Stony Brook University Hospital is advancing its surgical services with a $16 million expansion of its ambulatory surgery center in Commack, N.Y.
The new 19,500-square-foot addition, to be completed in two phases, will complement the existing 120,000-square-foot facility that has housed Stony Brook Medicine’s advanced specialty care practice since 2017. The center currently provides a variety of surgical services, including bariatric, colorectal, gastrointestinal, head and neck, plastic and vascular procedures. With this expansion, a recovery area will be introduced featuring 16 patient spaces, complete with two private rooms and 14 open bays.
Allyson Silver, AVP Operations, Surgical Services at Stony Brook Medicine, explained that the expansion is driven by the shift of surgical cases from inpatient to ambulatory settings.
“Surgical cases continue to shift from inpatient to ambulatory, and Stony Brook Medicine’s growth strategy is focused on expanding operating rooms and procedural access across Suffolk County,” Silver wrote in an email to The Statesman. “Patients want to receive care in a safe environment and have their procedures closer to home. With a substantial presence from many clinical departments already in the beautiful Commack space, it’s a perfect fit[.]”
The first phase of the expansion will introduce two operating rooms with a dedicated recovery space and sterile processing, focusing on orthopedics, urology, ophthalmology and pain management.
“These services already have a large footprint in Commack and are expecting continued growth in their outpatient surgical cases,” Silver explained.
She also highlighted the impact this expansion will have on patient care.
“We expect this to be a great addition as we continue to prioritize patient and surgeon satisfaction. This will be a safe and efficient surgical center and help to shift ambulatory cases from the Hospital campus, increasing access for patients needing more complex care and inpatient stays,” Silver wrote.
The funding structure for the project involves a 20-year capital lease agreement where the facility’s landlord will finance construction costs, while Stony Brook University Hospital will reimburse the investment over time. Additionally, the State University Construction Fund, a public entity supporting SUNY institutions, will cover the costs of medical equipment.
This initiative is part of a larger effort by Stony Brook Medicine to expand its healthcare services. Other ongoing projects include a $67 million expansion of its pediatric and psychiatric emergency departments, responding to a 20% rise in pediatric emergency visits from 2019 to 2023. The pediatric emergency department will grow to over 23,000 square feet, incorporating 17 exam rooms, two trauma rooms and additional clinical and support spaces.
Stony Brook Medicine has also opened a new location in Lake Grove called Stony Brook Advanced Speciality Care. The new facility, which debuted in July 2023, transformed a former Sears department store into a state-of-the-art outpatient care center.
“A critical piece of our planning for the future is making access to world-class healthcare at Stony Brook Medicine easier for our patients — and expansion of our outpatient sites is one way we are delivering on this promise,” Hal Paz, now former Executive Vice President for Health Sciences at Stony Brook University and CEO of Stony Brook University Medicine, said at the facility’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The Lake Grove facility’s expansion will continue in phases through 2027, with plans to incorporate additional services like orthopedics, obstetrics, gynecology and radiology.
Looking ahead, Silver indicated that the new hospital location in Commack, N.Y. will expand its services.
“We continue to plan for growth outside of the hospital with additional procedural rooms and endoscopy suites planned in the next [two] years,” Silver wrote.
