By Lindsey Coulter
Project stakeholders gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 5 to celebrate the late spring opening of the new Stony Brook East Hampton Emergency Department in East Hampton, N.Y. The East Hampton Emergency Department is an off-campus extension of Stony Brook Southampton Hospital Emergency Department and is one of only a few free-standing emergency departments (EDs) in New York State.
While spanning just 22,000 square feet, the state-of-the-art facility will provide essential care for residents on the farthest end of the South Fork of Long Island, and it will be especially vital through the community’s busy summer months. The project team includes Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Stony Brook University Hospital, the New York studio of architect Perkins Eastman, global contractor Turner Construction and owner’s representative LiRo-Hill, headquartered in Syosset, N.Y.
“The Stony Brook East Hampton Emergency Department offers our citizens improved access and reduced response times for vital emergency care and other necessary services,” said Peter Van Scoyoc, East Hampton town supervisor, in a statement. “This is crucial for meeting the expanding healthcare needs of our growing community.”
According to the National Center for Health Statistics database, ED visits among adults have increased in recent years, with the U.S. reporting 140 million ED visits in 2021, equating to an overall rate of 43 visits per 100 people. Approximately 30 million ill and injured children annually visit emergency departments (EDs) in the United States, representing approximately 20% of children in the US. These trends underscore the importance of emergency departments to help save lives and deliver appropriate, timely care that could make a difference in a person’s life. In addition, EDs are often on the front line of mass-casualty incidents, disasters and public health emergencies. With increased frequency, EDs also conduct complex diagnostic workups of patients with worrisome symptoms.
To address local needs, the Stony Brook Medicine East Hampton Emergency Department will treat a wide range of medical conditions and stabilize patients who are in need of acute critical care and arrange for smooth transport to either Stony Brook Southampton Hospital or Stony Brook University Hospital. It will also provide emergency care with subspecialty backup supported through an integrated information technology system, which will connect the off-campus emergency facility to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and Stony Brook University Hospital.
The facility offers a dedicated resuscitation room as well as cardiac monitoring capability in all 11 exam rooms. The facility will also offer fast-track treatment rooms for general, pediatric, obstetrics/gynecology, and ophthalmology patients. Additional spaces include two isolation rooms and imaging rooms to support MRI, CT, Ultrasound X-ray needs.
Ample internal glazing ensures clear sight lines into treatment areas from the nurses’ stations, while large expanses of external glazing allow for healing natural light to complement the soothing color palette.
Sustainability elements include electric-vehicle charging stations, adjustable energy and temperature settings, rooftop solar panels, a rain-catch garden and native plantings to reduce environmental impact.
The project was supported by a $10 million grant from the state of New York as well as $30 million in donations from the community.
