Annual ranking based on quality measures, accreditation and feedback from medical experts and patients
“For patients recovering from a serious illness, injury or surgery, the goal of rehabilitation is more than getting stronger — it’s about helping people regain their independence and returning to the people and activities that matter most to them,” Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMH) staff pointed out in an Aug. 27 news release.
The SMH system “has been recognized for helping patients do just that, earning a place among America’s Best Physical Rehabilitation Centers in Newsweek’s 2026 ranking, staff reported.
The annual ranking, released on Aug. 27, “recognizes the top 330 inpatient physical rehabilitation centers in the United States from more than 1,100 facilities nationwide,” the news release noted. “Developed in partnership with global data intelligence firm Statista, “the Newsweek ranking of rehabilitation centers is “based on quality measures, accreditation and feedback from medical experts and patients,” the release explained.
“It’s an honor to see our rehabilitation team recognized for the difference they make in the lives of our patients,” said Maria DeCarlo, vice president of Sarasota Memorial post-acute and rehabilitation services, in the release. “Rehabilitation is about so much more than recovery from an illness or injury,” DeCarlo continued. “It’s about helping people regain their independence, rebuild their confidence and return to the people, activities and lives that matter most to them.”
The release pointed out, “At Sarasota Memorial’s Rehabilitation Pavilion, patients receive individualized care from a hospital-based, multidisciplinary team that includes rehabilitation physicians, physical, occupational and speech therapists, as well as specially trained and certified rehabilitation nurses and technologists. The team develops personalized treatment plans to help patients restore function, mobility and quality of life.”
The release added, “The Rehabilitation Pavilion on the SMH-Sarasota campus offers a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, supporting patients throughout their recovery journey.” Moreover, the release noted, “Sarasota Memorial is expanding the 5-story pavilion from 60 to 65 beds while also building a new 4-story, 50-bed Rehabilitation Pavilion on its Venice campus. Scheduled to open in the summer of 2028 with shelled space that will allow it to expand to 75 beds in the future, the SMH-Venice Rehabilitation Pavilion will bring SMH’s nationally recognized inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care closer to home for residents throughout south Sarasota County,” the release said.
“The Newsweek recognition adds to Sarasota Memorial’s record of quality and clinical excellence,” the release continued. “Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Report rated SMH among the nation’s high performing hospitals for specialized rehabilitation care and recognized the Sarasota Memorial Nursing & Rehabilitation Center among the nation’s best nursing homes for both short-term rehabilitation and long-term care,” the release added.
Further, it noted, “Both Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Sarasota and Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice have earned the highest, 5-Star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). SMH-Sarasota is the only hospital in Florida — and one of just 11 nationwide — to have earned a perfect 5-Star CMS rating every year since the federal program began in 2016.”
For more information about Sarasota Memorial’s Rehabilitation Services, visit www.smh.com/rehab.