TD Bank Gives $100,000 to The Brooklyn Hospital Center’s Telemedicine Program

Recognizing the deep inequities created by this pandemic, as well as the healthcare challenges facing vulnerable patients, the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, gave The Brooklyn Hospital Center (TBHC) a $100,000 grant to support the hospital’s efforts to provide options for virtual telemedicine care.

“The incredible leadership, generosity and vision of TD Bank allows us to reach our goal of leaving no one behind,” says Deborah Niederhoffer, Vice President, The Brooklyn Hospital Foundation & Chief Development Officer. “Thanks to TD Bank’s support, patients can now conveniently access a variety of medical specialties from the comfort of their home or workplace. This is especially important for patients who experience financial hardships, limited mobility and other barriers to accessing in-person medical care.”

The grant was given at the end of May 2020, and the program was developed and launched over the summer. While the program is still growing, this grant has allowed many patients to access TBHC’s care via video appointments for the following reasons:

Safety during the time of the pandemic: “I like the video and phone visits during this crazy time,” says one patient.

Convenience: “I had a very congenial and thorough video visit with my doctor. He answered all my questions and prescribed new medications,” says another patient.

Accessibility: “One of my patients is completely dependent on her home health attendants and it is very difficult for her to travel to the office,” says a TBHC physician. “Via video, the aides were able to show me an ulcer on the patient’s body and I could see that the ulcer was healing well and that her feeding tube site was not infected — all without the difficulty of this patient physically leaving her home,” she adds, noting that sometimes such stressed patients skip appointments, forgoing important care.

“This gift is especially impactful given the challenges of the pandemic we still face,” says Gary G. Terrinoni, TBHC President and CEO. “Should New York City see an uptick of COVID-19 cases this fall, having a solid telemedicine program will allow us to pre-screen potential COVID-19 patients, minimizing unnecessary exposure. And we can continue to provide important care to those who may be safer at home.”

To make an appointment at TBHC, whether it be traditional or telemedicine, please visit tbh.org/appointments.