Addressing patients placed ‘on hold’ during the coronavirus pandemic

Amid a pandemic that has virtually everyone in the New York metropolitan area worried about becoming infected with the coronavirus, regardless of economic status, many of those individuals facing housing, food or socioeconomic insecurities often feel like their lives have been effectively placed “on hold.”

In recent weeks, Open Door Family Medical Center has worked to remedy this problem. Aware that many of its patients feel like they have nowhere to turn during this difficult time, the federally qualified health center, which serves over 60,000 people annually at its six sites in Westchester and Putnam counties, has put a team together to respond to the concerns of their patients. These are individuals and families, for the most part, who live at or below the federal poverty line and would otherwise not have access to health care.

“Lack of access is a problem at any time, but especially at times like this when many people in our community are feeling anxious and believe they have nowhere to turn for help,” said Lindsay Farrell, Open Door’s President and CEO. “The health and economic realities many of us are living through have hit our patients especially hard. They come to us searching for answers, whether it’s about health concerns related to COVID-19, well-care needs like immunizations for their children, or food assistance programs. Regardless of their needs, we have a bilingual team that has been dedicated to answering these calls.”

Open Door outreach coordinator Gabriella Saravia is one of those team members on the front line addressing patient inquiries. Pre-COVID-19, she had face-to face patient contact through prenatal and early childhood programs. During the pandemic, she and her team now answer dozens of questions daily by phone and email.

“We’re obsessed with supporting our patients and supporting them quickly,” she said. “It gives our patients peace of mind knowing they can reach out to us using whatever way they are most comfortable.”

According to Saravia, many questions can be answered through the Open Door Patient Portal. Patients can use the portal 24/7 to make doctor appointments, get lab results, fill prescriptions, access referrals, and view medical records. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there has seen a strong upsurge in its usage.

Saravia also works closely with the digital literacy team to help patients learn to use the portal and navigate the internet, whether it’s to find nearby food banks or access timely information related to COVID-19.

“It’s really revolutionized the way we communicate with our patients,” she said. “We had been encouraging the use of our patient portal, but many patients didn’t think they needed it. That’s all changed. After patients use the portal, they are often amazed at how much they can do.”