part of a $250 million expansion.