Stony Brook Children’s Hospital has officially put shovels in the ground on a $55 million pediatric emergency department that hospital leaders say will be a game changer for families from one end of Suffolk County to the other. The new space is designed as a modern hub for pediatric emergency and trauma care, with more exam bays, dedicated pediatric critical-care areas and telemedicine links that connect specialists in Stony Brook to community hospitals. Site work began in fall 2025, and the multi-year buildout is expected to ease crowding and cut wait times when kids show up on the worst days of their lives.
According to TBR News Media, the project carries a $55 million price tag, with nearly 200 donors kicking in about $21 million toward the cost. Crain's New York Business also reported on the expansion this week.
What the hospital will build
As outlined in Stony Brook University’s annual donor report, the project will add roughly 17,000 square feet to the Children’s Hospital emergency area. Plans call for additional exam rooms and two dedicated pediatric critical-care bays. Hospital documents say the extra elbow room is meant to keep patients flowing, especially during those winter and early spring surges when every seat in the waiting room fills up.
Staffing, training and telemedicine
According to Patch, the reworked emergency department will include about 20 patient exam rooms, two critical-care bays and the ability to handle more than 35,000 visits a year. Stony Brook plans to bring on additional pediatric emergency physicians, launch a pediatric emergency fellowship program and ramp up telemedicine so specialists in Stony Brook can support smaller Long Island hospitals in real time.
Why this matters for Long Island families
Stony Brook’s donor and planning documents note that the current pediatric emergency department already sees roughly 25,000 to 26,000 visits a year, and the upgrade is meant to reinforce the hospital’s American College of Surgeons-accredited Level I pediatric trauma services. Hospital leaders say the added capacity should keep more children with serious injuries or illnesses on the island instead of putting families through late-night transfers and long drives to other facilities.
Groundbreaking and reaction
Hospital leaders including Stony Brook Medicine Executive Vice President William Wertheim and Stony Brook University Hospital CEO Carol Gomes were scheduled to speak at the groundbreaking, with Dr. Carolyn Milana representing the Children’s Hospital and members of the Advancement Council also on hand. Patch reports officials said the expansion will "significantly enhance access to specialized emergency and trauma services for children and families on Long Island."
Site work began in fall 2025 and construction is slated to wrap in 2029, according to TBR News Media. Local officials say the mix of philanthropy, training programs and telemedicine is aimed at keeping more specialized pediatric care close to home for Suffolk families who would rather not leave the island when the stakes are highest.
