SARASOTA COUNTY — After a public hearing, including heartfelt testimonials from dozens of physicians, nurses, patients and community partners, the Sarasota County Public Hospital Board voted this week to keep Sarasota Memorial a not-for-profit public institution, according to a release posted to the SMH website.

The unanimous vote concluded a state-mandated review to determine whether the community would benefit more from selling the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System to a private entity, or leaving it as a public system.