South Shore University Hospital Opens First Neuroscience ICU

BAY SHORE, NY — South Shore University Hospital announced the completion of its first-ever neurosciences intensive care unit.

The Linda and John Bohlsen Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit, a 6,300-square-foot space dedicated to treating the most critically ill neurology patients, officially finished construction on Wednesday, the hospital said.

The new ICU is part of the upcoming Linda and John Bohlsen Neurosciences Center, the hospital said, which is funded by a generous $5 million gift from the Bohlsens.
The ICU offers 24/7 treatment of neurosurgical and critically ill neurology patients and will be staffed by neuro intensive care attending physicians and advanced care providers who are specially trained to support neuroscience patients.

“The expertise at every level allows us to take care of the sickest patients,” said David Chalif, MD MD, chair of neurosurgery at South Shore. “Through the philanthropy of the Bohlsen family, we’ve been able to establish South Shore University Hospital as the leader in neuroscience care in Suffolk County.”

The ICU can treat up to eight patients at a time and allows for a swift recovery from complex neuro-cranial procedures, acute treatment of stroke and other endovascular procedures, the hospital said.

The rooms were built to be spacious, they said, and are geared toward healing and feature holistic natural light, large areas for family to be with loved ones, private bathrooms and special overhead lighting to allow doctors to perform minor procedures in the room.

“With specialized equipment and intensive bedside care tailored to the unique needs of the neuroscience patient, neuroscience ICUs have been associated with shorter lengths of stay and better outcomes in comparison to general ICUs,” said Krista Lim-Hing, MD, director of the Linda and John Bohlsen Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit. “These additional services at SSUH provide a higher level of care for patients with complicated conditions such as stroke, neurotrauma, brain tumors, seizures and brain bleeds.”

The ICU is also equipped with a portable CT scanner, allowing for a patient to be treated without having to move to another location within the hospital.

“We have created a state-of-the-art neuroscience ICU and are doing complex brain surgery and improving the outcomes of stroke patients by offering rapid, endovascular interventions,” said Donna Moravick, SSUH’s executive director. “South Shore’s evolution from a community to a tertiary hospital continues to be driven by the expansion of key clinical programs such and the support of generous philanthropists such as Linda and John Bohlsen.”

The Bohlsens are well-known advocates and members of the Islip and Bay Shore communities. In 2016, the family donated $60 million towards the hospital's emergency department. Named the Bohlsen Family Emergency Department, it featured a redesign and 40,000-square-foot expansion to meet the needs of nearly 80,000 people who visit annually.

Their generosity also helped support the renovation of the hospital’s entrance and front lobby, the hospital said.

“We are grateful to help advance South Shore University Hospital’s mission to bring the best medical care available to our region,” said John Bohlsen.

The family’s support is an integral part of Northwell’s Outpacing the Impossible campaign, a $1 billion comprehensive fundraising effort to fuel innovation to advance health care and support Northwell’s promise to the people it serves. The campaign was publicly launched in October 2018 and to date, has raised more than $950 million.