Message from Leadership
We are pleased you have chosen us (or are considering us) for your health care needs. Stony Brook Primary Care Center is home for the Department of Medicine’s outpatient practice for General Medicine and Geriatrics. All of our physicians are board-certified in internal medicine and several hold the Certificate of Added Qualifications in Geriatric Medicine. We treat adults aged 18 and older. Our practice is part of Stony Brook Medicine. We work closely with “hospitalists” who are part of our academic division, as well as specialists and subspecialists. Stony Brook is an academic medical center, which means that we train doctors in some of the best ways to practice medicine. It is also a place where we research and test new ways to treat diseases and bring lifesaving treatments to patients sooner. Stony Brook Medicine offers patients access to cutting edge treatments and experts in a wide variety of disciplines. Stony Brook Primary Care providers will help you receive evidence-based, high quality care through comprehensive primary care and appropriate referrals. Our Care Philosophy is to deliver patient-centered primary care that encompasses diagnosis and treatment of both acute and chronic diseases, prevention of certain illnesses (especially cancer, stroke, falls and heart disease), promotion of healthful lifestyles, and good continuity and coordination of care across healthcare settings. Our values include Quality, Honesty and Integrity, Long-lasting relationships based on trust, and Access to care in times of need.
Dr. Suzanne Fields
Chief, Division of General Medicine, Geriatrics and Hospital Medicine
Oberleder Professor of Clinical Medicine
Dr. David Goodrich
Medical Director of the PCC
Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine
Dr. Susan Lee
Medical Director of PCMH at the PCC
Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine
Patient Centered Medical Home
A Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a model of care that strengthens the doctor-patient relationship by replacing episodic care with coordinated care. Each patient has a long-term healing relationship with a primary provider who leads a team that takes collective responsibility for a patient’s care, providing for the patient’s health needs and arranging for appropriate care with other qualified clinicians. The Medical Home is intended to result in more personalized, coordinated, effective and efficient care. A Medical Home achieves these goals by offering a high level of accessibility and facilitating excellent communication between patients and providers. Clinicians take full advantage of the latest information technology to manage medications, track test results, monitor quality and share information about patients with other relevant clinical providers, including specialists, emergency room physicians and doctors who work in the hospital. An important goal of PCMH is to promote patient self-management of chronic diseases through counseling and education.
Patient Responsibilities in a Patient-Centered Medical Home
In order for the PCMH to work effectively, patients need to partner with their healthcare team.
What you can do to help:
- Tell us about your needs and concerns
- Take part in planning your care
- Follow the care plan that is agreed upon or let us know why you cannot so that we can try to help or change the plan
- Tell us ALL the medications you are taking, including over-the counter medications, herbal remedies and vitamins
- Let us know when you see other providers and which medications they put you on or change
- Ask other providers to send us a report about your care and test results
- Come to your visit prepared: complete pre-visit questionnaires and bring with you clinical values you are monitoring such as weight, blood sugar and blood pressure readings
- Keep your appointment as scheduled, or call and let us know when you cannot. Ask your provider how quickly the appointment needs to be rescheduled if you do have to cancel so that active problems can be closely monitored
- Give us feedback so we can improve services
Our Physicians
- Suzanne D. Fields, MD, Division Chief and Professor of Clinical Medicine
- Christopher D'Ambrosio, DO
- David Goodrich, MD, Medical Director
- Donna Heinemann, MD, Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs
- Jennifer Hensley, MD
- Irene Hwu, MD
- Stephanie Jones, MD
- Diane Klein Ritter, MD
- Kimberly Kranz, MD
- Susan Lane, MD, Vice Chair for Education
- Susan Lee, MD, Medical Director for PCMH
- Patricia Ng, MD
- Catherine Nicastri, MD
- Mandeep Patel, MD
- Tracy Spinnato, MD
- Scott Stein, DO
- Lisa Strano Paul, MD
- William Wertheim, MD. Associate Dean for Clinical Community Outreach
- Rachel Wong, MD
- Daniel Yellon, MD
- Bibi Zainul, MD
Our Nurse Provider
Joan Scalera, ANP
Our Nurses
Christine Pidgeon, RN, Nurse Manager 631-444-5297
Triage Nurses:
- Ally Fernan
- Livia Harbord
- Pat Hickey
- Stephanie Jacabacci
Enhanced Geriatric Care Nurses
- Donna O’Brien
- Amy Malenowsky
Quality and Outcomes
The Stony Brook Internal Medicine Primary Care Center practice was recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for meeting the program’s stringent quality care guidelines for high quality, accessible care that focuses on patients. This means that the practice has the tools, systems and resources to provide its patient with the right care at the right time.
CLICK HERE to learn more about our Quality Initiatives, including patient safety We are working on ways we can help patient better manage diabetes and obesity, prevent falls, and manage pain. We also strive to make sure all patients are up to date with recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control with respect to vaccinations and with recommendations of the US Preventive Services Task Force with respect to colon cancer and breast cancer screenings.
