PBMC begins construction of new Neurosciences Center

Peconic Bay Medical Center is breaking down barriers to neurological care on the East End of Long Island. They celebrated this achievement Monday, May 12, with a symbolic “wall-breaking” to mark the start of construction of the hospital’s new Bill and Ruth Ann Harnisch Neurosciences Center.

Thanks to last year’s $5 million donation made by Mr. and Mrs. Harnisch of Southampton, PBMC is on its way to building Suffolk County’s first dedicated, state-of-the-art neuroscience center, equipped with the latest diagnostic and therapeutic technologies.

The center will also serve as the only Eastern Long Island facility capable of performing a cerebral mechanical thrombectomy, a minimally invasive procedure that can remove a blood clot and quickly restore blood flow to the brain after a major stroke — bringing critical neurological care much closer to home for East End residents.

With construction expected to be completed by the end of this year, PBMC president Amy Loeb revealed at the wall-breaking ceremony that the hospital plans to begin treating patients at the new facility in the first quarter of 2026.

“The residents out here facing advanced stroke emergencies historically have always been experiencing significant distances — losing time when every second counts,” Ms. Loeb said. “The Bill and Ruth Ann Harnisch Neurosciences Center will change that soon. It will bring life-saving interventions directly to our community. This means faster treatment, preserving vital brain tissue [and] preventing loss of function.”

PBMC is already a state-designated stroke center and treats roughly 1,000 patients each year for stroke or stroke-related illnesses, according to the hospital’s website. Dr. Richard Jung, Northwell’s stroke director for the Eastern region, said the neuroscience center will be able to expand PBMC’s medical capabilities, such as providing high-quality angiograms in the arteries of the brain to scan for various neurological diseases.

Other more advanced procedures that will be offered through the center include carotid artery stenting and middle meningeal artery embolization to treat chronic subdural hematomas. Treatment for brain aneurysms will come in the future as well, Dr. Jung said.

“With the additional, more invasive treatment for acute ischemic stroke, it doesn’t just require a machine, it requires the elevation of everything in the hospital: hospital services, nursing care, hospital resources, surgical care, expansion of different hospital departments just to provide this level of care,” Dr. Jung said. “For the region, it’s big win, because the hospital has to work harder to get better to provide this level of care.”

The neuroscience center is part of PBMC’s $92 million investment in the expansion of the Riverhead hospital, which also includes the launch of the Center for Women and Infants and a newly expanded emergency department — the Poole Family Trauma and Emergency Center.

“Nothing comes close to what this facility here can provide,” Mr. Harnisch said, before he and his wife were given sledgehammers to break through the first wall to make way for construction. “I think we’re going to save lives.”

Strokes are the leading cause of adult disability and fifth leading cause of death in the United States, according to the American Stroke Association. With May being National Stroke Awareness Month, knowing the signs and acting F.A.S.T. is crucial to saving lives. Learn more about the warning signs and stroke prevention by visiting Stroke.org.