Safety grades based on annual hospital survey data and patient safety measures obtained from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Both Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) campuses earned “Straight A” grades from The Leapfrog Group this week, “reflecting a track record of preventing medical errors, accidents and infections,” the health care system announced on May 6.
“The honors, which reflect top performance reviews of both Sarasota Memorial hospitals,” were released that day in Leapfrog’s Spring 2026 Hospital Safety Report Cards, a news release notes.
“Issued in the spring and fall of each year to approximately 3,000 general hospitals across the nation, Leapfrog’s safety grades are based on annual hospital survey data and patient safety measures obtained from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services,” the release points out.
“SMH’s two hospitals are among just 15% nationwide to earn Leapfrog’s elite ‘Straight A’ designation,” the release adds. “The Sarasota campus has received straight A’s since it began participating in the Leapfrog survey in 2016,” the release continues, and SMH-Venice has maintained that grade since it opened in 2021.
“Sustaining an A over multiple years reflects a deep-rooted commitment to patient safety, with year after year of dependable care, Leapfrog noted,” the release says.
The release further notes, “Sarasota Memorial CEO David Verinder praised both campuses for raising the bar on patient safety and delivering consistently high-quality care — setting a standard not only for the Suncoast, but for health systems nationwide.”
“This recognition underscores our enduring mission and the extraordinary commitment of our team,” Verinder said in the release. “Patient safety is woven into everything we do, from the smallest interaction to the most complex care, and reflects a culture grounded in service and commitment to our growing community,” Verinder added in the release.
“In the spring and fall of each year, Leapfrog assigns an A, B, C, D or F to most general hospitals in the United States based on their ability to protect patients from medical errors, accidents, injuries and infections,” the release explains. “It is the only ratings program focused exclusively on how safe hospitals are for patients.”
To view the Fall 2026 results, visit www.hospitalsafetygrade.org.