In 1980, Stony Brook University Hospital first opened its doors and became the region’s first academic medical center. The hospital, together with the Health Sciences schools, were founded in response to a report commissioned in 1963 by then New York State Governor Nelson Rockefeller.
Construction of the 504-bed hospital began in 1973 and was completed in June 1978 at a cost of approximately $150 million. The 325-foot, 19-story structure occupied nearly three-quarters of a million square feet.
By 1980, after a year of mass recruitment of staff, the hospital employed 800 people. On Feb. 18, the first two patients were admitted to the hospital, and on May 24, Stony Brook University Hospital was formally dedicated. After the hospital officially opened, many milestones were reached, and distinctions came quickly.
Throughout its 40 years, Stony Brook Medicine has grown to become Long Island’s premier academic medical center. Today, the 818-bed healthcare system provides advanced and compassionate care to Long Islanders, with more than one million patient encounters each year. As an academic medical center, Stony Brook continues to play a major role in leading research and pioneering techniques.
With a clinical reach from Montauk to Manhattan, Stony Brook Medicine now encompasses four hospitals, five Health Sciences schools, a large multispecialty practice in Commack and a burgeoning relationship with Mount Sinai Health System for research collaboration, academic programs and clinical care initiatives. The healthcare system also includes a strong physician network and more than 230 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County.
[…] Brook University Hospital (SBUH) — Long Island’s first academic medical center — is taking proactive measures against coronavirus […]