Thomas Costantino, MD, director of cardiology at Staten Island (N.Y.) University Hospital's campuses in Ocean Breeze and Prince's Bay, died Dec. 20 at age 80 after a long illness, reports the Staten Island Advance.
Dr. Costantino received his medical degree from Washington, D.C.-based Georgetown University School of Medicine in 1966. He completed residencies at both Georgetown and NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City before also pursuing a cardiology fellowship at Georgetown. He also served in the U.S. Navy, earning the rank of lieutenant commander.
During his 55-year medical career, Dr. Costantino held several leadership roles, including assistant visiting physician in cardiology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Sea View in Staten Island and chief of cardiology at New York City-based U.S. Naval Hospital at St. Albans, which closed in 1974.
Dr. Costantino played a critical role in developing a cardiology program that paved the way for the system's heart institute, Regional HHS Director Anthony Ferreri, who formerly served as president and CEO of Staten Island University Hospital, told the Staten Island Advance.
"I had the pleasure to work with many fine clinicians in my 40 years in healthcare. Dr. Thomas Costantino was one of the finest," he said. "He was a pioneer who helped bring full and comprehensive cardiology to Staten Island."
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