Sunday, October 4, 2026
Mount Sinai South Nassau formally dedicated its newly renovated Fennessy Family Emergency Department at the hospital’s Oceanside campus on May 1, celebrating the completion of a five‑year, $50 million project and brings state‑of‑the‑art emergency care to Long Island’s South Shore.
Hundreds of community leaders, elected officials, hospital trustees, staff and supporters gathered for the ribbon‑cutting ceremony, which featured remarks by Dr. Adhi Sharma, President of Mount Sinai South Nassau; Margaret Pastuszko, President and COO of the Mount Sinai Health System; Anthony Cancellieri, Co‑Chair of the South Nassau Community Advisory Board; and Joseph Fennessy, former Board Chairman and namesake of the new Emergency Department.
The Fennessy Family ED doubles the department’s footprint to roughly the size of a football field, with 54 private exam rooms, four trauma resuscitation bays, and dedicated “neighborhoods” for pediatrics and behavioral‑health patients.
Centralized nursing stations and bedside triage areas improve oversight and throughput, while enhanced air‑handling systems—designed to push infectious air outside and bring in fresh air—incorporate lessons learned during the Covid‑19 pandemic. As a Level II Trauma Center, the new Department also features an adjoining radiology bay to expedite imaging for critically injured patients.
“This beautiful space represents years of planning and community support,” said Dr. Sharma. “We built in isolation‑capable triage rooms, advanced ventilation, sound‑reducing design elements and flexible layouts so that whether it’s day‑to‑day emergencies or the next pandemic, our patients, visitors and staff stay safe—and get care quickly.”
Pastuszko praised the collaboration between South Nassau leaders and the broader Mount Sinai Health System.
“It takes a village to create a facility of this caliber,” said Margaret Pastuszko. “Joe Fennessy’s generosity—and the dedication of our board and leadership—ensures South Nassau remains the flagship for advanced care on Long Island for decades to come.”
Anthony Cancellieri reflected on the fundraising campaign that generated more than $10 million in community donations toward the department renovation.
“Joe always says ‘it’s not how much money you have, but what you do with it’—and he put his money where his mouth is,” Cancellieri noted. “We’ll see generations of Fennessys driving by, proud that their family name stands for cutting‑edge care right here in Oceanside.”
Fennessy—joined by his wife, three daughters and grandchildren—thanked attendees for recognizing the ED as the hospital’s “front door.”
“Every patient’s first impression of South Nassau comes through this emergency department,” he said. “I’m humbled that my family name will be associated with compassion and professionalism in this leading‑edge facility.”
The ED dedication caps the first phase of the four‑story, 100,000 square foot Feil Family Pavilion, which will open nine new operating rooms and 40 critical‑care suites later this spring. Funded in part by FEMA following Superstorm Sandy, the Pavilion enhances resiliency and expands advanced services so area residents need not travel far for complex care.
Hospital leaders reiterated that the Fennessy Family Emergency Department is just the beginning of Mount Sinai South Nassau’s transformation into a full‑service regional medical center serving Oceanside and beyond.
“The best is yet to come,” Fennessy said. “We’re going to be doing some really special things here to deliver that care right here.
