The Healthcare Foundation’s mission is to ensure that Sarasota Memorial Health Care System has the resources it needs to provide outstanding medical care, delivering high-quality care benefits not only current patients within the hospital but also throughout the community.

Grants in Action is an opportunity to highlight our community’s ongoing commitment to raising the standard of healthcare. Over the years, the generosity of our donors has enabled the Healthcare Foundation to provide grants that funded lifesaving technology, programs, facilities, and staff education. Recent grants have supported the upgrade and modernization of critically important trauma services and respiratory and cardiac technologies.

The Healthcare Foundation recently awarded four grants totaling more than $1.5 million to fund respiratory ventilators, mobile X-ray imaging, medical simulators and cardiac care equipment. Nearly $185,000 in grants allowed SMH to purchase six Drager V500 ventilators which support breathing in the most critically ill patients—from premature infants to elderly adults. Modernizing the ventilators will improve patient comfort and lead to better outcomes.

Funds raised at the 2018 Hospital Gala will be used for the purchase of a Mobile Dart Evolution MX8C mobile X-ray imaging system. The emergency and trauma program needed an additional mobile x-ray system to accommodate its growing patient population. Having an imaging system on wheels allows medical staff to take X-rays without having to move seriously ill or injured patients.

Another $400,000 funded the purchase of simulation equipment for the SMH Emergency Medicine Graduate Medical Education program, which will launch in July. Simulation is a critical part of medical education. Having a model on which to practice diagnostic and surgical techniques gives physicians-in-training a chance to improve their skills without compromising patient safety.

Finally, the Healthcare Foundation awarded nearly $792,000 in grants for the Cardiac Care Program to purchase new equipment. Thanks to this grant, cardiology patients will benefit from new ultrasound machines, transport ventilators, defibrillators and other state-of-the-art equipment.

To learn more about Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation grants or to donate, please visit smhf.org.

Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation