Sarasota hospital now requiring employees get COVID vaccine. What about Bradenton?
The Sarasota Memorial Health Care System, which includes Sarasota Memorial Hospital off U.S. 41 and Hillview Street south of downtown Sarasota, is requiring all employees, members of medical staff and volunteers to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4, 2022, according to a news release.
Employees and medical staff were notified Thursday of the update to the COVID-19 vaccination policy in compliance with the Biden administration’s federal vaccine mandate.
Employees and medical staff are required to have either the two-dose (Moderna or Pfizer) vaccine or the single dose (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine, unless they qualify for a medical or religious exemption, according to the news release.
Manatee Memorial Hospital chief executive officer Tom McDougal and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center CEO Andy Guz released a joint statement Friday afternoon regarding vaccine mandates. .
“Manatee Memorial Hospital and Lakewood Ranch Medical Center are committed to the safety of our community and staff and accordingly we will remain in compliance with guidelines and federal mandates related to COVID-19 vaccinations and safety protocols,” the statement read.
The two hospitals, as well as Blake Hospital, are privately owned. A message left with Blake Hospital was not immediately returned.
The Biden administration’s federal vaccine mandate was suspended Thursday for privately-owned businesses following a federal appeals court stopping the “rules pending review,” CNBC reported.
The Sarasota Memorial Health Care System umbrella, which is publicly owned, also includes Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice and Sarasota Memorial outpatient facilities.
Vendors and contracted employees who provided services at either SMH hospital or its outpatient facilities will also be required to comply with the federal vaccine mandate by Jan. 4, 2022, the news release said.
Employees approved for an exemption are mandated to receive COVID-19 testing twice a week, wear masks and follow dining restrictions at SMH facilities, the news release said.
The move conflicts with four bills that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Thursday. One aspect of the legislation DeSantis signed prohibits governments from requiring vaccines for public-sector employees, the Miami Herald reported Thursday.
Facilities that do not enforce the federal rule, “risk losing Medicare and Medicaid funding — a massive income source for large providers,” while the DeSantis’ bill “leaves those same facilities subject to state fines if they implement the federal rule,” the Miami Herald reported.
Here’s Sarasota Memorial Health Care System president and CEO David Verinder’s email comments to employees Thursday:
“Since the vaccine became available nearly a year ago, Sarasota Memorial has worked hard to encourage every team member to get the shot, but we have not mandated it. I’m proud to report that 82 percent of our nearly 7,800-member workforce has gotten vaccinated to date.
“We are aware the federal mandate is facing several legal challenges, and the Florida Legislature has passed laws this week to counter the requirements. We are following these actions closely. But we must start implementing the federal mandate now to meet the required deadlines and ensure our continued participation in Medicare and Medicaid. The majority of our patients — 62 percent — depend on Medicare/Medicaid, so jeopardizing our participation in these programs would disrupt care for tens of thousands of community members.
“But most importantly, I encourage staff to get vaccinated to protect themselves, their family, patients and colleagues. At this point, more than 7.5 billion COVID vaccine shots have been given around the world, including about 445 million in the U.S. There is overwhelming evidence the vaccine is very safe and effective. During the recent surge, 86 percent of COVID patients hospitalized at SMH from mid-July through September were unvaccinated. No one knows better than our team that the virus can have a severe and often deadly impact on patients. We support efforts that will prevent future hospitalizations and deaths, and ease the enormous strain on the health system and staff. And we are incredibly grateful to the thousands of staff who have already gotten vaccinated.”
An earlier version of this story said Manatee Memorial, Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and Blake Hospital were not requiring staff to be vaccinated. It has been updated to reflect a statement issued regarding vaccine mandates.
This story was originally published November 19, 2021 at 11:28 AM.
