This week, I want to highlight a brand new practice we opened on Delancey Street in early March. Of course, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening of this practice looked different than we expected, but the team moved forward and is ready to serve the needs of our Lower East Side community.
This practice has been in the planning for more than a year and opened on March 10th. In its beautiful new space on Delancey Street between Ludlow and Essex Streets, it offers full time primary, pediatric, ENT, audiology, gynecology, and dermatology care. There is a special room for audiograms, and there will eventually be onsite x-ray capabilities as well. The practice also offers allergy, orthopedic, and podiatry services.
The practice shifted to telemedicine just a few weeks after it opened at the height of COVID-19 in Manhattan, and redeployed its team to assist with inpatient care. Drs. Diana Nassar and Roshni Naik served on COVID-19 care units. Medical Assistant/Relations Associate (MA/RA) Pamela Rodriguez, an MSBI employee of seven years, helped with scheduling telehealth appointments through text messages, and Medical Assistant/Relations Associate (MA/RA) Daybelis Boyer went to the main MSBI campus to serve as a Unit Support Associate on one of our surge units. We are so grateful to them and to everyone who gave so much of themselves during that challenging time.
From left to right: Nikesh Patel, MD (Dermatology); Ami Patel, MD (Internal Med/Pediatrics); Marissa Newman, MD (Medical Director); Cynthia Soto-Gonzalez (MA/RA); Amber Grossman (Administrative Director); Mena Abdou (Practice Manager).
From left to right: Diana Nassar, MD (Family Medicine); Daybelis Boyer (MA/RA); Pamela Rodriguez (MA/RA); Jennifer Schiano, LPN; Christine Gutierrez, MD (Gynecology); Ameer Hmeidan, MD (Internal Medicine).
Delancey Street welcomed back in-person visits at the end of May and began implementing the new MSHS ambulatory operations and safety guidelines. In some ways, making these changes in a brand new practice is more straightforward for patients and staff, most of whom are new to the space.
As Ms. Rodriguez says, “I was excited to open a brand new space because you get to create the work rather than adapting to what other people have already implemented.”
Some of these changes included pre-screening patients on the phone and at the entrance, and adding safety and social distancing signage.
Primary Care physician Marissa Newman, MD, understands how important an intentional environment is for our patients.
“The design of this practice has a clear purpose. When a physician leaves an exam room, a medical assistant or nurse is close by for clear, efficient communication. Physicians work in pods to collaborate on challenging cases.” Dr. Newman says.
The team at Delancey is agile and connected. Many of the team members work across several specialties and fill in for each other, depending on the patient volume and needs of the day. They’ve quickly learned to adapt to changes because of the COVID-19 crisis, and they rely on each other.
Ms. Boyer says, “I can always count on my colleague, Pamela, to help me because she has so much experience. And Mena, our manager, is always supporting us. I made the right choice in joining this practice.”
I am so thankful for this resilient, adaptable, and energetic group. I know the community is thankful for their service as well.
Have a great weekend,
