Kaushansky: "I Really Believe We Are Rising"

Get ready for big things to happen at over the next few years.

In a presentation to the Three Village Chamber of Commerce on Friday, the dean of Stony Brook's called Stony Brook University Hospital "a big business in Suffolk County" that is going to grow swiftly during the next five years.

"If you thought you knew Stony Brook, forget it. It's a whole new Stony Brook," Dr. Kenneth Kaushansky said. "I really believe we are rising."

In trying to accomplish that, he said the hospital has specific goals beyond delivering "outstanding medical practices." Those goals include advancing the science of medicine, educating future healthcare providers, and informing policymakers and politicians.

The hospital currently operates with a $900 million budget based on revenues and state aid, including spending $425 million in its School of Medicine budget and $110 million in research expenditures.

Part of the $150 million gift from the Simons Foundation to Stony Brook University, , will facilitate the construction of the Medical and Research Translation (MART) building that will be the new home of Stony Brook's Cancer Center and triple the hospital's capacity to treat cancer patients. Another $28 milion will be invested in bringing in top-notch medical faculty. Additional funding will go towards a dedicated facility for .

Kaushansky also said the hospital will be networking on a deeper level with others on Long Island, including Port Jefferson's , Riverhead's , Brookhaven Hospital, and .

Kaushansky said the effects of the hospital's expansion will trickle down to the business community. The construction of the new facilities will bring jobs to the area. And with more patients receiving care at the hospital, more families will flock to the area and will likely patronize local shops, restaurants, hotels and other community resources.

"I really believe we have an opportunity here to become one of the world's best," he said. "We have excellence in every corner of this hospital."