75 North Country Road, Port Jefferson, NY 11777 • 631.473.1320
| History of Mather
Hospital |
Historic Firsts for Mather Hospital
 John Titus Mather was a successful local shipbuilder in Port
Jefferson in the early part of the 20th century.
When he died in 1928, his will outlined his wishes for the
care of his family and loved ones, and instructed his executor
to "Incorporate under the laws of the State of New York
a non-sectarian charitable hospital, to be located in said
village of Port Jefferson ... so designed and constructed as
to permit future enlargement, assuming that future needs may
justify such action ... It is my sincere hope that the citizens
of Port Jefferson and vicinity will give their liberal and
devoted support to said institution and endeavor to make it
a success and a credit to the community."
On December 29, 1929, Mr. Mather's wishes were realized with
the opening of the first general hospital in the Town of Brookhaven.
With 54 beds, John T. Mather Memorial Hospital was fully equipped
with what was considered the finest X-ray, laboratory and surgical
technology available. The Emergency Room was just that -- a
room with a single bed.
In accordance with Mr. Mather's wishes, the hospital bearing
his name grew along with the Town of Brookhaven. In August
of 1962, a new wing was dedicated, giving the Hospital a new
surgical suite, a new emergency facility and a new intensive
care unit. The expansion also gave the Hospital a total of
110 beds.
In 1973, Mather hospital undertook another expansion project,
adding a new psychiatric unit and the most advanced electronic
monitoring equipment for coronary care and the intensive care
unit, and bringing the total number of beds in the Hospital
to 203.
Ten years later came another new wing, along with extensive
renovation of the existing building and new equipment. John
T. Mather Memorial Hospital had now grown to 223 beds, and
by 1997, it stood at its present bed count of 248.
The delivery of healthcare has changed since we first opened
our doors in 1929. New surgical procedures keep being introduced,
existing procedures are improved, and procedures that were
once unique are now common. Procedures that once required a
hospital stay and a long recovery can now be successfully performed
on an outpatient basis. Hospital stays are shorter, but the
demand for acute care is greater -- today, more than two-thirds
of all surgery is performed on an outpatient basis.
The surgical suites dedicated in 1962 were not designed for
today's state-of-the-art equipment. That's why in 1998, Mather
Hospital opened the doors to its new Cody Surgical Pavilion.
This facility addresses a number of community needs for the
efficient and effective delivery of healthcare -- both for
today, and well into the 21st century.
John Titus Mather wanted the Hospital he dreamed of creating
to be "a success and credit to the community." Since
1929, that dream is clearly a reality.
John T. Mather Memorial Hospital is a member of the Long
Island Health Network (LIHN), a Joint Venture Affiliation
between 10 hospitals with a goal of developing collaborative
efforts which can improve, expand, and strengthen the delivery
of health care services to the people of Long Island.
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