New Chief Named For Pediatric Surgery

Richard Scriven, MD, was named chief of pediatric surgery at South Shore University Hospital this week, giving Northwell Health a new surgical leader at its Bay Shore campus as it expands pediatric services in Suffolk County. Northwell said on June 2 that Scriven will help grow access to advanced surgical care for infants, children and adolescents on Long Island’s South Shore. The appointment comes more than two years after the health system launched a pediatric surgery program at the hospital with surgeons from Cohen Children’s Medical Center. Hospital leaders said the goal is to keep more pediatric surgical care closer to home for families who previously traveled farther for specialized treatment. ### Who is Richard Scriven, and where is he coming from? Richard Scriven joins Northwell after 25 years at Stony Brook University Hospital, where Northwell said he treated thousands of children and helped train surgeons. Northwell described him as a Suffolk County pediatric surgeon with expertise in minimally invasive procedures. (northwell.edu) Newsday recognized Scriven as a Top Doctor of Long Island for 15 consecutive years from 2012 through 2026, according to Northwell’s announcement. Northwell said his practice includes neonatal surgery, emergency pediatric surgery such as appendicitis, pediatric surgical oncology, and common conditions including hernias and undescended testes. (northwell.edu) ### What job will he take on at South Shore University Hospital? South Shore University Hospital said Scriven will serve as chief of pediatric surgery and work with multidisciplinary pediatric teams on evaluation, operations and follow-up care. Northwell said his minimally invasive background can mean smaller incisions, less pain and faster recovery for children when appropriate. (northwell.edu) José Prince, MD, Northwell’s pediatric surgeon in chief, said Scriven would help “bring to life the new operating rooms at SSUH to serve the children in the region.” Irene Macyk, PhD, RN, president of South Shore University Hospital, said his hiring would enhance the hospital’s pediatric surgical capabilities and help families obtain care without leaving the region. (northwell.edu) ### How does this fit into Northwell’s existing pediatric buildout in Bay Shore? Northwell announced in January 2024 that it had created Cohen Children’s Medical Center Pediatric Surgery at South Shore University Hospital. At the time, the system said nine pediatric general surgeons from Cohen Children’s in New Hyde Park had joined the Bay Shore hospital’s staff. (northwell.edu) Colleen Fitzpatrick, MD, MPA, was named chief of pediatric surgery at South Shore when that program was launched in 2024, and Naina Bagrodia, MD, joined as part of the expansion. Northwell said then that the team would perform elective procedures, support emergency care and provide 24/7 on-site surgical consultation in the neonatal intensive care unit. (northwell.edu) South Shore’s current pediatrics page still lists Fitzpatrick and Bagrodia among the pediatric surgeons serving the hospital. The hospital says pediatric services in Bay Shore include an emergency center, inpatient unit, nursery and neonatal intensive care unit, along with specialty care in Bay Shore, Smithtown and other Suffolk County locations. ### What does South Shore University Hospital already handle on the ground? (northwell.edu) South Shore University Hospital is located at 301 East Main Street in Bay Shore and serves Suffolk County’s South Shore as part of Northwell Health. The hospital says it is a regional destination for care and an academic teaching center for the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell. The Bay Shore campus says its emergency department can care for more than 100,000 patients annually, and the hospital is designated as an American College of Surgeons Level I Trauma Center. (ssuh.northwell.edu) Northwell’s pediatrics program at the site includes round-the-clock emergency coverage and access to specialty services tied to Cohen Children’s Medical Center. ### What changes next for families seeking pediatric surgery on the South Shore? (ssuh.northwell.edu) Northwell said Scriven’s appointment is meant to expand access to advanced pediatric surgery for children living on Long Island’s South Shore. The system said families who once traveled farther for specialized care are expected to have more options in Bay Shore as Scriven begins working with South Shore’s pediatric teams. (ssuh.northwell.edu) South Shore University Hospital’s pediatric surgery services are listed through its Cohen Children’s program in Bay Shore, and Northwell said Scriven’s role will cover care for newborns through adolescents. Northwell has not announced a separate opening date for additional services, but the appointment was published on June 2, 2026, on the hospital’s newsroom page. (northwell.edu)