Health is essential, but services are scarce in many underserved communities, and healthcare remains a luxury that some just can’t afford.
With the pandemic as an ever-growing issue, the idea of telehealth is not only becoming the norm but changing the way that healthcare is being provided in the city. The benefits of telehealth are easy to enumerate — limiting staff and patient exposure to those who might be sick; and preserving the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), are at the top of list.
But digitally delivered healthcare isn’t without challenges.
“Telehealth is a growing concept. The COVID-19 pandemic indicates that telehealth will be on the rise,” said Dr. Eric Edi, chief operating officer of AFRICOM, a coalition of African and Caribbean communities that is headquartered in the Paschall neighborhood in the city. “But let us not forget that there are prohibiting factors: digital illiteracy, fear of being exposed, [lack of] trust in the system caused by the constant attack on immigrants.”
According to Edi — who focuses on health in the African immigrant community of Southwest Philadelphia — immigrant communities rely on smartphones and social media for everything, including health information. Given that some communities don’t have the necessary access to computers, however, telehealth can be a challenge.
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Dominique “Peak” Johnson is a North Philadelphia journalist. He is one of the founding editors of the North Philly Metropolis. Currently, Peak practices kickboxing, freelances for Generocity.org, and occasionally tweets about “The Walking Dead.” Click here to learn more about Peak.
