Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation recently awarded four grants totaling more than $4 million. Two of the grants will support SMH in the expansion of its Rehabilitation Pavilion and the purchase of high-tech ultrasound systems at SMH-Sarasota.

$3,910,000 was granted to add six new inpatient rehabilitation rooms at SMH-Sarasota. The grant will help fund construction, information technology and furnishings. The expansion will allow more patients recovering from an illness or injury to receive medical, rehabilitation and mobility care in the state-of-the-art pavilion. $120,032 was provided to help purchase two Sonosite PX Ultrasound systems for the Emergency Care Center at SMH-Sarasota. The new point-of-care visualization tools will enhance patient care by providing advanced image clarity when treating and diagnosing patients. $44,000 was awarded to Good Samaritan Pharmacy & Health Services to fund prescription medications for indigent patients supplied by the all-volunteer community pharmacy for a two-year period. $21,000 was granted to the USF Foundation and USF College of Nursing for partial funding of a collaborative nursing program with SMH, “Excellence in Nursing During COVID and Beyond.” The pilot program will provide SMH nurses and USF nursing students mentoring and preceptorships designed to improve their health and wellness and promote resiliency during critical nursing shortages now and in the future.

“The ability to award grants to help provide state-of-the-art medical facilities, technology, enhanced patient care and clinical staff wellness programs speaks to our mission at the Healthcare Foundation,” said Mason Ayres, president of the Healthcare Foundation. “We are grateful to our supporters who are helping strengthen healthcare for our community.”