St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson is set to become an integrated campus of Good Samaritan University Hospital, a strategic move announced by Catholic Health officials on Thursday. Pending state and federal approvals, the Port Jefferson facility will officially be known as Good Samaritan University Hospital St. Charles Campus starting July 1. This significant integration is not expected to alter current staff responsibilities or patient care, ensuring continuity, strength, and stability for the community it serves.

The primary objectives behind linking St. Charles with the larger Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip are comprehensive. Catholic Health stated that this integration will lead to enhanced training opportunities for workers and foster improved patient care through the sharing of staff expertise and services across both facilities. Furthermore, the initiative is designed to bolster the financial health of both hospitals, enabling the system to reinvest more effectively in critical services. "Our primary goal is to enhance how care is delivered," Catholic Health emphasized in a statement, adding, "This integration is expected to make it easier for patients to schedule appointments, find doctors, and access the high-quality services we provide."

St. Charles Hospital, a 253-bed facility, boasts a rich history spanning over a century, having originally focused on providing care for homeless children with disabilities from Brooklyn. Its commitment to patient well-being continues to evolve, as evidenced by a recent significant investment in its emergency department. The hospital recently completed a $10 million expansion project, adding 4,000 square feet to its emergency services. This expansion, which utilized a $4.2 million state grant alongside an additional $6.8 million investment from the hospital, now features 27 treatment bays and an enlarged waiting room.

A notable enhancement within the expanded emergency department includes seven dedicated beds, set apart by a sliding wall and equipped with their own bathrooms. This private environment is specifically designed to accommodate patients requiring support for chemical dependency, as highlighted by St. Charles President James O'Connor. He explained that this arrangement significantly improves the experience for all patients, as individuals undergoing medically supervised withdrawal often seek privacy, and their distress can sometimes affect other patients. O'Connor noted that approximately 17% of the 18,000 patients who visit the emergency department annually are seeking clinician guidance and supervision for withdrawal, underscoring the vital need for these quiet, specialized areas. The expanded emergency department began admitting patients on Monday.

Industry experts view such administrative consolidations as common practice. Wendy Darwell, president and CEO of the Suburban Hospital Alliance of New York State, an advocacy group, commented that these changes are "fairly typical." She also pointed out that consolidating hospitals in this manner can increase federal reimbursements for teaching programs. "Many other hospitals that are part of health systems on Long Island and across the state are organized the same way," Darwell stated, recognizing it as "a mechanism for extending medical education programs across a health system while improving care integration — all good news for patients at Good Samaritan and St. Charles.”

Good Samaritan University Hospital, Catholic Health’s flagship hospital in Suffolk County, serves approximately 90,000 patients annually. It is also undergoing a substantial $500 million expansion project, which includes the construction of a six-story, 300,000-square-foot Patient Care Pavilion on its Montauk Highway campus. This future development will feature an enhanced emergency department and a larger surgical suite, equipped with 16 operating rooms and private pre- and post-surgery rooms, further solidifying the health system's commitment to advanced patient care.