SMH-Venice ER & Emergency Care Services
IN AN EMERGENCY, ALWAYS CALL 9-1-1!
The Emergency Care Center at Sarasota Memorial Hospital-Venice offers around-the-clock, immediate care for all ages and stages — from obstetrical and pediatric emergencies to advanced care and interventions for heart attacks and stroke.
Located on the SMH-Venice and backed by the full resources of the hospital, our 24-hour ER Emergency Care Center is staffed by highly trained providers, including board-certified Emergency Care Center physicians and ER nurses with advanced certifications in emergency care.
For non-emergency information about the SMH-Venice ER and other emergency care services, call 941-261-8555.
In a medical emergency, always call 9-1-1.
For urgent, but not life-threatening conditions and imaging needs, Sarasota Memorial's 6 Urgent Care Centers are open 8am-8pm daily. Check out our "Know When To Go" symptom guide or our "Urgent Care: Fast Facts" video series for guidance on when to choose urgent care.
Emergency Warning Signs
If you or someone you know is experiencing emergency warning signs (see below), call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not try to drive to the ER. Life-saving interventions often take place in an ambulance, as does transmission of vital information to hospitals preparing for your emergency treatment.
- Chest pain or pressure
- Loss of consciousness or awareness
- Choking
- Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath
- Sudden numbness, tingling, weakness of an extremity
- Serious injuries, especially those that affect the head, abdomen, neck or back
- Sudden severe pain anywhere in your body, from a known or unknown cause
- Sudden dizziness, headache or change in vision
- Weakness, fainting or feeling as if you are going to pass out
- Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhea
- Thoughts of suicide or homicide
- Seizures or convulsions
- Poisoning or overdose of medications
- Significant bleeding from vagina, rectum or when vomiting
- Bleeding that cannot be stopped with pressure
- Major burns
Emergency Care for Pregnant Women
The SMH-Venice Obstetrical Emergency Care Center (OB-ECC) offers specialized emergency care services for pregnant women. It's the only ER in south Sarasota County dedicated to caring for pregnant women. OB hospitalists are available 24/7 to examine patients, evaluate the progress of labor, check lab results, handle emergencies and provide a safe delivery for women who do not have their own physician or whose physician requests assistance.
Patients seeking care at the SMH-Venice OB-ECC should check in at the hospital’s main Emergency Room.
Immediate Care for Heart Attacks & Stroke
Sarasota Memorial's emergency care services team collaborates with 9-1-1 and first-responders to ensure that patients receive life-saving interventions for cardiac issues and stroke as soon as they arrive. Our hospital-based catheterization lab and world-class surgeons further ensure patients avoid potentially life-threatening delays in receiving advanced cardiac care.