Healthcare in the Hamptons

For an emergency, call 911. The ambulance crew decides the destination. The East End has two emergency departments on the South Fork, one in Riverhead and one in Greenport. Stony Brook Medicine runs three of them, and Northwell Health runs Peconic Bay Medical Center in Riverhead. Between emergencies, most care happens at a primary care doctor or an urgent care center, and Stony Brook Southampton Hospital alone lists more than 1,200 physicians and other providers. If you are weighing a rental, see year-round homes by town and note where the nearest emergency department sits.

Emergency departments

Details of the first two are on their own pages: Southampton Hospital and the East Hampton Emergency Department.

Shelter Island

Shelter Island is reached by ferry from Greenport, a crossing of about eight minutes, or from North Haven, about five, according to Wikipedia’s account of the island. Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital in Greenport describes itself as accessible by land, sea and air, with a dedicated heliport and an emergency dock. See the Shelter Island profile for the island’s services, and Hamptons Commute for ferry schedules.

Urgent care and primary care

Urgent care sits between a doctor’s appointment and an emergency room. The options near the South Fork are listed on the urgent care page. For a primary care doctor, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital’s provider search lists specialists across Stony Brook Medicine.

Before you need it

Pick the emergency department you would use and save its number in your phone, then register with a primary care doctor before the winter. The first winter checklist covers the rest.