Around the Island

Med Center deal near completion

REPORTER FILE PHOTO | The Shelter Island Medical Center on South Ferry Road.

Shelter Islanders are a step closer today to having another doctor on staff at the Medical Center on South Ferry Road.

But the town is still waiting Winthrop University Hospital to sign a lease to take over space for a second practice in the building.

Dr. Peter Kelt announced Monday that Dr. Barbara Phillips-Cole is joining his practice at the Medical Center where she was expected to start work this week. Dr. Phillips-Cole will be taking new Medicare patients and will also be offering women’s health exams, according to an announcement from Dr. Kelt. Dr. Phillips-Cole, fluent in conversational Spanish, is relocating to the Island from ProHealth in Connecticut where she was a partner in a group family practice.

Dr. Kelt has been serving Islanders since 1983 and contracted with Winthrop in 2011 to take over the administration of his practice.

Under that agreement, he became a salaried employee of Winthrop, Supervisor Jim Dougherty said at the time deal was signed.

Meanwhile, the Town Board authorized attorney Laury Dowd to send a lease draft to Winthrop University Hospital officials last week.
“The holdup is more with Winthrop reviewing it than it was with us,” Deputy Supervisor Chris Lewis said Monday morning, in Mr. Dougherty’s absence.

Winthrop is to take over the practice that has been served by Island Urgent Medical Care. Island Urgent endured multiple complaints from patients about a lack of regular staffing, prompting the town to end its three-year arrangement as soon as Winthrop takes over the practice.

Meanwhile, the Town Board is also in talks with a third unidentified practitioner who could locate in the building. Those talks were not as far advanced as the talks with Winthrop, Mr. Dougherty said last week.