Two hospitals in Sarasota, one in Venice and one in Englewood recently earned "A" grades for safety from the Leapfrong Group, an organization that assesses hospital safety across the nation. Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Venice Regional Bayfront Health and Englewood Community Hospital each received and "A" grade. Lakewood Ranch Medical Center and Bradenton's Blake Medical Center both received "B" grades, while Manatee Memorial Hospital in Bradenton received a "C."

Grades are based on how well hospitals implemented safety precautions prior to the pandemic, and how prepared they were for incoming patients. Only 34 percent of the 2,600 hospitals evaluated by Leapfrog earned an "A." According to the organization, more than 50,000 lives would have been saved if all hospitals had an avoidable death rate equivalent to "A"-graded hospitals.