Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead will be expanding its Emergency Services Department after receiving a $5 million donation.
The donation made by longtime supporters of PBMC, Thomas and Mary Jane Poole, will go toward a 6,600-square-foot expansion that will cost a total of $15 million, according to a PBMC.
“The direction of PBMC, along with executive director Amy Loeb’s vision, motivated and inspired us to help advance both,” the couple said in a press release Monday announcing the donation.
Residents of Westhampton and Garden City, the Pooles have contributed to PBMC since 2006 and have helped support the growth of multiple medical services. According to the press release, their donation will help accelerate the timeline on the expansion.
The plans include the implementation of a dual-bay trauma unit and additional cardiac response services. The expansion will also include the establishment of a dedicated pediatric treatment area, incorporate advanced radiology capabilities and enhance patient privacy, according to the press release.
“As the need for advanced emergency services increases, this donation will directly enhance the patient experience at all levels of Peconic Bay Medical Center,” said PBMC’s chair of emergency medicine, Dr. Lincoln Cox. “People need access to quality health care, and this donation will benefit Suffolk County residents. The new space this donation helps create will directly lead to lives saved.”
The contribution will also help to increase critical care capacity by more than 75 percent. According to the press release, PBMC’s emergency department responds to more than 36,000 patients every year.
In addition, PBMC provides over 250,000 eastern Suffolk residents with access to advanced cardiac catheterization suites, a New York State-designated stroke center and Level III trauma center. As a member of Northwell Health, PBMC reports that it recently saw a sharp increase in cases of people suffering from trauma, heart attack or stroke.
“This gift will enable PBMC to continue to meet the growing health care needs in Eastern Suffolk and to do so in a modern, technologically enabled facility,” said senior vice president and executive director of Northwell’s Eastern region, Stephen Bello.
Ms. Loeb said the “cornerstone donation” will allow PBMC to take another step to expand emergency care on the East End.
“As the needs of our communities grow, our facilities must keep pace,” she said. “This expansion is vital to the quality of service we deliver in our Emergency Department.”
PBMC is planning a September event to honor Mr. and Ms. Poole.
In 2020, PBMC formally opened its critical care pavilion and heart center, part of a major expansion that was first announced in 2016. The expansion featured a 16-bet intensive and cardiac care unit and the heart center features two cardiac catheterization laboratories, an electrophysiology suite and recovery rooms.