Sarasota Memorial Hospital: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Sarasota Memorial traces its origins to 1921, when local residents began raising funds to build the county's first modern hospital. Sarasota Hospital opened on November 2, 1925, with a modest capacity of 32 beds and simple canvas tents for patient overflow. In 1927, the facility was turned over to the city of Sarasota and renamed Sarasota Municipal Hospital. The hospital continued to expand through the following decades, growing to 100 beds by the 1930s and adding a surgical suite, kitchen, dining room, and air-conditioned patient unit in the 1940s.

Sarasota Memorial has continued to grow and innovate over its century of operation, achieving numerous healthcare milestones, including becoming one of the first hospitals in the nation to implement electronic patient care software in 1997 and one of the first to use minimally invasive robotic surgical technology in 1999. The health system is governed by the nine-member elected Sarasota County Public Hospital Board, reflecting its status as a community-owned public health system. Sarasota Memorial has earned repeated Magnet Nursing Services Recognition, the nation's highest honor for nursing excellence, and has been named among the nation's Top Health Systems by Modern Healthcare and Premier Inc.

Today, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System includes two full-service hospitals (in Sarasota and Venice), freestanding emergency rooms, a rehabilitation hospital, a behavioral health hospital, and an extensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics, and physician practices, employing approximately 11,000 people and serving about 2 million patient visits annually. The system is currently undertaking more than $1 billion in capital expansion projects, including a new hospital in North Port. Sarasota Memorial's workforce includes registered nurses, physicians and advanced practice providers, allied health professionals, and support staff across its network of care.

Company culture and employee programs: Sarasota Memorial emphasizes its identity as a community-owned public health system serving the Southwest Florida region, with a mission centered on delivering high-quality healthcare shaped by and for the community it serves. The health system has invested significantly in specialized care programs, including heart, vascular, cancer, and neuroscience services. Benefits, training, and advancement opportunities can vary by role and facility, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the healthcare industry, including Sarasota Memorial Hospital, are legally required to conduct thorough background checks on employee candidates, particularly for clinical roles, given state healthcare licensing requirements and the vulnerable populations served. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Sarasota Memorial is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard and often mandated for hospital and healthcare system employers, particularly for clinical roles involving direct patient care.

The hiring process for clinical and support roles at Sarasota Memorial typically includes an application, one or more interviews, verification of any required professional licenses or certifications, and a background check prior to a final offer.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a hospital role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though Florida state law and healthcare industry requirements for clinical staff may involve more extensive background review, including state abuse and neglect registry checks.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to a role involving direct patient care, with Florida healthcare licensing regulations imposing additional restrictions for certain clinical positions. Florida has adopted certain "ban-the-box" laws that may apply differently in regulated healthcare contexts.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA and applicable state healthcare licensing requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Sarasota Memorial Hospital may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Sarasota Memorial Hospital or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.