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Deputy Chief Michael Presta with Huckleberry from Canine Companions. Photo by Julianne Mosher

By Julianne Mosher

[email protected]

Port Jefferson EMS has a new volunteer on staff — a golden lab named Huckleberry.

Known to his counterparts as “Huck,” the 2-year-old Canine Companions for Independence facility dog has been hired to respond to stressful situations and bring a sense of relief to those in need. 

Huck is ready for action in the Port Jefferson EMS car. Photo by Julianne Mosher

His handler Deputy Chief Michael Presta said that he became interested in adopting a facility dog when a friend — who is a police officer down in Maryland — told him about the program. Presta began researching Canine Companions and found that there are many different benefits to having a facility dog on premise. 

“A facility dog would be a dog that works in an educational, legal or some sort of clinical hospital health care setting,” he said. “For example, in the legal setting, they work as crime victim advocates for kids that have to testify and things like that, and it’s really kind of gained traction nationally in the education setting of the schools that have them.”

Presta added that hospitals like Mount Sinai and Calvary Hospital in the Bronx have facility dog programs, but Port Jefferson EMS is one of the first on Long Island within the health care industry.

“The dogs work with patients, work with people that are receiving PT, OT services, work with kids — anybody that’s really suffered any trauma,” he said. “And that’s what we’re using Huck for; we’re using him to really engage with the community’s vulnerable populations.”

Presta and his new furry friend will be working side by side engaging with children and adults affected by trauma who they deal with on a daily basis. 

“Not every solution in medicine is giving a medication or starting an IV,” he said. “Sometimes we can slow down work with the patients, and the dog is a great tool
for that.”

Since 1975, Canine Companions has bred, raised and expertly trained assistance dogs in over 40 commands designed to assist people with disabilities or to motivate and inspire clients with special needs. Huck can pull toy wagons, push drawers closed and retrieve all kinds of items. He has specific commands that allow him to interact with patients in a calm and appropriate way.

But it’s not just fun and games having him around. He has a lot of responsibilities while on call. “Right now, he responds in the car with me when I’m working clinically,” Presta said. 

Huck’s badge on the back of his harness.
Photo by Julianne Mosher

Not every opportunity is a good fit for Huck, Presta added. If a patient is extremely ill or isn’t a dog person, Huck usually stands back. But within the last few weeks — Huck just joined the team last month — he has calmed people in distress.

Presta said that while working with patients who have developmental disabilities, sometimes the lights, trucks and uniforms can be a sensory overload for them. 

That’s where Huck comes in.

“We’re hoping that the dog is going to be a great icebreaker tool to kind of break down that barrier,” the deputy chief said. “Establish a lot of communication and get them into the ambulance, get patients to the hospital.”

Port Jefferson EMS is a combination EMS agency of career and volunteer paramedics and EMTs providing 24/7/365 advanced life support ambulance service to the communities of Port Jefferson, Belle Terre, Mount Sinai and Miller Place. 

There is also a unique live-in program for Stony Brook University students where about 15 of them live on premise. They get free room and board in exchange for riding in the ambulance 24 hours a week.

“They get an immersive clinical experience,” Presta said. “They’re here all the time. They get a lot of clinical hours, which makes them really competitive for programs, and we get EMTs in the community here which is needed.”

And Presta said Huck has made friends with each and every one of them. 

“In addition to his role, he helps serve the 200 people in this organization,” he added. “We see some pretty gnarly things from time to time, so Huck is our de-facto licensed therapist here.”

Since his first tour in October, Huck is already off to an excellent start helping out others. 

“It’s been great for us,” Presta said. “He’s been really engaging with the community. We’re out in the village walking around, meeting people, talking to people from all walks of life and he really has been a great tool for us.”

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Pixabay photo

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Talk about mixed emotions. That’s what we feel when we are driving along and suddenly see a deer running out from among the trees. They are beautiful and graceful animals, and we stop the car and point them out to our small children in the back seat, who are thrilled at the sighting, perhaps recalling Bambi. But there is a lot more to the deer story here in suburbia. 

Long Island is home to more than 20,000 white-tailed deer, and that number has been exploding because there haven’t been many threats — until now. As long as they could find enough food and survive particularly harsh winters, the occasional highway collision and the short hunting season, they were largely untroubled. 

However, they have been a nuisance to residents because they devour flowers and vegetable gardens. And while they can be the innocent carriers of an infected tick, whose bite causes the miserable Lyme disease, they are gentle enough souls who leap out of sight as humans approach.

Now it turns out that they may be a more serious problem to us. A new study in Iowa found that the deer seem to be contracting the coronavirus from humans and spreading it to one another. This means the deer could become a reservoir for deadly mutations of the virus that could then possibly be passed back to humans. In that event, another vaccine would have to be developed to target the new variant in much the same way as flu shots are modified from year to year. 

Researchers were astonished at how widespread the infection was among the deer population there, estimated at 80%. Deer hunters and others who handle deer (as road kill) are being urged to take precautions to avoid transmission, like wearing rubber gloves and a mask.

Researchers don’t know exactly how the deer get infected by humans, but they suggest it might occur when people in Iowa feed deer in their backyards, or through sewage discharges or anything partially chewed by an infected human, like a “splotch of chewing tobacco” that then might be licked by a deer. 

The study of the deer was led by veterinary microbiologists from Penn State, according to an article in The New York Times on November 9, and they were able to make their analysis by examining the lymph nodes of dead deer. But they have not yet been able to determine whether the animals were sickened by the pathogen. They also are going to examine other wild animals, especially mice, that live in close proximity to humans, to see if they too might carry the virus. 

There is well established research that shows some pathogens do move back and forth between animals and humans, including those that cause yellow fever and West Nile. And we do know our dogs and cats can get COVID-19.

Also in the news is something called epizootic hemorrhagic disease, transmitted by the EHD virus that can kill deer within 36 hours of infection. This often-fatal disease is transmitted by biting midges. We call them “no-see-ums.” Deer do not catch it from each other, nor can humans be infected by either deer or midges. But stricken deer bleed to death, especially in late summer and early fall when midges are abundant.

While there is no treatment for EHD, the first frost kills the midges, ending the outbreak. The virus was first confirmed in New York in 2007 with small outbreaks in the state’s northern counties, according to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. By 2020, the affected deer were found in the lower Hudson Valley, in other states along the eastern United States, and also in zoos.

“The dead deer do not serve as a source of infection for other animals because the virus is not long lived in dead animals,” according to the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab. Suffolk County has 139 cases reported and 8 confirmed as of last week.

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Stony Brook University Hospital

As the flu and COVID-19 are expected to circulate at the same time this season, getting a flu vaccine is more important than ever. Although the flu vaccine will not prevent COVID-19, it will help decrease the risk of you and your family getting sick and needing flu-related medical care. Every year, about 2,000 New Yorkers die of seasonal flu and pneumonia, which can develop as a complication of the flu. Meanwhile, over 56,000 New Yorkers have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began last year. Vaccination is the best way to protect against both the flu and COVID-19.

Presenter Gregson Pigott,
MD, MPH
Commissioner,
Suffolk County
Department of Health Services

This Tuesday, November 16 at 7 p.m. join trusted health experts and Health Commissioners from the Suffolk and Nassau County Departments of Health, for a FREE Zoom webinar “The Flu and COVID: A Conversation with Your County Health Commissioner” at 7 PM. They will answer your questions about COVID-19, the flu vaccine and provide advice for maintaining you and your family’s health. Some topics experts will discuss include:

  • How to prevent the spread of flu and COVID this year.

  • What the Department of Health in each county is doing to help Long Islanders.

  • What you should know about vaccine safety, the Delta variant, and how other variants can be prevented.

  • Why booster vaccines are important and who should get them.

  • How to safely get both the flu vaccine and the COVID-19 vaccine.

Questions can be submitted in advance and real time Spanish translation will be available. To register for this FREE event visit, https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-SUVMjnORoWTfYU52MS-Gw

PRESENTERS:

  • Gregson Pigott, MD, MPH, Commissioner of the Suffolk County, Department of Health Services

  • Lawrence Eisenstein, MD, MPH, FACP, Commissioner of the Nassau County, Department of Health

Presenter Lawrence Eisenstein, MD, MPH, FACP, Commissioner of the Nassau County, Department of Health

MODERATOR:

SPANISH TRANSLATOR:

  • Héctor E. Alcalá, PhD, MPH, Core Faculty, Program in Public Health; Assistant Professor, Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University

This event is co-sponsored by Suffolk County Department of Health Services, Nassau County Department of Health, Stony Brook Program in Public Health, Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University. With support from the Stony Brook University Alumni Association.

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METRO photo
Is there a magic bullet to speed the healing process?

By David Dunaief, M.D.

Dr. David Dunaief

Now that many of us are interacting more fully in society, the common cold is becoming common again this fall.

All of us have suffered from the common cold at some point. Most frequently caused by the notorious human rhinovirus, its effects can range from an annoyance to more serious symptoms that put us out of commission for a week or more.

Amid folklore about remedies, there is evidence that it may be possible to reduce the symptoms — or even reduce the duration — of the common cold with supplements and lifestyle management.

I am frequently asked, “How do I treat this cold?” Below, I will review and discuss the medical literature, separating myth from fact about which supplements may be beneficial and which may not.

Zinc

You may have heard that zinc is an effective way to treat a cold. But what does the medical literature say? The answer is a resounding, YES! According to a meta-analysis that included 13 trials, zinc in any form taken within 24 hours of first symptoms may reduce the duration of a cold by at least one day (1) Even more importantly, zinc may significantly reduce the severity of symptoms throughout the infection, improving quality of life. The results may be due to an anti-inflammatory effect of zinc.

One of the studies, which was published in the Journal of Infectious Disease, found that zinc reduced the duration of the common cold by almost 50 percent from seven days to four days, cough symptoms were reduced by greater than 60 percent and nasal discharge by 33 percent (2). All of these results were statistically significant. Researchers used 13 grams of zinc acetate per lozenge taken three-to-four times daily for four days. This translates into 50-65 mg per day.

There are a few serious concerns with zinc. Note that the dose researchers used was well above the maximum intake recommended by the National Institutes of Health, 40 mg per day for adults. This maximum intake number goes down for those 18 and younger (3). Also, note that the FDA has warned against nasal administration through sprays, which has led to permanent loss of smell in some people.

As for the studies, note that not all studies showed a benefit. Also, all of the studies where there was a proven benefit may have used different formulations, delivery systems and dosages, and there is no current recommendation or consensus on what is optimal.

Vitamin C

According to a review of 29 trials with a combined population of over 11,000, vitamin C did not show any significant benefit in prevention, reduction of symptoms or duration in the general population (4). Thus, there may be no reason to take mega-doses of vitamin C for cold prevention and treatment. However, in a sub-group of serious marathon runners and other athletes, there was substantial risk reduction when taking vitamin C prophylactically; they caught 50 percent fewer colds.

Echinacea

After review of 24 controlled clinical trials, according to the Cochrane Database, the jury is still out on the effectiveness of echinacea for treatment of duration and symptoms, but the results are disappointing presently and, at best, are inconsistent (5). There are no valid randomized clinical trials for cold prevention using echinacea. In a randomized controlled trial with 719 patients, echinacea was no better than placebo for the treatment of the common cold (6).

Exercise

People with colds need rest – at least that was the theory. However, a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine may have changed this perception. Participants who did aerobic exercise at least five days per week, versus one or fewer days per week, had a 43 percent reduction in the number of days with colds over two 12-week periods during the fall and winter months (7). Even more interesting is that those who perceived themselves to be highly fit had a 46 percent reduction in number of days with colds compared to those who perceived themselves to have low fitness. The symptoms of colds were reduced significantly as well.

Symptom relief

What do I confidently recommend to my patients? If you have congestion or coughing symptoms with your cold, time-tested symptom relief may help. Sitting in a steamy bathroom, which simulates a medical mist tent, can help. Also, dry heat is your enemy. If your home is dry, use a cool mist humidifier to put some humidity back in the air.

Consuming salt-free soups loaded with vegetables can help increase your nutrient intake and loosen congestion. I start with a sodium-free base and add in spices, onions, spinach, broccoli and other greens until it’s more stew-like than soup-like.

Caffeine-free hot teas will also help loosen congestion and keep you hydrated.

Where does all of this information leave us?

Zinc is potentially of great usefulness the treatment and prevention of the common cold. Use caution with dosing, however, to reduce side effects. Echinacea and vitamin C may or may not provide benefits, but don’t stop taking them if you feel they work for you. And, if you need another reason to exercise, reducing your cold’s duration may a good one. Lastly, for symptom relief, simple home remedies may work better than any supplements.

References:

(1) Open Respir Med J. 2011; 5: 51–58. (2) J Infect Dis. 2008 Mar 15;197(6):795-802. (3) ods.od.nih.gov. (4) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2013, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000980. (5) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD000530. (6) Ann Intern Med. 2010;153(12):769-777. (7) British Journal of Sports Medicine 2011;45:987-992.

Dr. David Dunaief is a speaker, author and local lifestyle medicine physician focusing on the integration of medicine, nutrition, fitness and stress management. For further information, visit www.medicalcompassmd.com.

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An antiviral pill may be beneficial in treating COVID-19 in its early stage. Stock photo

When the pandemic first hit Suffolk County in March of 2020, health care providers tried what they could to treat COVID-19.

The treatment options may be on the verge of increasing, as Pfizer recently revealed the benefit of an antiviral pill they developed to treat the virus in its early stages.

The Pfizer pill, called paxlovid, “decreased hospitalization significantly,” said Dr. Bettina Fries, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Stony Brook Medicine. “That’s exciting.”

The Pfizer pill, which would still need Food and Drug Administration authorization before medical care providers can administer it to patients, comes just a few weeks after Merck announced its antiviral pill molnupiravir was effective in treating people who contracted COVID-19.

Indeed, at the end of last week, Britain became the first country to approve the use of molnupiravir for people with underlying medical conditions, including heart disease and obesity.

“There is more information on molnupiravir as this drug was approved in the [United Kingdom] last Thursday,” Dr. Adrian Popp, chair of Infection Control at Huntington Hospital explained in an email. “It will be administered as soon as possible following a positive COVID-19 test and within five days of the onset of symptoms.”

As for Pfizer, it has not yet released data about its clinical trials to the scientific community, which means independent researchers haven’t reviewed the information.

Still, the introduction of new antiviral treatments advances the battle against the virus on another front.

“They are novel medications,” Popp added. “The speed by which they are being developed is amazing.”

Popp added that the pace at which the new Pfizer drug eliminates the virus and its symptoms is unclear because of limited data.

Fries said the Pfizer and Merck drugs were in different classes and worked differently, which means they may be most effective in combination.

In terms of side effects, Fries wouldn’t expect anything dramatic from either treatment.

Taking pills that reduce the severity of the disease also aren’t likely to reduce the body’s natural immunity to the virus.

“The immune system has already seen enough of the virus by the time you take the drug,” Fries said. Some of the patients in the trial probably had the virus for about a week, which is enough time for the immune system to recognize the invader and develop a natural resistance.

The timing of treatment with antiviral drugs determines its effectiveness. Drugs like Tamiflu, which prevents the worst symptoms of the flu, become less effective the longer the virus is in a patient.

“If you give this drug later, it will likely have less effect,” Fries said.

Additionally, Fries cautioned about overusing these drugs in future months and years, which can lead to viral resistance.

Fries believes the virus, like the flu, will continue to stick around and will return in waves.

The authorization of vaccines for children ages five to 11 will likely reduce the threat from the virus.

“A lot of parents will schlep their kids right away, especially before Thanksgiving,” Fries said. “Physicians and people who have a deeper understanding of vaccines feel comfortable” with them.

Fries recently received her third shot.

While the likelihood of children developing the worst symptoms of the disease is low, they contribute to the spread of the virus.

Additionally, the virus can mutate, which could make it “potentially a lot worse. There is [also] a low but potentially significant risk of long covid syndromes,” Fries said. “You don’t want your kid to have that. Children should be super duper healthy, not just a little bit healthy.”

Thanksgiving preparation

In terms of preparing for Thanksgiving, Fries urged everybody over 65 to get a booster, particularly if they received their initial vaccines at least six months ago.

Stony Brook Hospital is admitting patients who have been vaccinated and are over 65, in part because their initial vaccinations were over half a year ago.

“We see more and more older people presenting with the disease again,” Fries added. “Do it now so you have antibodies for Thanksgiving” particularly if a family has children returning from college.

Additionally, Fries urged residents and their families to get tested before coming together, which will reduce the risk of household transmission.

Even though Pfizer and Merck have produced drugs that may improve the treatment of COVID-19, Fries urged people to continue to get vaccinated.

“This kind of drug treatment does not make us say, ‘Okay, you don’t need to get vaccinated,’ Fries said. “Absolutely not.”

Fries noted that those people unwilling to receive an mRNA vaccine might get another option before too long.

The Novavax vaccine has “performed really well” in clinical trials, Fries said. “It is more of a traditional vaccine.” The Novavax facilities have had production problems. Once they resolve those issues, the company could apply for emergency use authorization.

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Baccalaureate student Ben Lee receives his pin and packet from faculty member Dr. Virginia Coletti during the School of Nursing’s first Oath Ceremony. Photo from Stony Brook University
Assembled at the ceremony are all of the participating students and Nursing faculty (front row). Photo from Stony Brook University

Celebrating the Future of Nursing

The Stony Brook University School of Nursing held its first “Oath Ceremony” for students entering its undergraduate programs. The purpose of the ceremony – devised similarly to Medicine’s white coat ceremony – is to welcome students into the profession and highlight the impact that nursing brings to society and patients worldwide. A total of 132 students participated in the ceremony that carried the theme “Keep Healthcare Human.”

Held on October 29 at Stony Brook Medicine, the event was made possible with a grant from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation to support the Gold-AACN White Coat/Oath Ceremony for Nursing.

The American Nursing Association predicts more registered nurse jobs will be available through 2022 than any other profession in the United States. Additionally, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that 11 million additional nurses are needed in the next few years to avoid a further nursing shortage – an issue that has surfaced even more during the 2020-21 Covid-19 pandemic. The Bureau also projects with the aging population and specialized medicine nursing positions will grow at a faster rate (approximately 15 percent) than all other occupations from 2016 to 2026.

“This ceremony marks a milestone in the career path of our students who choose to become professional nurses in the face of a pandemic,” says Annette Wysocki, PhD, Dean of the School of Nursing. “All nurses are called to care for individuals, families and communities using the most advanced scientific knowledge with an ethical human-centered approach, in combination with knowledge of the social sciences to address the biopsychosocial needs of people entrusted to their care.”

Dean Wysocki also points out that the need for nurses will only grow, as the pandemic has driven many older nurses to retire, leaving a gap in the workforce in New York State and nationwide.

Each of the students at the ceremony, upon having their name called,  received a pouch with a nursing pin, nursing code of ethics bookmark and a card about keeping humanism in nursing.

Long-time Stony Brook nurse practitioner and educator Barbara Mills, DNP, was the keynote speaker. Mills received her doctorate in Nursing at Stony Brook in 2009 and has been a key member transforming the hospital’s Rapid Response Team. Her message emphasized keeping healthcare human and treating every patient with dignity, respect, and with cultural sensitivity.

Many of the new students have volunteered during the pandemic for the vaccine rollout and related work at Stony Brook Medicine. Because Stony Brook is an upper division nursing school, students enter the undergraduate program after their sophomore year in college. These students, encompassing two academic years, and those students entering the accelerated 12-month nursing program participated in the ceremony.

 

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County Executive Steve Bellone during a press conference in Hauppauge. Photo from Suffolk County

Following the recent CDC announcement, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone announced on Tuesday, Nov. 9 that the Suffolk County Health Department will begin administering free COVID-19 vaccines to children ages 5 to 11. 

The vaccine clinics — which will be located at the H. Lee Dennison Building in Hauppauge — will be exclusively for children ages 5 to 17.

“I am beyond pleased that the CDC has recommended that children ages 5 to 11 years old be vaccinated against COVID-19,” Bellone said. “As a father, I am encouraging all parents who may have questions to talk with their pediatrician or a trusted healthcare provider about the importance of getting their children vaccinated. This vaccine saves lives and it could save the life of your child.”

On Nov. 2, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gave the final clearance for the use of the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 5 to 11, following the emergency use authorization granted by the Food and Drug Administration last month. 

All children ages 5 to 11 are now eligible to receive a two-dose primary series of the pediatric formulation of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, effective immediately. This is the first COVID-19 vaccine to be permitted for use in the age group, leading the way for more than 28 million children in the United States to be vaccinated as soon as possible.

To date, nearly 88 percent of county residents 18 and over have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 74% of all county residents have received at least one dose.

Vaccines will be administered at the H. Lee Dennison Building located at 100 Veterans Memorial Highway in Hauppauge on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

 While appointments are not required, they are strongly encouraged. Walk-ins will be available on a first come, first served basis. For more information on the County’s vaccine efforts, or to schedule an appointment call 311 or visit suffolkcountyny.gov/vaccine. 

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Stony Brook University Hospital

This article was updated on Nov. 10.

A total of 107 Stony Brook Medicine physicians have been named “Top Doctors” on New York Magazine’s 2021 list. The list includes doctors from Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, and Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, across more than 45 different specialties. The “Top Doctors” list represents the top 10% of New York area physicians.

“The Stony Brook Medicine healthcare system is distinguished not only by the number of physicians named as top doctors, but also by the range of 45 specialties represented,” said Carol A. Gomes, MS, FACHE, CPHQ, Chief Executive Officer for Stony Brook University Hospital. “Every day, our physicians deliver high-quality care to patients, making a significant difference in their lives.”

New York Magazine generates its annual “Top Doctors” list for the New York metro area based on peer-reviewed surveys from Castle Connolly Medical Ltd., a New York-based research and information company. Each year, Castle Connolly surveys tens of thousands of practicing physicians across the US to ensure its list reflects the latest in quality care on both the national and regional levels. The company evaluates several criteria when selecting Top Doctors, including professional qualifications, education, hospital and faculty appointments, research leadership, professional reputation and disciplinary history. Through Castle Connolly’s research process, only 60,000 board-certified physicians out of 850,000 practicing doctors in the United States have been awarded Top Doctor status.

The Stony Brook Medicine “Top Doctors” featured in New York Magazine’s 2021 list by specialty are:

Adolescent Medicine

Allergy & Immunology

Cardiac Electrophysiology

Cardiovascular Disease

Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Colon & Rectal Surgery

Dermatology

Diagnostic Radiology

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism

Family Medicine

Gastroenterology

Gynecologic Oncology

Hematology

Internal Medicine

Interventional Cardiology

Maternal & Fetal Medicine

Medical Oncology

Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

Nephrology

Neurology

Neuroradiology

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Ophthalmology

Otolaryngology

Orthopaedic Surgery

Pathology

Pediatrics

Pediatric Cardiology

Pediatric Gastroenterology

Pediatric Infectious Disease

Pediatric Pulmonology

Pediatric Rheumatology

Pediatric Surgery

Pediatric Urology

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Plastic Surgery

Psychiatry

Pulmonary Disease

Radiation Oncology

Rheumatology

Surgery

Thoracic & Cardiac Surgery

Urogynecology/Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery

Urology

Vascular Surgery

About Stony Brook Medicine:

Stony Brook Medicine integrates and elevates all of Stony Brook University’s health-related initiatives: education, research and patient care. It includes five Health Sciences schools — Renaissance School of Medicine, Dental Medicine, Health Technology and Management, School of Nursing and School of Social Welfare — as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and more than 200 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

About Stony Brook University Hospital:

Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH) is Long Island’s premier academic medical center. With 624 beds, SBUH serves as the region’s only tertiary care center and Regional Trauma Center, and is home to the Stony Brook University Heart Institute, Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and Stony Brook University Neurosciences Institute. SBUH also encompasses Suffolk County’s only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center, state-designated AIDS Center, state-designated Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, state-designated Burn Center, the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center of Excellence, and Kidney Transplant Center. It is home of the nation’s first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu/sbuh.

About Stony Brook Southampton Hospital:

With 124 beds, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital (SBSH) is staffed by more than 280 physicians, dentists, and allied health professionals representing 48 medical specialties. A campus of Stony Brook University Hospital, SBSH offers a diverse array of clinical services, ranging from primary medical care to specialized surgical procedures, including cardiac catheterization, orthopedics and bariatrics. The sole provider of emergency care on Long Island’s South Fork, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is a provisional Level III adult Trauma Center. The hospital includes The Phillips Family Cancer Center, a Heart and Stroke Center, Breast Health Center, The Center for Advanced Wound Healing, Wellness Institute, and 32 satellite care centers throughout the South Fork of Long Island. The hospital is the largest employer on the South Fork with more than 1,200 employees. To learn more, visit www.southampton.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

About Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital:

With 70 beds, Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital (SBELIH) is a full-service, community hospital committed to delivering excellence in patient care and meeting all the health needs of the North Fork and Shelter Island. A campus of Stony Brook University Hospital, SBELIH provides regional behavioral health programs serving the greater Suffolk County area. Centers of excellence include Medical-Surgical, Advanced Ambulatory Care, Behavioral Health, Emergency, Geriatric, Diagnostic Services, Physical Therapy and Gastrointestinal Services. To learn more, visit www.elih.stonybrookmedicine.edu.

Credit: Stony Brook Medicine

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Ribbon cutting event for Island Rheumatology and Osteoporosis. Photo from Larry Mikorenda

Brookhaven Town Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich joined Dr. Sanjay Godhwani for the grand opening of Island Rheumatology and Osteoporosis, PC, 10 Roosevelt Avenue in Port Jefferson Station on Oct. 9. The celebration included a ribbon cutting and presentation of a certificate of congratulations. 

“Congratulations to Dr. Sanjay Godhwani and his wife Puja on creating a beautiful space that will promote wellness throughout our community. Upon meeting Dr. Godhwani I quickly recognized his commitment to high-quality care and passion for his profession. I wish him nothing but success at his new location,” said Councilmember Korneich. For more information, call 631-886-2844 or visit www.islandrheumatology.com.

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A rendering of the building by Combined Resources Consulting and Design, Inc. Image from Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook Medicine’s Clinical Practice Management Plan (CPMP) has signed a 31-year lease with Steel Equities to expand its outpatient care services into space formerly occupied by the Sears department store located at the Smith Haven Mall property in Lake Grove. Stony Brook is currently in the design phase of the 170,000 sq ft state-of-the-art facility — less than four miles from Stony Brook University Hospital — set to offer patients a comprehensive, integrated, single-site experience for all of their outpatient healthcare needs. 

The Sears in Lake Grove closed in May of 2020. Photo by Heidi Sutton

“In this new patient care center, patients will have access to expert clinicians skilled in diagnosing and treating a wide range of medical conditions in one, convenient location,” said Hal Paz, MD, Executive Vice President for the Health Sciences at Stony Brook University. “It will also provide a new educational resource for residency training of our future healthcare professionals.”

“This location offers a more modern, open concept, aggregating services by specialty which adds a unique convenience for our patients who require multiple layers of clinical care and information can be shared among providers in real-time, when it’s needed most,” said Margaret M. McGovern, MD, PhD, Vice President, Health System Clinical Programs and Strategy for Stony Brook Medicine who is leading the project. “It will also allow us to grow so that we can continue to meet the ever-evolving healthcare needs of our community.”

Once complete, the new patient care center will house multi-specialty physician offices; an infusion suite for non-cancer patients; a comprehensive pain management center; Stony Brook Children’s Hospital outpatient offices; comprehensive medical imaging services; phlebotomy and laboratory services; procedure spaces within specialty areas; hospital-affiliated outpatient care facilities; and patient education space for support groups and services.

According to Dr. McGovern, Stony Brook has an option to lease an additional 27,000 square feet of space on the second level of the building and 40,000 square feet of space where the Sears Automotive Center was once located. The goal is to open the first phase of the new multi-specialty care facility in late spring 2022, she said.

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