Keep politics out of medicine, SMH

There has been a lot of talk about medical freedom over the past two years, in particular 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. 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 of today’s candidates who are 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 rather than a genuine public interest in our community hospital.

This political divide will not help patients and, I fear, presents an imminent threat to the quality, safety and longevity of a valued, 100-year-old public institution — Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

When I ran for the hospital 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 SMH administrators and physician leaders — 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 brought to them. 

Over the past two years, we 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 five-star care provided by Sarasota Memorial.

My time on the board has shown me that the administrative and medical leaders at SMH are a team that deeply cares for patients and wants to ensure that every treatment path reflects the patients’ values and comfort level. As a longtime patient advocate, I am grateful for the extra steps SMH leaders have taken to promote and support patient rights, including the enhanced nurse-led patient advocacy program and the important commitment the hospital 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 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, in my opinion, is lacking in today’s Medical Freedom movement. Candidates are more interested in stirring the pot and advancing personal agendas rather than the health of our community. Their approach can be seen as disruptive, counterproductive and could sabotage SMH’s reputation and ability to recruit skilled physicians. 

If elected, their tactics threaten to slow or stop progress and Sarasota Memorial’s strong legacy of providing high quality care.

As the hospital board primary elections near, I urge everyone to research who they are voting for and 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 what truly matters — ensuring access to the best care.

Patricia Maraia, BSN, RN, was elected to the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board in 2022. A resident of the Suncoast since 2003, she is a longtime patient advocate and clinician with more than 35 years of nursing experience, including working as a medical-surgical and oncology nurse at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center.