Newsday reports that HSS has announced the opening of its second Long Island facility, marking its first expansion into Suffolk County.

Justin Oppenheimer, executive vice president for the hospital, said the decision to open an East End location was based on the number of patients HSS serves on the Island already.

“Every year HSS doctors treat tens of thousands of patients from Long Island,” Oppenheimer said. “So, we owe it to the community to continue to be able to serve them as best as we can.”

While surgeries will not be performed at the Southampton facility, physicians there will triage patients and X-ray for sports-related injuries, provide pain management, offer spinal care and help treat orthopedic trauma, Oppenheimer said.

"The Southampton location is really an access point when people either need an initial diagnosis or a follow-up," Oppenheimer said.

Surgeries will primarily be done at HSS’ Manhattan hospital, he said.

Oppenheimer said surgeons at HSS, which has just over 20 locations mostly in the New York metro area and south Florida, perform roughly 1% of all knee and hip replacements in the U.S. 

“We are pleased to make better quality care more convenient for the Long Island community,” said Dr. Mark Drakos, foot and ankle surgeon and medical director of HSS Long Island. “HSS Southampton responds to a steady increase in demand for our highly specialized orthopedic care from eastern Long Island.”

This article appeared in September 5 issue of Newsday.  

Read the full article at Newsday.com