SARASOTA, Fla. (Jan. 7, 2025) – Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is expanding life-saving emergency care in rapidly growing communities in Lakewood Ranch and northeast Sarasota County.
The new Sarasota Memorial ER at Lakewood Ranch, which opened at noon today at 7250 University Parkway, is expected to serve as many as 150 patients a day.
The 21-room, 15,000-square-foot freestanding ER facility is centrally located about 3 miles east of I-75 near Lorraine Road. It is Sarasota Memorial’s fourth emergency care center and second freestanding emergency facility not attached to a hospital campus. In addition to its two hospital-based ERs (at SMH-Sarasota and SMH-Venice), SMH also provides 24/7 care at a freestanding ER it opened in North Port more than 10 years ago.
Like all of Sarasota Memorial’s emergency care centers, the ER at Lakewood Ranch will be staffed 24/7 by experienced, board-certified emergency medicine physicians, emergency care nurses, respiratory therapists and other highly trained clinicians.
“In emergency situations, proximity and immediate access to high-quality emergency care is critical,” said Reuben Holland, MD, medical director of Sarasota Memorial’s emergency care services. “By opening freestanding ERs and placing them in densely populated areas, many more people can receive emergency care in their own neighborhoods. This is not just more convenient for patients. It also strengthens clinical outcomes and reduces congestion and wait-times at hospital-based ERs.”
The ER at Lakewood Ranch will be fully equipped with walk-in and ambulance entrances, 21 treatment rooms, including two triage bays, and resuscitation and specialty rooms for pediatric, behavioral health and other patients requiring advanced equipment and care. The team is equipped to manage most medical emergencies with the ability to seamlessly transfer patients to SMH’s trauma center if surgical or additional care is needed.
The facility has five fast-track bays, a full-service laboratory, x-ray, ultrasound, and CT and MRI scanners for more advanced imaging studies. The on-site diagnostic services also are available for community members, with or without an appointment, for those who want to use the facility for outpatient lab work or imaging scans ordered by their care provider.
For more information about Sarasota Memorial’s emergency care services, visit smh.com/ER
About Sarasota Memorial Health Care System
Founded in 1925, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional medical center offering Southwest Florida’s greatest breadth and depth of care, with 2,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 2 million patient visits a year across its network of care. Sarasota County’s largest employer, the health system includes two full-service hospitals in Sarasota and Venice, a freestanding ER in North Port, and a comprehensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and physician practices that stretch from Manatee County to North Port. As the region's only public health system and not-for-profit health care provider, SMH serves as a critical safety net for the uninsured in Sarasota County. Visit smh.com for information.