One Brooklyn
March 12, 2020
Brooklyn, NY – Today, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams held a press conference with New York-based doctors and advocates to call for expanded use of telemedicine as a means of mitigating the overcrowding of emergency rooms while pre-screening patients to prevent the transmission of novel coronavirus, or COVID-19.
Telemedicine services, available with the touch of a button on mobile devices, can assist New Yorkers in understanding whether they are in need of emergency room (ER) services, and they can even perform pre-screenings for COVID-19. A number of health care providers already have telemedicine platforms in some form, including NYC Health + Hospitals, NYU Langone, ColumbiaDoctors, New York-Presbyterian, and Mount Sinai Health System, among others. Borough President Adams detailed his proposal to make telemedicine an affordable option for New Yorkers amid the pandemic, as well as to expand outpatient testing options. In addition, Borough President Adams called on the State to facilitate the provision of services via teleconferencing for social adult daycares, which support needed services for functionally- impaired older adults.
“We believe if we start educating the public on using telemedicine, we will stop over-stressing our emergency rooms and will start being proactive about addressing this crisis. I have long advocated for telemedicine as a way to empower patients to take control of their health, and I believe the rapid spread of the coronavirus and the strain it’s already placing on our health care system underscores the need for innovative approaches. I am calling on the City and State to immediately begin scaling up capacity for telemedicine options, particularly among our uninsured population, and support our social adult daycares to help them continue providing services to those who need it most remotely,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams.
During the press conference, Borough President Adams called on the City and State to fast-track outpatient testing by setting up mobile testing labs using existing infrastructure such as unused refrigerated food trucks staffed by trained medical professionals. He noted that adopting this step would ease overcrowding in emergency rooms and help the medical system allocate resources more effectively. It would also allow health care professionals to pre-screen patients to determine if they should be tested for coronavirus or other ailments. Additionally, he called on the City and State to implement waivers or vouchers to cover the cost of telemedicine appointments amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s time we leverage technology during these public health emergencies, especially when we are recommending social distancing. Telemedicine offers us the ability to connect, screen, reassure, triage, and potentially treat our patients remotely. Today, we can’t do a full physical examination on telemedicine, but we can screen to determine risk stratification of our patients using their medical history. For example, if someone is low risk, they can stay home, invest in their own self-care, and wait it out. Or, if they’re high risk, we can refer them to a higher level of care. It’s imperative we listen to our public health officials and take all precautions seriously,” said Robert Graham, MD, MPH, FRESH Medicine.
Borough President Adams also highlighted the critical role social adult daycares throughout New York State play in providing services to more than 20,000 seniors and functionally-impaired older adults. They provide social services, daily check-ins, medical guidance, and facilitate social interaction, grocery shopping and delivery services, as well as caregiver assistance. In order to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus among this vulnerable population, Borough President Adams called for the State to facilitate the expansion of telecare services in order to maintain provision of these services and combat social isolation and loneliness.
“We are an industry, which provides service in a group setting to the chronically ill, a majority of whom are elderly. We are can take a modified role as ‘telecare providers’ during this emergency situation. As many elderly are staying home without service, we can adapt the way we provide services, to ensure elderly participants are not socially isolated during this time when many are feeling very afraid. Adult daycare providers can provide a continuum of care by using technology. We request that the City and State help to ensure the safety and well-being of the participants we usually care for on a daily basis,” said Oleg Yavorovskiy, Board Member of the Coalition of New York State Social Adult Day Cares.
Borough President Adams affirmed that he will be sending letters to City and State leadership documenting these calls to action. A link to a livestream of this morning’s press conference is available here.
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