Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Monday, August 6, 2001
Release #275-01

Contact: Sunny Mindel / Lynn Rasic
(212) 788-2958
  Jane Zimmerman, PhD (HHC) (212) 788-3339


MAYOR GIULIANI LAUNCHES NYC HEALTH AND HOSPITALS
ASTHMA VAN FLEET

Unique Outreach and Education Program Brings Life-Saving Asthma Care
Throughout the City

Vans Will Build on City's Success In Reversing Asthma Hospitalization Trends Among Children

 

Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, together with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), today unveiled the City's latest weapon in the war against asthma -- the HHC Asthma Van Fleet. Twelve specially equipped vans, staffed by clinicians, provide adults and children in traditionally high-risk neighborhoods with asthma screenings, diagnosis and referrals to HHC asthma programs.

Joining the Mayor for the announcement at City Hall were HHC Board Chairman Richard T. Roberts, HHC President and Chief Executive Luis R. Marcos, MD, HHC Board Vice-Chair Edward Rappa, who spearheaded this public-private asthma program, and Dr. Neal L. Cohen, Commissioner of the City Department of Health. As of today, six vans have been privately supported. Mr. Edward Rappa, President and CEO of R.W. Pressprich & Co., Inc. and the OGM Foundation, Inc., has sponsored three vans. The Boys' Club of New York has sponsored two vans and the Bruce A. Gimbel Foundation has supported one asthma van.

"Recent statistics show that the City's efforts to address childhood asthma are having an impact," Mayor Giuliani said. "Now we are going to build on that success. These vans bring effective services right to the doorstep of people suffering from this chronic illness, and targets neighborhoods with traditionally high asthma rates. They will help people manage asthma on a day-to-day basis, without having to seek hospital treatment."

Richard Roberts, HHC Board Chairman, said, "I am very pleased to be involved in this terrific public-private partnership that addresses a significant health problem in our communities."

Dr. Luis Marcos, HHC President, "These asthma vans will bring services to people where they live and at the same time will remind everybody that HHC hospitals are better than ever."

Edward Rappa, HHC Board Vice-Chair said, "It makes me feel proud as a New Yorker to help fight this terrible illness in partnership with the public hospitals."

Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization for New York City's children and the communities served by HHC are some of the hardest hit. The asthma vans bring health services directly to individuals in their neighborhoods and provide educational materials and the latest technology to help manage this treatable disease without repeated hospitalizations or frequent trips to the emergency room.

A telephone and computerized workstation in each van is linked to hospital appointment scheduling systems. A video system and educational materials -- including facility-based contacts for asthma care and copies of HHC's bilingual (English/Spanish) asthma education magazine, Healthy Habits and Choices -- are also on board. In addition, each van has a state-of-the-art sound system to enable outreach at large group events. The vans travel to schools, day care centers, houses of worship, public housing developments and other community based organizations.

The asthma vans are also an integral part of HHC's "Better Than Ever" marketing campaign. The exterior of each van has been specially designed with the HHC brand and customized for each hospital.

In 1997, HHC implemented new programs at each hospital to combat this chronic disease. As a result, from calendar year 1997 through 2000, pediatric asthma hospitalizations of HHC patients have declined by 44%, from 5,312 to 2,967 admissions. HHC adult asthma hospitalizations have dropped by 12%, from 5,175 to 4,535 admissions. During the same period, pediatric emergency room visits for HHC asthma patients decreased by 22%, from 22,388 to 17,483, while adult ER visits declined by 11%, from 28,919 to 25,746. Another important indicator of the program's effectiveness is the number of times that patients return to the emergency room for asthma care. In this regard, during the period from 1997 through 2000, the ER revisit rate for children dropped from 4.9% to 3.7% while the ER revisit rate for adult patients dropped from 9.3% to 7.1 and this downward trend is continuing.

With such encouraging results, HHC's asthma program has attracted national attention. In July, the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems honored the program with its Safety Net Healthy Communities Award for innovations in health care delivery.

New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation is a $4.2 billion public benefit corporation that operates the eleven City's public hospitals, four skilled nursing facilities and six diagnostic and treatment centers, and serves 1.5 million people annually regardless of ability to pay.



www.nyc.gov