ELIH, Stony Brook cut ribbon to commemorate merger

Hospital representatives, elected officials and community members joined for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Peconic Landing in Greenport Tuesday to celebrate Eastern Long Island Hospital joining the Stony Brook Medicine healthcare system.

The merger became official July 1 and the 90-bed hospital will now be known as “Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital.”

New York State Senator and longtime Stony Brook supporter Ken LaValle said the road to affiliation was a “long, long trip.” The possible merger was first announced in 2015.

“It really does take a group of people to make it happen,” he said. “It may not get there as quickly as we all want, but it will happen,” he said.

The relationship aims to provide North Fork residents to greater access to Stony Brook Medicine’s specialists, clinical trials and advanced technology combined with the personalized care of a community-based hospital.

Officials noted that patients who require more intensive care at Stony Brook University Hospital can be seamlessly admitted and benefit from enhanced services, including shared medical records, clinical care protocols and quality assurance programs.

Hospital officials plan to meet with an advisory committee of current ELIH board members and community members to work to identify health gaps, especially in neurology, gynecology and oncology.

“From here, we can see the future of health care for the communities that we serve,” said Paul Connor III, who will serve as the new hospital’s chief administrative officer. “And that future is bright.”