League of Women Voters to host panel discussion on the role of the SMH hospital board

Earle Kimel, Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read
Sarasota Memorial Hospital was again ranked in Newsweek's list of the world’s best hospitals. The Sarasota campus maintained its status as No. 4 in the state and improved to No. 131 in the U.S.
Sarasota Memorial Hospital was again ranked in Newsweek's list of the world’s best hospitals. The Sarasota campus maintained its status as No. 4 in the state and improved to No. 131 in the U.S.

The League of Women Voters of Sarasota County will host a panel discussion on the role of the Sarasota Memorial Public Hospital Board from 6 to 7 p.m., April 8, at the Gelbart Auditorium in Selby Public Library, 1331, First Street, Sarasota.

Four of the board's nine seats are up for election this year, and two of those races feature only Republican candidates, which means that if no Democratic candidates file, the Aug. 20 vote will be a universal primary and those two seats will be decided then.

A second Republican recently filed for the At-Large Seat 3, which means that will include a closed primary, with the winner facing the Democrat candidate on Nov. 5.

The League organized the panel to discuss how the hospital board decisions might impact the future of medical care in the community.

Republican incumbent Sharon Wetzler DePeters filed for re-election for At-Large Seat 1, and will be challenged by Republican Tamzin Rosenwasser; Republican incumbent Sarah Lodge filed for re-election for Central District Seat 1 and will be challenged by Republican Tanya Parus.

The At-Large Seat 2 race, between Republican Kevin Cooper and Democrat John A. Lutz; and the At-Large Seat 3 race currently features Republicans Pam Beitlich and Mary Flynn O'Neil and Democrat George Davis.

A Republican or Democrat could file for either of those seats, forcing a primary race for those seats, while a Democrat filing for At-Large Seat 1 or Central District Seat 1 would close those primaries, with the winner facing off against the Democrat in November.

The candidate qualifying period runs from noon June 10 through June 14.

The League panelists will cover all the issues that may come before the board, including the prospect of privatizing the hospital.

The panel of experts include: Sandra Stuart, Sarasota Memorial Hospital Foundation; former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs, Kirk George Voelker, MD, Pulmonologist, Medical Director of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System’s Clinical Research Center; and Alan Unell, a researcher of healthcare systems and policies who also publishes the daily newsletter “Healthcare Advocacy.”

This event will also be live-streamed on the League’s Facebook page. A recording will be posted there afterwards.

For more information and to register for in person attendance visit https://www.LWVSRQ.org.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: League of Women Voters host panel discussion on role of SMH board