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Peconic Bay Medical Center taps the healing effects of art and music

Contact:             Lauren Jacobsen
631-548-6827    LJacobsen1@northwell.edu

Known for its advanced technology, East End’s largest hospital adds The Art of Healing and Music by the Bedside programs to its arsenal of healing techniques

RIVERHEAD, NY—Artwork and music have been found to offer positive healing effects for patients. Comfort and emotional support is expressed through the artwork and music exchange. Peconic Bay Medical Center has recently incorporated two programs that truly can be called “healing arts.”

Music by the Bedside is a collaboration between East End Arts musicians and palliative care patients in Peconic Bay Medical Center’s innovative Pegasus House Palliative Care program. The Musicians at East End Arts play a part in the overall supportive treatment of the patient. The music is an individual performance, performed by the patient's bedside, for an intimate, one-on-one experience.  

The Art Therapy Program allows patients to choose a piece of artwork from a selection of photographs of local, East End landmarks as personalized art in their room. This helps the patient’s room have a more personal, unique appearance, rather than the usual uniform appearance of a hospital room.

“Compassion and emotional support are our starting point in providing care for our patients,” said Andrew J. Mitchell, President and CEO of Peconic Bay Medical Center. “Yes, it’s true that we are making major investments in leading-edge medical equipment and advanced-technology capabilities, but healing happens best when people feel truly cared for. That’s what these programs are all about.”

The Art Therapy program is run by volunteers who are specially selected for the program. They are trained to enter the patient’s room and speak with the patient about their interests, hobbies and pleasures in life. The patient is given a catalog of photographs highlighting local East End landmarks and are asked to choose their selection. The image will stay in the patient’s room the entire stay. All photographs are from the personal collection of noted East End photographer Jim Lennon.

Peconic Bay Medical Center is seeking more volunteers for The Art of Healing Program. We are looking for personable, energetic men or women to dedicate 1 to 2 days per week at a total of 2 hours a day. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the Office of Volunteer Services at (631) 548-6021.

 

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About Peconic Bay Medical Center

Located in Riverhead, NY, Peconic Bay Medical Center is a non-profit hospital committed to providing exceptional care and improving the health of the communities it serves. Peconic Bay Medical Center offers wide-ranging, full-scope services and programs along with state-of-art technology. Peconic Bay Medical Center joined Northwell Health in 2016. For more information, visit PBMCHealth.org.

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 22 hospitals and over 550 outpatient facilities. We care for more than two million people annually in the metro New York area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 62,000 employees – 15,000+ nurses and about 3,900 physicians, including more than 2,800 members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institute. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine and the School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. And we offer health insurance through CareConnect. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu.