Sarasota Memorial Hospital ER

Stella S.

First, the good: Fantastic staff of valet drivers, administrative assistants, security, on- floor care people, phlebotomy, doctors, nurses, caretakers, housekeeping. Everyone is extremely nice, patient, thorough, understanding. Other than my radiology experience, I felt like I was in very good hands with people who want to do all they can to help and ease discomfort. I also appreciated how strictly mask-wearing was enforced for everyone, without exception. The bad: Very clearly BADLY understaffed and without ample supply! The staff that is there is great, but there are not enough staff or equipment! I arrived in the ER at 10am in a lot of pain. It took four hours to get me taken in for radiology and then to a doctor, the whole time I was in miserable agony, and it's not like no one wanted to help me or wanted to speed up the process. It was simply that there are not enough people on the floor, in any given department, to help. Although the inside of the hospital was clean, the waiting lobby is disgusting. The floor is filthy and there is not enough space to seat people within CDC COVID-19 precautions. The CT scan room didn't have enough lead covers to cover almost anything. I got a thyroid cover and was otherwise completely exposed, even though I only needed a lower abdominal/ pelvic scan. They told me that x-ray is using all the radiation covers right now and sent me through with only a small thyroid cover. I was in so much pain that even though I expressed that I want those covers, I didn't have the physical or psychological energy to fight for my right to minimize radiation exposure. This is unacceptable.

Kim Ridley

Was there last night, July 26 2021 ~ detailed all my symptoms including chest pains and shortness of breath. I included dehydration and the inability to keep anything down. I was getting sick in ER. I was unable to stay awake and was placed in isolation room with suspected COVID people. 2 hours later I get my vitals checked and I was told everything looked good. I explained that BP was high for me, but she didn’t care. My temp for the first time yesterday was 96 ~ all day yesterday it ran at 93. Probably bc I was in an icebox. The prior days it was 103. There is something I learned in nursing school years ago and that is is by the time it shows up on a vital it might be too late! 3 hours later nothing so I asked what to expect and my same nurse TERRY said we are doing the best we can it will probably be another 2 hours ~ I replied that this was absurd for emergency care and her response was simple…you can always go somewhere else. This is a great representation of organized healthcare and a level I Trauma Center

Stephen Kukanza

Five stars for the doctors and nursing staff and no stars for the admitting staff. It took over two hours when it was "not that busy" per a staff member to get seen by a nurse and or doctor. Once I was seen the treatment was wonderful and first class, However, the process of getting you checked in, admitted and then seen is not well run. There is literally no expectations set or updates on your wait time given.

Kim Iley

If it would’ve let me leave 0 stars I would’ve! I get that we are in a pandemic. I get that we do things differently now. I however, find it completely unacceptable to leave people sitting for 4 hours in your ER and when you finally ask if you’re going to get to see anyone get the response that they were on a 6+ hour delay when they got to work that night! If you would’ve have the common decency to tell people that from the beginning we would have gladly went somewhere else prior to wasting all of our time for nothing. Luckily we were able to make it back home where our hospital did a fantastic job.