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Sarasota Memorial Again Earns Spot on Newsweek’s “World’s Best Hospitals” List
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has once again been named among the world’s top medical centers in Newsweek’s 8th annual World’s Best Hospitals rankings.
SMH remains the only health system in southwest Florida ever to earn a place on the prestigious global list — the flagship Sarasota hospital has been recognized every year since the rankings began in 2019.
The annual rankings, developed in partnership with global data analytics firm Statista, evaluate more than 2,500 hospitals across 32 countries. Hospitals are assessed based on patient care quality metrics, clinical outcomes data and extensive surveys of thousands of physicians, healthcare professionals, and hospital leaders worldwide.
“This recognition reflects the extraordinary commitment of our physicians, nurses, and staff to deliver the highest quality care to every patient, every day,” said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System CEO David Verinder. “In this period of immense growth, with hospitals expanding regionally and globally, this award is especially meaningful and affirms our team’s unwavering focus on quality, safety and superior outcomes.”
The global honor adds to a growing list of accolades Sarasota Memorial repeatedly has received from respected, independent organizations, including U.S. News & World Report, Forbes and The Leapfrog Group. Sarasota Memorial is also the only hospital in Florida to earn the highest 5-star overall quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services every year since the federal government launched its hospital star rating program in 2016.
In addition to the top U.S. hospitals, the World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list highlights leading medical institutions from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
“Reliable, transparent data can be invaluable when navigating health care decisions,” said Newsweek Healthcare Editor Alexis Kayser in today’s report. “We hope that this ranking serves as a practical resource for patients, families and health care leaders seeking insight into some of the world’s most respected medical institutions.
The complete report is available here: https://rankings.newsweek.com/worlds-best-hospitals-2026/united-states
About Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (smh.com)
Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional medical center offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, with about 2,500 physicians and advanced practice providers, 11,000 employees and 2 million patient visits a year across its network of care. Sarasota County’s largest employer, the community-owned health system includes two full-service hospitals in Sarasota and Venice, freestanding ERs in North Port and Lakewood Ranch, a rehabilitation hospital, behavioral health hospital, skilled nursing facility and comprehensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and physician practices. Founded in 1925, SMH’s flagship Sarasota hospital is the only Florida hospital to earn a perfect 5-Star rating from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — every year — since the federal rating program began in 2016.
