New clinic hopes to address health inequities in Harlem
There’s a new Mount Sinai Health Center in Central Harlem focused on addressing health inequities faced in the community.
“We have a lot of primary care services, services for individuals that may have HIV, we have services that are extending to cardiology, rheumatology, nephrology, neurology, pain management,” said Dr. Xeqiuel Hernandez, who serves as Medical Director for the site.
Hernandez is confident that the center will provide next level healthcare to the community that is predominantly made up of Black and Brown residents.
“All of the minds that are coming, the specialties, the grants that we can bring into the sight, I was like ‘That’s powerful, that’s something that I haven’t seen especially for the underserved community,” he said.
Clinics such as Ryan Health which has multiple sites in Central Harlem, are familiar with the various health problems affecting the community.
“Our health disparities in Harlem are like other health disparities we have seen in disenfranchised communities,” said Michael Shorter, Executive Director for Ryan Health.
The Ryan clinic is right down the street from the new center located where the historic Sydenham Hospital once operated. Short said building connections and being open to the community will be crucial for the new center.
“All centers including a new center must be available to the community. The community must know that they are available and accessible,” he said.
Dr. George Dawson, a retired oncologist does outreach for Ryan Health in Harlem on matters like vaccines and flu shots. He says representation will also be important for the new center.
“Having the right messengers to deliver your services does help tremendously in terms of trust and liability,” Dawson said.
Dr. Hernandez said Mount Sinai plans to implement an in-house pharmacy at the center in the near future. He said for how the focus is on getting to know the community.
“Where we’re at right now is just introducing ourselves to a lot of the members of Harlem, meeting the other medical systems within Harlem to try and build bonds so that we can grow together,” Hernandez said.
Jason is a reporter from Riverdale, New York and covers public health for City Newsroom. He has reported on a various issues including politics, racial justice and currently public health. Jason is a graduate of Howard University where he wrote for the The Hilltop Newspaper. Jason has also interned for New York Amsterdam News.