Welcome to The Connected Physician, where we explore how healthcare professionals are transforming patient care through innovation and technology. In this episode, host Katharina Juenger interviews Dr. Jonathan Berkowitz, MD, MBA, an emergency physician and Medical Director of Emergency Telehealth at Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system. Dr. Berkowitz shares the groundbreaking ways Northwell Health is using telehealth to improve emergency care access and redefine patient experiences.

Dr. Berkowitz explains how he led the expansion of Northwell’s emergency telehealth service, known as “Nets,” which was initially launched to relieve the burden on emergency services during the pandemic. Created in just two weeks, Nets became the first telehealth service to support 911 calls, enabling non-critical patients to receive urgent care remotely and reducing strain on EMS teams.

In this episode, Dr. Berkowitz dives into:

• The Birth of Nets: How the pandemic-inspired program was launched at Northwell Health to meet urgent care needs and limit unnecessary ER visits.
• Telehealth Beyond EMS: The program's evolution from assisting EMS teams to serving patients with advanced illnesses and geriatric needs, creating a virtual lifeline for patients who would traditionally need in-person care.
• Integrated Telehealth Models: The importance of seamlessly blending telehealth and in-person care for enhanced continuity and better patient experiences.
• Patient Demand for Virtual Care: How telehealth is meeting the needs of patients of all ages, debunking myths about limited demand.
• The Role of Collaboration: How Northwell's telehealth success hinges on strong teamwork between emergency medicine and EMS, supported by a tech-agnostic approach focused on operations rather than specific platforms.

Links and Resources:

• Jonathan Berkowitz MD, MBA on LinkedIn
• Northwell Health

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