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Peconic Bay Medical Center Foundation receives $5M donation toward Emergency Department expansion

Contact: Steven Vulpis
(631) 548-6891
svulpis@northwell.edu

RIVERHEAD, NY – Peconic Bay Medical Center (PBMC) announced today that it has received a milestone $5 million donation that will go toward a new 6,600-square-foot expansion of the hospital’s Emergency Services Department that will cost a total of $15 million. The generous gift was from longtime PBMC supporters Thomas B. Poole and Mary Jane Poole, Westhampton Beach and Garden City residents whose philanthropic efforts have focused on advancing access to health care and improving quality of life throughout Suffolk County for decades.

“Thomas and Mary Jane Poole’s cornerstone donation will help take us another step forward in addressing the issue of access to emergency care in eastern Suffolk County and will help save lives,” said Amy E. Loeb, RN, PBMC’s executive director. “As the needs of our communities grow, our facilities must keep pace. This expansion is vital to the quality of service we deliver in our Emergency Department.”

Due to the region’s growing population and PBMC’s sophisticated medical capabilities and reputation, the Emergency Department responds to more than 36,000 patients every year. PBMC, a member of Northwell Health, recently saw a sharp increase in more severe cases such as people suffering with trauma, heart attack or stroke.

“This gift will enable PBMC to continue to meet the growing healthcare needs in Eastern Suffolk and to do so in a modern, technologically enabled facility,” said Stephen Bello, PA, senior vice president and executive director of Northwell’s Eastern Region. “We are truly thankful to Thomas and Mary Jane, whose contribution to enhancing medical care in Suffolk County will be felt for generations.”

This single contribution will help pave the way to increase critical care capacity by more than 75 percent. Expansion plans include the implementation of a dual-bay trauma unit and additional cardiac response services, establish a dedicated pediatric treatment area, incorporate advanced radiology capabilities and enhance patient privacy.

“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 Lincoln Cox, MD, PBMC's chair of Emergency Medicine. “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 Pooles have been contributing to PBMC since 2006 and have supported the growth of a range of medical services. With this donation, the timeline for expanding the emergency capabilities is accelerated. A September 2022 event will be held in their honor.

“The direction of PBMC, along with Executive Director Amy Loeb’s vision, motivated and inspired us to help advance both,” said Mr. and Mrs. Poole. Mr. Poole is the former chairman at The Hallen Construction Company, Inc. and honorary trustee at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Before his retirement from The Hallen Construction Company in 2019 – a family-owned construction company in the New York Metropolitan area – Mr. Poole was president and CEO from 1976 to 2014, at which time his son, Shepard, assumed the reins. Under Mr. Poole’s direction, the company grew into a major distribution contractor serving the region’s principal utilities, various pipeline companies, private sector companies and public sector agencies. For more than 90 years Hallen has provided unparalleled service to its customers. Under his direction the company also contributed to the advancement of the Long Island sewer and water systems. From his time in the United States Navy to his current position as an honorary trustee of Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Mr. Poole has maintained the central belief that giving back to people and the community is one of his primary focuses in life.

The Pooles have consistently contributed to charities in Garden City and communities across Long Island, such as the Westhampton Performing Arts Center, Adelphi University’s Performing Arts Center, Old Westbury Gardens, The Nassau County Museum of Art, and the Nassau Chapter of the American Heart Association.

“Thomas and Mary Jane have been incredibly gracious supporters of Peconic Bay Medical Center for a long time, and we are thrilled to acknowledge their remarkable $5 million donation for the expansion of our Emergency Department,” said Emilie Roy Corey, chair of Peconic Bay Medical Center Foundation. “At its core, Peconic Bay is a hospital that is dedicated to serving the people of this great community. This contribution furthers that mission.”

As the eastern hub of Northwell Health and eastern Suffolk County’s largest health care provider, PBMC provides over 250,000 eastern Suffolk residents with the closest access to advanced cardiac catheterization suites, a New York State-designated stroke center, Level III trauma services, and Eastern Suffolk County’s largest—and busiest—Emergency Department.

For more information about Peconic Bay Medical Center and the life-saving capabilities of its Emergency and Trauma Departments, visit http://www.pbmchealth.org.

 

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About Peconic Bay Medical Center

Located in Riverhead, NY, Peconic Bay Medical Center is a 200-bed nonprofit 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, including advanced surgical, cardiac, orthopedic and women’s health care, comprehensive inpatient medical care, palliative care and an extensive range of outpatient services, along with state-of-the-art technology. Peconic Bay Medical Center joined Northwell Health in 2016. For more information, visit PBMCHealth.org and follow us @PeconicBayMedicalCenter on FacebookInstagram and LinkedIn.