Mayor Adams just announced a new program: “Women Forward NYC”, a more than $43 million investment aimed at zeroing gender disparities by connecting women to professional development and higher-paying jobs; dismantling barriers to sexual, reproductive, and chronic health care; reducing gender-based violence against women; and providing holistic housing services, including for formerly incarcerated women and domestic and gender-based violence survivors. Meanwhile NYC Health + Hospitals provided positive updates on its recently added telehealth abortion service.
NYC Health + Hospitals’ Virtual ExpressCare for abortion was launched last October, making New York public health system the first in the nation to have this kind of access online. Since then, it has provided 870 virtual visits, mailed over 230 abortion kits, and referred 360 patients for in-person care. More than 73% of the patients identify as people of color.
The telehealth abortion care is only a part of a broader campaign to make New York City a national leader when it comes to gender and inclusivity. “As our country faces a devastating loss of reproductive rights, New Yorkers should know that they can access safe and legal abortion care from NYC Health + Hospitals,” said Marisa Nadas, MD, MPH, NYC Health + Hospitals Reproductive Health Clinical Lead and Virtual ExpressCare Associate Medical Director.
The idea of providing healthcare assessment online first emerged in 2020, to support patients suffering from COVID-19, fever, flu. Then they started operating for other minor injuries, upper respiratory infections, anxiety, depression, and substance use issues. Since October 2023, patients can have access to abortion counseling with a licensed healthcare professional and medication, if eligible, by mail or schedule an in-person appointment.
The telehealth service is available 7 days a week, 9am-9pm and will provide patients with access to safe and legal abortion care. It’s available in over 200 languages and can be accessed at expresscare.nyc or by calling 1-718-360-8981.
