Stony Brook Medicine Reaches New Milestone with Systemwide CMS Five-Star Recognition

Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH), Suffolk County's only academic medical center and Level 1 Trauma Center for both adults and children, earned a five-star overall quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the highest rating awarded by the federal agency.

This rating, which includes all hospitals in the Stony Brook Medicine healthcare system, marks the first time Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital and Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital earned the highest rating. Only 12 percent of 3,203 reporting hospitals nationwide earned five-star status in April 2026.

"This recognition reinforces Stony Brook Medicine's mission as an academic health system dedicated to excellence in patient care, research and education," said William A. Wertheim, MD, Executive Vice President at Stony Brook Medicine. "Achieving the highest possible rating reflects the extraordinary teamwork and clinical expertise across our hospitals, and our continued focus on improving outcomes and advancing the standard of care for every patient we treat."

"Earning five-stars from CMS is a tremendous milestone for Stony Brook Medicine and reflects the unwavering commitment of our physicians, nurses, staff and leadership to delivering exceptional care to the communities we serve," said Carol A. Gomes, CEO of Stony Brook University Hospital. "To see all hospitals within our healthcare system achieve this distinction for the first time speaks to the strength of our integrated approach to patient care, safety and quality across Long Island."

CMS, part of the Department of Health and Human Services, created the five-star rating to help consumers identify health care facilities by quality metrics, which include patient outcomes such as mortality, safety of care, readmissions, patient experience and timely and effective care. See how SBUH performed in specific quality measures that make up for the overall star rating.

Stony Brook Medicine integrates and elevates all of Stony Brook University's health-related initiatives: education, research and patient care. It includes five Health Sciences schools - Renaissance School of Medicine, School of Dental Medicine, School of Health Professions, School of Nursing and School of Social Welfare - as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, Stony Brook Children's Hospital and more than 200 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County.

Stony Brook University Hospital is Long Island's premier academic health center. With 628 beds, SBUH serves as the region's only tertiary care center and Regional Trauma Center, and is home to the Stony Brook University Heart Institute, Stony Brook University Cancer Center, Stony Brook Children's Hospital and Stony Brook University Neurosciences Institute. SBUH also encompasses Suffolk County's only Level 4 Regional Perinatal Center, state-designated AIDS Center, state-designated Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program, state-designated Burn Center, the Christopher Pendergast ALS Center of Excellence, and Kidney Transplant Center. It is home of the nation's first Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Center.

With 120 beds, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital (SBSH) is staffed by more than 280 physicians, dentists, and allied health professionals representing 48 medical specialties. SBSH offers a diverse array of clinical services, ranging from primary medical care to specialized surgical procedures, including cardiac catheterization, orthopedics and bariatrics. The sole provider of emergency care on Long Island's South Fork, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital is a designated Level III Trauma Center and primary stroke center. The hospital includes the Stony Brook East Hampton Emergency Department, The Phillips Family Cancer Center, a Heart and Stroke Center, Breast Health Center, The Center for Advanced Wound Healing, Wellness Institute, and 32 satellite care centers throughout the South Fork of Long Island. The hospital is the largest employer on the South Fork with more than 1,200 employees.

As part of Stony Brook Medicine, Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital (SBELIH) combines the best in academic and community medicine, improving access to advanced medical care for residents of the North Fork and Shelter Island. With 70 beds, SBELIH is Suffolk County's first hospital, serving the region since 1905. SBELIH provides care to 25,000 year-round residents, expanding to more than 60,000 in the summer, and offers comprehensive healthcare services including behavioral health, medical-surgical care, orthopedics and general surgery, wound care, interventional spine and sports medicine, gastroenterology, advanced ambulatory care, diagnostic laboratory and radiology services, and physical therapy. SBELIH has achieved Primary Stroke Center designation from The Joint Commission, reflecting its commitment to delivering high-quality, timely stroke care close to home. The hospital also serves as a clinical campus and training site for Stony Brook Medicine, with its first SBELIH Psychiatry resident graduating in 2022.