PBMC to lease former Mercy property for added parking, to use building if needed

Peconic Bay Medical Center has executed an interim lease agreement with the Diocese of Rockville Centre for the former Bishop McGann-Mercy High School property, PBMC President and CEO Andy Mitchell said Thursday.

“Immediately we intend to use this space for parking to eliminate our shuttle service for employees and should the need arise, we have the former school building for other needs that may arise from the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Mr. Mitchell said last week that PBMC had ordered tents that could be set up outside the main buildings if the need arises as well.

“We wish to express our appreciation to the Diocese of Rockville Centre for working with us so quickly to help us meet the community’s health care needs,” Mr. Mitchell said.

A Diocese of Rockville Centre spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Meanwhile, Stony Brook Medicine said in a statement it has activated a Hospital Incident Command Center that meets twice a day, virtually, to hear reports from nearly every hospital and ambulatory department.

“This is helping us provide the best possible patient care, use state-of-the art techniques to protect our healthcare providers, feed the supply chain, properly allocate bed needs, ensure proper staffing, and establish and maintain the best isolation procedures and more,” a statement Thursday read.

The number of confirmed Southold Town residents with COVID-19 climbed to 45 on Thursday, according to the Suffolk County Executive’s office. The number of patients being treated at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital was not disclosed.

At Stony Brook University Hospital, three units comprising 45 beds were created in the last three weeks for persons under investigation and another 16 bedded unit will be completed shortly.

“We have greatly increased our capacity for overflow bed needs and are actively working to significantly expand ICU and stepdown bed capacity. This creates new negative pressure and isolation room resources within SBUH,” the statement said.

They’ve also created a forward triage and treatment area, moving incoming patients away from the main emergency room with signage directing people with influenza-like illnesses to divert to the appropriate triage area.

Stony Brook Medicine has partnered with two commercial laboratories where patient samples can be sent as well as the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratories.

“Testing is the key to mitigating the epidemic, and on-site, point-of-contact testing will greatly improve our handling of PUIs and patients with documented COVID-19,” the statement said.

Stony Brook Medicine has also enlisted volunteers such as graduate, medical and nursing students to be ready to assist as patient count climbs above capacity. Graduate students from the basic science and clinical departments have also volunteered to assist with laboratory response to the need for testing.

“For in-house testing, we are prioritizing work assignments to those students who have relevant lab experience with the techniques needed to perform PCR assays of the type required to assess the presence of SARS-CoV2, the Coronavirus causing COVID-19,” the statement said.

Stony Brook is also working to increase its telehealth capacities to assist patients virtually.

Stony Brook has also postponed elective surgeries and procedures, as has Northwell Health. Urgent procedures or operations will still continue.