In 2021, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Spent $1B On New Medical Facilities

SARASOTA, FL — Despite a “year of hardship, challenge and growth,” Sarasota Memorial Health Care System spent $1 billion on bringing new medical facilities to the community, the health care system said in a news release.

In the midst of a global pandemic, Sarasota Memorial opened Sarasota Memorial Hospital - Venice, a 65-acre medical campus and new 110-bed hospital in Venice Nov. 4. That same day, it unveiled the heart of its new Brian D. Jellison Cancer Institute, an eight-story oncology and surgical tower on its Sarasota campus.

The health system has also paved the way for construction to begin on a new, state-of-the-art mental health facility, the Cornell Family Behavioral Health Pavilion, in the new year.

“When we launched these transformative initiatives a few years ago, no one could have predicted the pandemic and how it would put so many lives and projects at risk,” said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System President and Chief Executive Officer David Verinder. “It's been a difficult journey, one that has placed an enormous strain on our capacity and resources, but thanks to the incredible work and dedication of our team and partners, we are welcoming patients into new groundbreaking facilities, and moving forward with more expansion plans that will help us meet vital community needs and promote health and wellness throughout the region for years to come.”

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Collectively, the much-needed projects represent a $1.2 billion capital investment and the most significant expansion in the publicly owned, not-for-profit health system’s nearly century of service.

All are designed to address pressing community needs, Sarasota Memorial said. The health care system’s inpatient volumes have increased by more than 30 percent over the last five years.

Even before the onset of COVID-19, the hospital's Sarasota campus was regularly at capacity. It stretched beyond its limits during pandemic-related patient surges.

The two recently opened facilities have increased system-wide inpatient capacity from 839 beds to 1,005 beds, allowing the organization to better respond to evolving patient needs and improve access to care. Meanwhile, the behavioral health pavilion will expand essential services at a time when COVID-19 has disrupted lives and led to an increase in people struggling with mental health challenges, Sarasota Memorial said.