A major advantage of a children's hospital associated with an academic medical center is the availability of specialized resources. At Stony Brook Children's, one of these the Department of Pediatric Pathology.
Stony Brook Children's has the only department of its kind in Suffolk County and one of the few on Long Island. This means that the majority of biopsies, specimens, and other samples can be examined in-house, typically resulting in faster, more accurate diagnoses without the need for outside consultation. Also, because different diseases manifest in children in different ways and in different frequencies, it is important that pathologists trained in pediatrics examine samples and make the diagnoses. In the unfortunate case of an infant or child death, the Department conducts the investigation, which can give important information that can impact diagnosis and care management in the future.
In addition, because of its specialized expertise, when asked, the department consults with other physicians at hospitals across Long Island.