The next generation of health care

Health care is changing from hospitalbased care to community-based care. People prefer to forge long-term relationships with their primary care doctors in order to stay active and live a vibrant and health-conscious life. In many cases, what was once considered complex care no longer needs to be delivered in the inpatient setting.

Catholic Health is accelerating its outpatient strategy, now placing numerous ambulatory care hubs across Long Island. These “medical malls” bring together top-quality primary care providers with first-rate specialists in areas such as cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology, oncology, orthopedic surgery and more. Patients can access care at the highest level outside the hospital environment, all under one roof.

“We’re moving from sick care to well care,” said Catholic Health President & CEO Patrick O’Shaughnessy, DO, MBA. “We have reimagined how and where our patients can access care to help keep people healthier longer. Some of our newer and bigger ambulatory care facilities are essentially bed-less hospitals, able to provide imaging, accelerate diagnoses, and commence treatment all in one place. Best of all, by scheduling regular well visits with your primary provider, we can get in front of diseases before they spiral. That is going to bend the disease curve and preempt hospitalization for a lot of Long Islanders.”

This “next generation” of health care is coming to dramatic fruition with the launch of Catholic Health’s comprehensive Ambulatory & Urgent Care center, due to open in Centereach this summer. The 63,000-square-foot complex at 2112 Middle Country Road will include an urgent care wing offering walk-in care—providing care when and where you need it.

Similar ambulatory care sites and medical malls are launching across Nassau and parts of Queens, yet with a particular emphasis on Suffolk, where Catholic Health is expanding its presence. This includes the nationally recognized cardiovascular services of St. Francis Heart Center.

“We’ve already expanded access to Bay Shore, Brookhaven, Patchogue, West Islip and West Babylon,” said Catholic Health’s Chief Medical Officer Jason Golbin, DO. “Now we’re bringing St. Francis to points further east. We want all Long Islanders to benefit from the expertise that has earned Catholic Health high honors on the national and international stage. And that medical and surgical excellence is always coupled with a healthy dose of human compassion. It’s just who we are.”