Peconic Bay Medical Center expands emergency department
Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead unveiled Thursday an expansion of its emergency room. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas
The Peconic Bay Medical Center on Thursday unveiled a new wing to its emergency department in Riverhead, enabling the facility to handle more patients with a broader array of life-saving technologies.
The $15 million, 6,600-square-foot expansion was designed for speed, with the placement of a two-bed trauma room steps from the entrance. It’s also equipped with a new CT scanner — the hospital’s third — and the rooms were built to accommodate an "electronic intensive care unit (e-ICU)" that connects patients and physicians to specialists at other hospitals in the region.
“We’ve leveled up,” Amy Loeb, the hospital’s executive director, said of the e-ICU capability. “At any moment you can press a button and we’ll be connected with specialists, whether that is a stroke neurologist, a tele-psychiatrist, or a critical care physician and team.”
The expansion, named the Poole Family Trauma and Emergency Center, is part of a five-year, $92 million upgrade that will eventually add private rooms for patients and build a dedicated care unit for new mothers and infants.
Loeb said that more than half the expansion cost — about $50 million — came from donations from the community.
“We wanted to just help our friends and this community to have the best health care that they possibly can,” said Thomas Poole, a Garden City resident whose family operates the Hallen Construction Co. in Plainview. Poole donated $5 million in 2022 to kickstart the hospital’s capital improvement.
The new emergency center wing should officially open later this summer, pending approvals.
The Peconic Bay Medical Center, located at the center of Riverhead’s business district, received about 40,000 emergency room visits last year. Hospital administrators have been pushing to expand the facility to accommodate the region’s growing population and the demand from older residents.
“As folks are aging in this community, we know that there are increased risks of stroke, heart attack, traumas from falls,” Loeb said. “It is our responsibility to be prepared to handle these emergencies.”
The Peconic Bay Medical Center on Thursday unveiled a new wing to its emergency department in Riverhead, enabling the facility to handle more patients with a broader array of life-saving technologies.
The $15 million, 6,600-square-foot expansion was designed for speed, with the placement of a two-bed trauma room steps from the entrance. It’s also equipped with a new CT scanner — the hospital’s third — and the rooms were built to accommodate an "electronic intensive care unit (e-ICU)" that connects patients and physicians to specialists at other hospitals in the region.
“We’ve leveled up,” Amy Loeb, the hospital’s executive director, said of the e-ICU capability. “At any moment you can press a button and we’ll be connected with specialists, whether that is a stroke neurologist, a tele-psychiatrist, or a critical care physician and team.”
The expansion, named the Poole Family Trauma and Emergency Center, is part of a five-year, $92 million upgrade that will eventually add private rooms for patients and build a dedicated care unit for new mothers and infants.
WHAT TO KNOW
- Peconic Bay Medical Center adds 6,600 square feet to its emergency room.
- The expanded ER is state-of-the-art, with an integrated telemedicine network.
- The new wing should accept patients as early as this summer.
Loeb said that more than half the expansion cost — about $50 million — came from donations from the community.
“We wanted to just help our friends and this community to have the best health care that they possibly can,” said Thomas Poole, a Garden City resident whose family operates the Hallen Construction Co. in Plainview. Poole donated $5 million in 2022 to kickstart the hospital’s capital improvement.
The new emergency center wing should officially open later this summer, pending approvals.
The Peconic Bay Medical Center, located at the center of Riverhead’s business district, received about 40,000 emergency room visits last year. Hospital administrators have been pushing to expand the facility to accommodate the region’s growing population and the demand from older residents.
“As folks are aging in this community, we know that there are increased risks of stroke, heart attack, traumas from falls,” Loeb said. “It is our responsibility to be prepared to handle these emergencies.”
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
