There has been a lot of talk about medical freedom over the past two years, since I and a handful of candidates ran for a seat on the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board in the wake of the pandemic.
I was one of two nurses who successfully ran on the Medical Freedom platform in 2022. It was because we were both passionately focused on one thing: advocating for patient rights.
With the hospital board primary elections just weeks away, I am troubled by the statements and stances of some candidates claiming to stand for medical freedom. This time around, the slate of medical freedom candidates has morphed into something much more political – and polarizing. The candidates seem more interested in advancing an organized political agenda than showing a genuine public interest in our community hospital.
This political divide will not help patients, and I fear it presents an imminent threat to the quality, safety and longevity of Sarasota Memorial Hospital, which is a valued, 100-year-old public institution.
When I ran for the board, our nation and community were emerging from two years of fear, isolation and sorrow. Once on the board, I shared a lot of that angst with Sarasota Memorial Hospital's administrators and physician leaders. It represented the two years of frustration and heartache I witnessed working as an advocate for patients and families terrified of being hospitalized with COVID.
To my surprise, I found sympathetic ears and responsive hearts. They understood the trauma some of us experienced and went out of their way to address every question and concern I raised. Over the past two years, we have listened and learned from each other. We do not always agree, but we have been able to reach consensus and work collaboratively on what’s most important: protecting the health of our community and the five-star care provided by Sarasota Memorial.
My time on the board has shown me that the administrative and medical leaders at SMH care deeply about patients and want to ensure that every treatment path reflects their values and comfort level. As a longtime patient advocate, I am grateful for the steps SMH has taken to promote and support patient rights – including the enhanced nurse-led patient advocacy program – and the commitment that the board has made to respect and recognize those rights and the sanctity of the patient-physician relationship.
Medical freedom is not just about the right to access specific medications or treatments. It also embodies the broader principle of allowing patients to collaborate with their doctors to make informed, mutual decisions about their care. It's about respecting individual choice.
But that broader concept is lacking in today’s medical freedom movement, where candidates are more interested in stirring the pot and advancing personal agendas. Their approach can be seen as disruptive and counterproductive, and it could sabotage SMH’s reputation and ability to recruit skilled physicians. If elected, their tactics could slow or stop progress – and also Sarasota Memorial’s strong legacy of providing high quality care.
I urge everyone to research who they are voting for on Aug. 20, and to better understand the partisan influence driving today’s medical freedom movement. On Aug. 20, vote for candidates who prioritize patients – not politics –and whose focus revolves around ensuring access to the best care.
Please note that due to Florida’s closed primaries, voters must be registered with the Republican Party by July 22 to be eligible to vote in the Aug. 20 hospital board primary races.
Voters can update their party affiliation anytime, but those registered with the Democratic Party, or as Independent/No Party Affiliation (NPA) as of July 22, will not be eligible to vote in the board races.
For more information, visit SarasotaVotes.gov.
Patricia Maraia was elected to the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board in 2022. She is a longtime patient advocate and clinician with more than 35 years of nursing experience.
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