We've always been thankful that there is a hospital here. It's one of the things that makes the East End a viable and good community. You may argue that Southampton Hospital is not the best facility for heart bypass or bariatric surgery, but an emergency room sure makes us feel safe.

After spending six hours in the Southampton ER one Sunday this spring, we are woefully discouraged to report that this community really does not have a viable ER. It's a scary realization.  Pregnant and dehydrated, our doctor advised that we run to the ER to be redrydrated immediately. Arriving just after noon, were not seen by a physician until almost 3:30pm and then were not hooked up to fluids until almost 4:00pm.  Unfortunately, by that time, we were in significantly worse condition and had briefly fainted. While we realized that this was not a life-threatening emergency, there was not exactly a room full of gun shot wounds. What was most disconcerting, was that upon arrival, no one asked what was wrong and a triage nurse did not appear for almost 15 minutes. With one party in front of us, and others subsequently staggering in, no one even passed by to ask the status of our emergencies. But lots of medical staff walked to and fro with plates and large platters of food.  Yes, we know any ER can be a mixed bag and we just may have hit a bad day, but the number of disturbing reports we hear from the Southampton ER is just staggering. Driving to NYC, or one of the excellent mid-Island hospitals, would certainly have been a better choice for us.

The lesson to be learned, is that we all need to consider alternate options, especially if you have kids. We now live in fear that had we run in with a non-breathing child, no one would have responded. Maybe the response would have been better if we had arrived by ambulance?

Here is our research that may help you to determine the best plan for your family.  As with everything in healthcare these days, you need to take control of the situation and have information ready to make the best decisions. We've posted these numbers near our phone.

1. Southampton Urgent Care-Dr. Kot   631.204.9600
Dr. Kot's office is in Southampton, at 609 Hampton Rd. and the intersection of County Road 39, next to Carvel.  He is a former head of emergency medicine at Southampton Hospital and provides a full range of services from emergency care to basic wellness and prescriptions. Many locals use Dr. Kot as their primary doctor and he sees many summer visitors who need a quick visit.  His office tells us that they would have hooked us up to IV fluids within 10 minutes. He also performs sutures and other emergency functions.  All services are walk-in but the hours are sometimes spotty; summer hours are extended to 7 days and late nights, however you might want to call if it is late in the day to make sure someone is there. This is a true alternative for most emergency care.

2. Wainscott Walk-in Medical    631.537.1892
Another walk-in urgent care facility.  The office is perfect for urgent doctor visits and prescriptions, but does not provide emergency care.

3. Peconic Bay Medical Center Emergency Department in Riverhead      631.548.6200
Reports from several fronts claim that this hospital has made huge improvements and has actually become a good choice.  And they seem to have some sort of affiliation with Stony Brook Medical Center. We've heard from friends that residents in the western areas of town now routinely choose it over Southampton Hospital.

4. Stony Brook Medical Center    631.444.2465
This is where we would want to go for a life-threatening emergency and would direct any ambulance there. We hear that the ER is always packed.

5. Phone Number of a Good Plastic Surgeon
For those with children, we advise that you keep handy the phone number of a good plastic surgeon.  At even the best ER, you don't want them stitching the face. And after an accident is not a good time to start calling around. Not a personal recommendation, but we have heard that Dr. Steven Palumbo in Quogue is top notch 631-653-6112. Do some research here.

6. Southampton Hospital Emergency Room  631-726-8420
While the understaffing was unacceptable, the physician and nurse who cared for us were completely competent and pleasant. Not that you will get an accurate answer, but  you may want to call on the way over to determine the wait.