By COLlive reporter
New York State is piloting a program to bring visitors back into hospitals, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced today.
As part of the two-week pilot program, 16 hospitals across the state will have increased visitation opportunities for family members who must wear PPE and are subject to symptom and temperature checks.
Included on the list of hospitals to launch the pilot program are Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, and NYU Langone, Mount Sinai, NY Presbyterian, and Northwell Lenox Hill in Manhattan.
New York State Assemblyman Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, who has been at the forefront of the movement insisting that patients’ family members be permitted to visit them during their time of greatest pain and need, says the pilot program is a “good first step” but more is needed.
“On March 18, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker issued guidance barring visitors from hospitals – a decision that has had serious ramifications not only on basic patient care but on the health, welfare, and mental well-being of patients and their family members,” Eichenstein said.
“These last two months have been heartbreaking,” said Eichenstein. “I have heard far too many tragic stories of patients who were forced to spend their last days alone at the hospital without a family member or caregiver to advocate for their basic needs.”
Eichenstein continued, “I have advocated and will continue to advocate for this no-visitors policy to be revisited in it’s entirety until we achieve a level of access that patients and families are comfortable with.
“While it’s extremely unfortunate so many patients did not have a family member by their side at their most vulnerable time over these last two months, I am glad and grateful that Governor Cuomo has finally heard our call and is taking a first step by implementing this pilot program in which family members will now be allowed limited visitation at specific hospitals. I believe this expansion will also greatly enhance many patient’s chances for a full recovery – implementing safety measures that will offer immeasurable comfort to the patients and their family members.”
It’s only NYU orthopedic (joint) not the main hospital
A little late but ok….
Too little too late . I’m sorry to say . Too many were victims of death because they were alone .
too late coumo you killed enough allready
Yes it’s too late for many, but visitors during the peak of the pandemic would have been the cause of more sickness, deaths and more overwhelm for the hospitals.