The Helen Kaplan Intermediate Care Facility in Plainview received a $91,000 technology grant last month to increase connectivity for medical professionals and patients. The grant will be used to increase bandwidth and fiber optic networks.
The intermediate care facility cares for 56 medically frail and vulnerable patients, and internet improvements will help physically disabled patients get telehealth care.
Sallyanne Burgess, vice president of operations, said that this grant is “much needed as we move into a more technologically advanced way of doing business and healthcare.”
Burgess said the increased connectivity will help both medical staff and patients.
“[There are] nurses on-site at all times,” said Burgess. There are 16 nurses at the ICF, including RNs and LPNs full and part time.
Between serving its residents and healthcare professionals, the current connectivity is not fulfilling the ICF’s needs.
According to Burgess, the upcoming improvements will allow greater access to telehealth visits, medical portal access and electronically sent medications.
Access to virtual health visits are important due to the fact that many of the ICF’s residents are in vulnerable condition, including the reliance on wheelchairs, Burgess said.
The ICF will “benefit greatly as far as efficiency,” Burgess said.
The Helen Kaplan ICF is a group-home setting, with small, community-based residences. With improved internet access, several people in each house will be able to access the internet, something which was not easily done before, according to Burgess.
Nurses will have more time to spend one-on-one with patients once connectivity issues are resolved, she said.
Burgess says that in addition to logistics, better connection will help patients maintain relationships with friends and family via video calls.
“[The new] technology makes it possible to keep those relationships,” Burgess said.
“It’s more than a [virtual] conversation,” said Burgess. “It’s a visit.”
In keeping with ICF’s mission, Burgess said, the staff is committed that patients are healthy “making sure they’re happy.”
The grant is part of the Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program and is administered by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York. The grant was competitive, the ICF had to meet prerequisites with the IRS.
“We were required to justify our proposed project cost by submitting a capital-based budget, supporting cost estimates, as well as project timelines and descriptions. From there, our application was scored,” said a representative for the ICF,” Burgess said.
This is the first technology grant that the ICF has received.
The Helen Kaplan ICF is a part of Citizens Options Unlimited, a leading disability service agency. Citizens supports Long Islanders with intellectual and developmental disabilities and has been named a Compass agency by New York State’s Office of People with Developmental Disabilities.
