New waiting room unveils at SMH as part of $3.9 million renovation

As part of a $3.9 million renovation project at Sarasota Memorial Hospital — Sarasota campus, a new pediatric waiting area has been added to the Emergency Care Center. 

The new waiting area is designed to provide comfort to children and their families. 

“Going to the hospital for an emergency can be a stressful experience for a child – and a parent,” Sarasota County Public Hospital Board member Britt Riner says in a release. “As the mother of four young kids, I’m confident this dedicated, beautiful space for kids in the ER, coupled with our talented medical team led by Dr. Reuben Holland and our new pediatric-specialized equipment, will reduce anxiety and be good for children and parents.”

The project includes a new check-in, registration and waiting area, as well as a new emergency radiology area equipped with a CT scanner. A glass partition separates the waiting room from the rest of the ECC. 

“All of the resources our families need when a child is sick are available at Sarasota Memorial, and now our tiniest patients will have more comfort and quality care from the moment they walk through the doors of the hospital,” Dr. Katherine Keeley, a pediatrician with Sarasota Memorial’s First Physicians Group, says in the statement. 

The health care system is comprised of two hospital campuses, free-standing emergency room and a network of outpatient care centers. Last November, SMH opened a 110-bed campus in Venice to accompany the 895-bed flagship campus in Sarasota.