FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2021
(NEW YORK) - AdvantageCare Physicians (ACPNY), EmblemHealth’s multispecialty and community-based medical practice and one of the largest primary and specialty care practices in the New York region, today announced that as part of a statewide initiative to administer COVID-19 vaccines to all eligible New Yorkers, it is successfully administering its delivered 2,400 vaccine doses to both staff and other phase-one eligible New Yorkers. All told, 1,400 ACPNY health care staff and onsite clinical partners were vaccinated in less than three days, while the remaining 1,000 delivered-doses are being distributed to other healthcare workers, essential employees and individuals ages 75 and older by mid-week.
In addition, more than a dozen ACPNY medical offices are set up to receive and administer an extra 3,600 vaccines later this week in partnership with community leaders, who will help outreach to eligible populations and proactively schedule vaccine appointments.
“ACPNY has a longstanding, trusted presence in New York City’s most underserved and low-income communities, communities of color, and in neighborhoods where our frontline and essential workers both live and work,” said Dr. Navarra Rodriguez, President and Chief Medical Officer at ACPNY. “We have a strong sense of responsibility to those we serve, so this is a proud accomplishment for us. It demonstrates that, when given the necessary resources, our medical practice is more than capable and ready to continue receiving a steady supply of doses to ensure our frontline workers and neighborhoods are safe.”
To expedite vaccinations for all of New York City, ACPNY was selected as a COVID-19 vaccination distribution center entrusted to administer the vaccines to thousands of phase-eligible workers, as its 41 locations serve more than 500,000 patients throughout New York City and Long Island.
Dr. Nicole Thomas-Sealey, a family medicine specialist at AdvantageCare Physicians, was one of the first ACPNY doctors to receive a vaccination. “As a medical professional and a Black woman, I’m grateful I could get the vaccine,” said Dr. Thomas-Sealey. “It safeguards my family, my colleagues, and the greater community, which is critical as the pandemic continues to disproportionally impact people of color.”
ACPNY partnered with New York State and the City of New York in May to establish more than 20 new COVID-19 testing sites at medical offices to increase access and availability for testing in low-income and minority communities—neighborhoods hardest hit by the coronavirus.
“We will continue to work with the City and State to ensure all New Yorkers have access to receive vaccinations, and we look forward to serving all eligible groups as we get more,” said Dr. Rodriguez.
####
About ACPNY
AdvantageCare Physicians, one of the largest primary and specialty care practices in the New York area, provides quality, personalized care that is focused on the whole patient. With medical offices across the five boroughs and Long Island, AdvantageCare Physicians takes a team-based approach to care where physicians work with nurses, social workers, nutritionists, behavioral health specialists and other professionals. Visit www.acpny.com to learn more.
