Peconic Bay Medical Center Dedicates New $60 Million Cardiac Care Center

Community members, supporters and medical staff, donors, administrators, faith leaders, and elected officials all gathered in a flower-festooned atrium at the Peconic Bay Medical Center on Friday afternoon to dedicate the new Corey Critical Care Pavilion and Kanas Regional Heart Center.

There were musical performances, an interfaith invocation, tours of the new facility, and, of course, speeches expressing gratitude to donors who helped make the cutting-edge center a reality.

Completed after three years of construction, the $67.8 million critical care heart center includes a rooftop helipad and 16-bed intensive and cardiac care unit. There are two cardiac catheterization laboratories, an electrophysiology suite and recovery rooms.

Special mood lighting is available in the labs to offer patients a variety of methods for self-soothing during procedures. The nurse’s station and hallway feature glass walls, bringing in natural lighting and a scenic view for both patients in recovery rooms and staff.

The new tower is part of the former Central Suffolk Hospital’s rebirth as Peconic Bay Medical Center, begun in 2006. In 2016, PBMC merged with Northwell Health. Its president and CEO, Michael Dowling, offered comments at the dedication Friday. PBMC is, he said, a hub location for the East End of Long Island and “a major priority for Northwell.” He said the new center was the result of “great people committed to doing great things.”

Emilie and Michael Corey donated $10 million toward the project. The John and Elaine Kanas Family Foundation gave $5 million, as did the estate of Robert Entenmann.

Mr. Dowling noted that the hospital staff donated over $600,000 themselves to the effort.

“People like you put your trust in the future,” he said.

“When you create something,” Mr. Dowling continued, “it helps you think about the next thing you want to create, because everything builds on everything else.”

He suggested the vision for Peconic Bay and Northwell Health is a growing thing, not limited by the completion of one project. Upstairs in the new tower, a huge, empty space that could become part of an expanded Emergency Department underscored Mr. Dowling’s remarks. The hospital’s emergency room treated more than 38,000 patients in 2019.

The CEO took note of the benefit enhanced services will entail, as well as the legacy being left for the community. Someday, Mr. Dowling said, “There will be people who may not know any of us, but they will say, ‘Good people built this.’”

While Mr. Dowling looked ahead, Andrew Mitchell, Peconic Bay’s president and CEO, looked back. He recalled that 20 years ago, when he first joined the staff, The Southampton Press ran a headline that said Central Suffolk Hospital’s future was in doubt.

“We disproved that headline,” Mr. Mitchell said. “Today marks a huge milestone in Peconic Bay Medical Center’s mission.”

The project’s completion heralds a new era of health care on the East End, he said, “an era that has no boundaries, with our partnership with Northwell.”

Northwell invests in developing new services, Mr. Mitchel emphasized. “Michael describes this as real health care reform,” he said, referring to Mr. Dowling, “and we couldn’t agree more.”

Thanking the Coreys for their dedication to the community, as well as the Kanas family, for their support and inspiration, Mr. Mitchell pointed out that, additionally, “hundreds of donors” contributed over $33 million to the campaign “to make this evolution to a regional medical center possible.” He added, “You truly define local philanthropy.”

Former Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter was among the varied elected officials on hand Friday. He was at the town’s helm from 2010 to 2017, when the project underwent its review process.

“We approved the zoning, site plan and building permit in less than 75 days,” he recalled. “I have fond memories of calling Andy and saying, ‘You’re not moving fast enough.’”

The site was originally zoned for a shopping center, Mr. Walter noted, and buildings taller than 70 feet were prohibited. “This is the tallest building in the Town of Riverhead,” he pointed out Friday. “When I think about being town supervisor, this is one of the things I’m proudest of.”

The hospital’s first cardiac catheterization lab was completed in 2017 and has since treated nearly 2,000 patients. The hospital collaborates with Southside Heart and Lung in Bay Shore and uses Northwell’s Sky Health helicopter to transport patients.

With a trauma and stroke center recognized by the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association, the facility is the only such center servicing the North Fork. Its ambulatory network includes Cutchogue and plans are in the works to add a Greenport location.

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider, with 23 hospitals and 70,000 employees caring for over 2 million people annually, according to a release issued Friday.