Technology brought unexpected benefits

QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 1, 2020 Page 24QUEENS CHRONICLE, Thursday, October 1, 2020 Page 10 by Michael Gannon Editor N ewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital first saw the benefits of telemedicine —the ability for doctors and patients to interact remotely — a few years ago; while the Queens Public Library system has steadily been reaching out to get the borough’s seniors engaged in health-related and other activities. But in the time of COVID-19, even good things can have unintended silver linings. “Telemedicine has been around for a long time,” Dr. Demetrios Paidoussis of NYPQ told the Chronicle in a recent telephone interview. “One benefit came to light insoSchneider said they have classes for painting, drawing and more. They have programs teaming with the Queens-based Noguchi Museum and Museum of the Moving Image, and even Manhattan institutions such as the Whitney and the Intrepid. Michel said there is a tangible effect for seniors who may have been restricted to their homes for months out of COVID concerns, people for whom the library’s free programs have been offering socialization and a relief from isolation. She said some newcomers will watch the video portion but take some time before turning on their microphones. Others will begin opening up by typing a few comments Technology brought unexpected benefits Senior Living Guide far as senior patients are at a higher risk for before eventually engaging more fully.

COVID-19. Our medical group had been “I appreciate the feedback,” Michel said. using it for about four years prior to When COVID-19 made telemedicine for many the preferred choice for doctor visits, physicians at “It helps me create more accu rate

COVID, so we were very well-prepared to NewYork-Presbyterian Queens hospital in Flushing were ready to go — and had been for nearly programming.” see more patients remotely. We were in an four years. PHOTOS COURTESY NEWYORK-PRESBYTERIAN QUEENS Schneider has worked for the library sysexcellent position.” tem for more than 30 years, and has been

He said more and more patients are comfrom our office.” bodies,” Paidoussis said. “If we see somethe older dult coordinator for the last fortable with technology. The hospital had The nursing staffs, technicians and others thing that concerns us, we’ll recommend decade. She said that, like the hospital, they well over 18,000 were ready as well. Even area pharmacies they come into the office. We will never already were in a good position before telemedical engagewere brought on board whenever possible allow patients to wait for that.” COVID-19 ever happened. ments, i nclud i ng since the start of the pandemic. Paidoussis also said there has been an She said she had long focused on prow i t h p l e n t y o f “Some people are more comfortable,” ironic twist since the COVID-19 outbreak. grams to help seniors combat loneliness and sen iors, bet ween Paidoussis said. “They can have family “We can see each other’s faces in teleisolation based on experiences with her own March 1 and July 5. members present. They can have access to medicine,” he said. “In the office, everyone mother. The appointments their medicine and don’t have some of the would be wearing masks — so in a way the The Mail-A-Book program, which sends can take place on a aggravations of an office visit ... and I can remote visit is more personal.” books, music and movies to those unable to properly outfitted attest that many people were afraid to go to Madlyn Schneider, coordinator of the leave their homes because of illness, age or home computer or a the hospital with everything that has been Queens Public Library’s Older Adult and other reasons, is an example. phone. going on. People should not be afraid to Mail-A-Book programs, and Tamara She and Michel — “Our programs overThe hospital said seek care, as we saw during the pandemic.” Michel, the library’s community health lap a lot” — already had programs availthe process is much Paidoussis said there are, naturally, things coordinator, are aware of the hospital’s able, and, just as important, the library sys

Dr. Demetrios li ke a Sk y pe or that must be treated in office visits or even embrace of technology to benefit patients. tem already had the technology in place to Paidoussis FaceTime visit, but at hospitals. Some things a doctor or nurse “We work with a lot of hospitals on our deliver them. All people needed to have was with a secure concan spot just by looking at the patient. Other programs,” Schneider said. “NewYork-Presa phone. nection to protect a patient’s information methods evolved over time. byterian has had a doctor on a teleconfer“That was before the libraries closed,” and privacy. They can assess a person’s breathing and ence with a group once a month.” she said. “We had been creative in engaging

Patients who are interested must set up an other visible, physical signs of their health Schneider said like the hospital, the older adults ... I didn’t have to do much account after downloading the NYP mobile and well-being. Queens Public Library system already had pivoting.” app, available through the Apple App Store The hospital said doctors would meet online programs for seniors and others in Schneider said between March and Sepor Google Play. with COVID patients or others with COVID place before COVID-19 struck. tember the library has offered more than

“Many of our older patients have smartsymptoms on a daily basis until they recov“What happened was our programs just 9,000 individual online programs. phones, so there’s no need for a desktop,” ered. Nurses would at times evaluate the expanded,” Schneider told the Chronicle. “And 7,898 seniors have attended those he said. “Some might need their grandsame patient two or three times per day “We have community health programs programs,” she said. children or a neighbor to help them set up, when necessary. almost every day,” Michel said, including Information on available programs is or we can talk them through the process “Patients should always be aware of their chair yoga, Zumba classes and others. available online at queensibrary.org. Q

Medical services at home

continued from page 4 The program has proven so popular that, options for homebound patients. according to the doctor, there is a six- to

Dr. Linda DeCherrie, clinical director of eight-month waiting list. And while it is curMount Sinai at Home, a service that includes rently available only in Manhattan, discusthe Visiting Doctors program and the Hospitalsions are underway to explore expansion to ization at Home program, indicated that the other boroughs in the future. patients in the former can receive “much of “It doesn’t help in a crisis,” she admitted. what they would in a primary care office,” But once a patient is enrolled, medical assisincluding physical examinations, blood testing, tance is available 24 hours a day, seven days taking of X-rays and physical therapy. a week, she said.

“We’re interdisciplinary,” she said, with She also noted that a patient would pay social workers and home health aides availthe same for the home service as they would able to assist with the care, as well as visitin a doctor’s office. ing nurses. For further information on the Visiting Doctors program, call (212) 241-4141.

Most patients enrolled in Mount Sinai’s Hospitalization at Home program begin treatment in an actual hospital emergency department. If they meet certain medical and social criteria, they qualify for the athome program, which would then provide them with additional hospital-level care. This program is available in four of the five boroughs, including Queens.

The hospital’s visiting doctors work in conjunction with its community paramedics. Dr. Kevin Munjal, the medical director of the Community Paramedicine program, said, “It’s an emerging field,” which he indicated “saw a 500 percent increase during the [coronavirus] surge in the spring.”

Through the program, paramedics visit patients at home, where a patient’s vital signs and other relevant information are collected, and make a clinical assessment.

“We provide a lot of what a hospital provides,” the doctor said, adding that the program is “a great service and can help with minor conditions and guidance for major conditions.”

Each visit includes a telehealth visit, which, the doctor said, is covered by most types of insurance. The EMS treatment is not currently covered, he added.

At least for now, the service is not directly available to patients but must be requested through a member of the patient’s care team, the doctor said. Q