Staff change at Shelter Island Medical Center: Stony Brook to assign doctor

In the course of the Sept. 11 Town Board budget talks, Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams said Dr. Joshua Potter will be working fewer days at the Medical Center while he transitions to another educational position within the Stony Brook Southampton Hampton.

Barbara Jo Howard, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications at the hospital, said Dr. Potter will continue to see patients at the Medical Center one day a week or two half days, while the physician assistant will staff the Medical Center office two days a week. Dr. Potter will be working with the Graduate Medical Education program at the hospital, Ms. Howard said.

“An active search is underway to recruit an additional provider to serve the Shelter Island community,” she said.

Ms. Brach-Williams said Dr. Potter became an adviser to the Town during the COVID-19 pandemic and received a stipend for his work. When she realized that role hasn’t been needed since the pandemic, she spoke with Dr. Potter about cutting the stipend and he told her he had no problem with that decision. At the same time, he told her about the transition.

The supervisor said the Town’s contract is with the hospital, not Dr. Potter, and staffing at the Medical Center is in the hands of Stony Brook.