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Hudson River Health Care Responds To Coronavirus Outbreak in New York State

In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) arriving in New York State, Hudson River Health Care (HRHCare) has equipped staff with information and resources at all 43 HRHCare health center locations across the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island.

HRHCare has equipped staff with information and resources at all 43 HRHCare locations.

HRHCare has equipped staff with information and resources at all 43 HRHCare locations.

Photo Credit: HRHCare

The organization, which has provided health care to NYS communities for over 40 years, has also made public health experts available for interview either on the record or as a resource (bio/backgrounders below).

HRHCare has created accessible information around the outbreak in multiple languages and reached out to patients via email and social media campaigns with links to further resources, and the invitation to seek care as needed from health centers throughout its network.

“The overall risk of serious illness from COVID-19 is low, but we want to make sure our patients are able to identify the symptoms and know how to reduce the risk of contracting the virus,” said HRHCare CMO Dr. Sophia McIntyre. “The most important steps to protect yourself from COVID-19 are the same as for the flu: washing your hands frequently and practicing good hygiene. If you are showing any of the symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever or cough, and have recently traveled, call your health care provider immediately.”

“We understand that many are concerned and worried, and we are here to help reassure and care for our patients and communities,” said Anne Kauffman Nolon, HRHCare’s CEO. “We will continue to provide all our patients with current COVID-19 information at our health centers, on our website, and via social media during this challenging time.”

The following HRHCare physician experts are available to speak and be interviewed on COVID-19:

Sophia McIntyre, MD, MPH, MBA, FAAFP, CPE, Chief Medical Officer

As Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Sophia McIntyre oversees all clinical quality, performance and peer review, physician leadership and development, medical and specialty care services, external clinical and hospital relationships, and accreditation and recognition. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Medicine, and a board-certified Physician Executive with the Association of Physician Leadership. She also serves as clinical chair of the Health Center Network of New York, in which she facilitates discussion, reviews evidence-based clinical guidelines, and promotes dissemination and implementation of best practices.

Carmen Chinea, MD, MPH, Chief of Clinical Strategy and Research

Dr. Carmen Chinea oversees HRHCare’s Urgent Care and Telemedicine operations and recruitment, physician practice acquisition, credentialing and privileging, and involvement in the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us Program. While working in private practice, Dr. Chinea developed a strong interest in public health and population management, leading her to receive an MPH from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University in 2003. She joined HRHCare in 2004, serving as CMO from 2010 to 2017.

Daniel Miller, MD, Chief of Residency Training and Behavioral Health Integration

Daniel Miller, MD is a practicing Family Physician and the Chief of Graduate Medical Education and Behavioral Health Integration HRHCare. Dr. Miller also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and is the Chair of its Committee on Service Integration for Behavioral Health & HIV. He is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at New York Medical College and a graduate of Brown University and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed his Family Medicine residency training in Montefiore Medical Center’s Residency Program in Social Medicine.

Clifford Hames, DDS, Chief Dental Officer

Dr. Clifford Hames has a background of dental practice experience in both private practice and community health center dentistry. In addition to his patients at HRHCare Peekskill, Dr. Hames is the supervising dentist for both the Peekskill and Dover Plains school-based health centers. He has been a member of the American Dental Association, the New York State Dental Association, the 9th District Dental Association, and is an active member of the Community Health Association of New York State and the National Network for Oral Health Access.

Roberta Kelly, NP, Chief Nursing Officer & Senior Vice President, NYC Division Operations

Roberta Kelly, NP oversees nursing at HRHCare, transitions of care, and operations of the organization’s New York City Division. She has participated in major growth and strategic planning for the organization, including the development of integrated health care services and health information technology enhancements.

Frank Kwakye-Berko, Chief Clinical Officer, NYC Division

Dr. Frank Kwakye-Berko serves as the Chief Clinical Officer of HRHCare’s New York City Division. A Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians, he joined the organization in 2017, integrating his private practice of Obstetrics and Gynecology into the Church Street Family Health Center in Brooklyn, and establishing a Women’s Health Division.

Paul Kaye, MD

As the former CMO and current EVP for Practice Transformation, Dr. Paul Kaye is a physician and the former Chief Medical Officer of HRHCare. He has led several quality efforts at HRHCare, including early participation in the HRSA Health Disparities Collaborative, the adoption of an electronic health record in 1999, and Joint Commission recognition since 1998. HRHCare was also one of the first Community Health Centers in the nation to achieve Level 3 Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) recognition from the NCQA in 2009.

Kenneth Desa, MD

Kenneth Desa, MD is a family medicine physician at the HRHCare Beacon Health Center. He attended the University of Sydney Medical School, in Sydney, Australia. He completed his Residency at the Royal Australian College of Family Practitioners and a second Residency at the Hudson Valley Family Practice Residency Program at St. Francis Hospital Poughkeepsie, NY. Dr. Desa was attracted to HRHCare as a way to provide care to those who need it most. According to Dr. Desa, the mission statement of HRHCare—providing care to all—is “very fair and morally right” and something he lives his life by.

Information on COVID-19 is available from HRHCare here, including an FAQ on the virus.

For the current information and resources on COVID-19, or to make an appointment at an HRHCare health center, visit hrhcare.org or call 1-844-HRH-CARE.

About Hudson River Health Care

Founded 45 years ago as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), Hudson River Health Care (HRHCare) is one of the nation’s largest community health providers. The HRHCare network of 43 health centers throughout the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island provides affordable, accessible care to over 245,000 patients annually. The network’s exceptional primary care practitioners, specialists, and support staff have made HRHCare a destination for convenient, high-quality care for all. In 2018, Brightpoint Health, an FQHC network with sites in all five boroughs of New York City, joined HRHCare.

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