
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has resumed elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures as of May 4, 2020, following Gov. Ron DeSantis' Executive Order to lift surgery restrictions. The hospital has put in place several safety protocols, including pre-operative evaluations and COVID-19 testing for patients and staff, to ensure the safety of all involved. The resumption of elective surgeries at Sarasota Memorial Hospital comes after a period of suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on hospital resources.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Resumption of elective surgeries | 5 May 2020 |
| Reason for resumption | Florida Governor Ron DeSantis lifted restrictions on surgery |
| COVID-19 cases | Decline in community cases |
| COVID-19 precautions | Testing high-risk and other patients for COVID-19 up to 72 hours before non-elective surgeries |
| COVID-19 precautions | Expansion of pre-admission testing |
| COVID-19 precautions | Rapid on-site COVID-19 testing with results in under an hour |
| Other precautions | Detailed pre-operative evaluation |
| Other precautions | Screening everyone entering the hospital for fever and respiratory symptoms |
| Other precautions | Mandatory hospital-provided masks |
| Visitor policy | Most inpatients can have up to two visitors at a time |
| Visitor policy | Surgical, procedural, and testing patients may have one support person |
| Visitor policy | Restrictions for certain departments |
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What You'll Learn
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital resumed elective surgeries in May 2020
- The hospital has implemented safety measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff
- They encourage people to follow up on diagnostic and imaging screenings
- Sarasota Memorial Hospital allows visitors for inpatients, with some restrictions in place
- The resumption of elective surgeries comes after a decline in COVID-19 cases in the community

Sarasota Memorial Hospital resumed elective surgeries in May 2020
Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) resumed elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures on May 4, 2020, following Governor Ron DeSantis' executive order to lift surgery restrictions. The hospital announced that all of its operating rooms, robotic surgery suites, cardiac catheterization and electrophysiology labs, endoscopy/brochoscopy procedural suites, and its Cape Outpatient Surgery Center would resume normal operations.
SMH developed a detailed pre-operative evaluation and implemented other protocols to ensure the safety of patients, staff, and medical providers. The hospital had been testing high-risk and other patients for COVID-19 up to 72 hours before non-elective surgeries and expanded pre-admission testing to include elective procedures. SMH also offered rapid on-site COVID-19 testing with results available in less than an hour for high-risk or time-sensitive situations.
The resumption of elective surgeries at SMH was welcomed, especially as the hospital had faced financial challenges during the early stages of the coronavirus crisis, including staff furloughs and reduced hours. Despite the challenges, SMH safely performed nearly 3,000 surgeries between March and May 2020, including over 100 open-heart surgeries and TAVR procedures.
In addition to resuming elective procedures, SMH encouraged individuals to follow up on important diagnostic and imaging screenings for cancer, heart conditions, and other chronic diseases. Visiting restrictions remained in place, with patients in surgical, procedural, and testing areas allowed one support person, limited to the first floor. SMH continued to screen everyone entering its facilities, including patients and staff, for fever and respiratory symptoms, and provided hospital-issued masks to all entrants.
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The hospital has implemented safety measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has implemented safety measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff as it resumed elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures. The hospital had temporarily paused these services due to the coronavirus crisis and a steep decline in revenue, but it has now re-opened its doors to some visitors, citing a decline in COVID-19 cases in the community.
The hospital has expanded pre-admission testing to safely resume elective procedures, and it has been testing high-risk and medically indicated patients for COVID-19 up to 72 hours before non-elective surgeries. Sarasota Memorial has also developed a detailed pre-operative evaluation and implemented other protocols to ensure the safety of patients, staff, and medical providers.
In addition to these measures, Sarasota Memorial consistently screens everyone who enters its facilities, including patients and staff, for fever and respiratory symptoms. It also requires everyone to wear a hospital-provided mask when entering the hospital. The hospital's CEO, David Verinder, expressed confidence in their expertise and infection prevention precautions, stating that patient and staff safety is their top priority.
Furthermore, Sarasota Memorial Hospital has resumed normal operations in all of its operating rooms, robotic surgery suites, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiology labs. They have been scheduling a full range of non-emergency and elective procedures, including joint replacement, minimally invasive spine surgery, robotic hysterectomies, and laparascopic hernia repairs. The resumption of elective surgeries at Sarasota Memorial Hospital follows Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive order to lift restrictions on surgeries in Florida.
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They encourage people to follow up on diagnostic and imaging screenings
Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) has resumed elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures. The hospital encourages people to follow up on important diagnostic and imaging screenings, especially for cancer, heart conditions, and other chronic diseases. This is in addition to the elective procedures they have resumed.
SMH has implemented several safety measures to ensure the well-being of patients, staff, and medical providers. They have expanded pre-admission testing to include COVID-19 testing for high-risk and medically indicated patients up to 72 hours before non-elective surgeries. This expansion allows them to safely conduct elective procedures. SMH also has rapid on-site COVID-19 testing capabilities, providing results in less than an hour for urgent situations.
SMH's CEO, David Verinder, expressed confidence in their ability to safely resume operations, stating, "Our top priority has and always will be the safety of our patients, employees, medical staff, and others visiting or working in our facilities." The hospital has also consistently screened everyone entering its facilities, including patients and staff, for fever and respiratory symptoms.
As of May 4, all of SMH's operating rooms, robotic surgery suites, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiology labs resumed normal operations. The hospital has been scheduling a full range of non-emergency and elective procedures, including joint replacement, minimally invasive spine surgery, robotic hysterectomies, and laparoscopic hernia repairs.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital is committed to providing comprehensive care to its patients and ensuring the safety of all individuals within its facilities. They encourage individuals to prioritize their health and take advantage of the diagnostic and imaging screenings available.
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Sarasota Memorial Hospital allows visitors for inpatients, with some restrictions in place
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has resumed elective and non-emergency surgeries following Governor Ron DeSantis' announcement that he would lift surgery restrictions. The hospital has also opened its doors to visitors for inpatients, with some restrictions in place.
As of May 4, Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) resumed elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures. The hospital's operating rooms, robotic surgery suites, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiology labs, among others, resumed normal operations. The hospital has been scheduling a full range of delayed non-emergency and elective procedures, including joint replacement, minimally invasive spine surgery, and robotic hysterectomies.
To ensure the safety of patients and staff, SMH implemented a detailed pre-operative evaluation and other protocols. They have been testing high-risk and medically indicated patients for COVID-19 up to 72 hours before non-elective surgeries and expanded pre-admission testing to resume elective procedures safely. SMH CEO David Verinder expressed confidence in their expertise and infection prevention measures to safely resume operations.
As of October 1, Sarasota Memorial Hospital allows most inpatients to have up to two visitors at a time, aged 16 or older, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Surgical, procedural, and testing patients may have one support person accompany them, limited to the designated waiting area. Certain departments, such as the Mother-Baby Unit, Critical Care, and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, have specific visitor guidelines available on the hospital's website.
The hospital encourages people to continue with important diagnostic and imaging screenings for cancer, heart conditions, and other chronic diseases. Visiting restrictions remain unchanged, and the hospital continues to screen everyone entering its facilities, including patients and staff, for fever and respiratory symptoms.
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The resumption of elective surgeries comes after a decline in COVID-19 cases in the community
Sarasota Memorial Hospital (SMH) has resumed elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures. This resumption follows a decline in COVID-19 cases in the community and Gov. Ron DeSantis' executive order to lift surgery restrictions.
SMH's operating rooms, robotic surgery suites, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiology labs, among other facilities, are now functioning normally. The hospital has implemented safety protocols, including a detailed pre-operative evaluation, mandatory masks, and screening for fever and respiratory symptoms for everyone entering the hospital.
SMH has expanded pre-admission testing to include rapid on-site COVID-19 testing for high-risk or time-sensitive cases, ensuring results within an hour. The hospital encourages patients to follow up on important diagnostic and imaging screenings for various conditions.
SMH CEO David Verinder expressed confidence in the hospital's expertise and infection prevention measures, assuring the safety of patients, staff, and medical providers. The resumption of elective surgeries is a positive step, allowing patients to undergo delayed procedures and receive support from loved ones during their recovery.
The hospital's resumption of elective surgeries is a welcome development, particularly as Florida faced a surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations earlier, impacting ICU bed availability. The decline in cases and careful safety measures implemented by SMH enable the safe resumption of elective procedures, benefiting patients and the healthcare system.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Sarasota Memorial Hospital resumed elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures on May 4, 2020, following Gov. Ron DeSantis' Executive Order to lift restrictions on surgeries.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital has implemented several safety measures to ensure the safety of patients and staff, including pre-operative evaluations, COVID-19 testing for high-risk patients up to 72 hours before surgery, and rapid on-site COVID-19 testing for time-sensitive situations.
Yes, Sarasota Memorial Hospital allows most inpatients to have up to two visitors, ages 16 or older. Surgical, procedural, and testing patients may have one support person accompany them, but they must remain in the designated waiting area. Certain departments, such as the Mother-Baby Unit and Intensive Care Units, have specific visitor guidelines available on the hospital's website.

















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