The front door

With 806 beds and a $564 million annual operating budget, in addition to a thriving urgent care and outpatient services operation, Sarasota Memorial Hospital is a medical giant.

But its closest competitor, Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, has embarked on a bold plan to win over future patients. The centerpiece of the Doctors strategy is a $17 million renovation and expansion, with the overarching goal to deliver Ritz-Carlton-like customer service to what can be a difficult experience. “It's about patient-centered care and making people feel like you aren't in a hospital,” says COO Steve Young.

Officials at Doctors, owned by publicly traded Nashville-based HCA, particularly seek to position the hospital at the front of the line for the parts of Sarasota-Manatee east of Interstate 75. That's where many area experts project the next big population surge will occur. Also, the 155-bed hospital, with about 500 employees, hasn't had a major expansion or renovation project in nearly 20 years at its campus of Bee Ridge Road, just west of I-75. “We are pretty excited about it,” says Doctors CEO Robert Meade.