FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com MARCH 5, 2015 • THE COURIER SUN 21 SNAPS QUEENS Warmer weather is fi nally on the way. What are you looking forward to most about warmer days ahead? “The snow fi nally melting.” Barry Omana BY ROSS BELSKY “Going to the park and hanging out outside for a change.” Matt Gallo “Everything. I don’t remember a winter this bad since 1995.” Maria Nass “Playing basketball, for sure.” Javier Jordan “Not wearing my winter coat and maybe just a hoodie.” Meme Santana “Practicing my parkour skills.” Michael Dickenson oped street talk “100 percent I am most excited to getting back to playing handball.” Brian Conner “In general I can’t wait. I am sick of wearing so much clothes.” Melanie Smith The East River in Queens Photo submitted by Wanda Oliver Send us your photos of Queens and you could see them online or in our paper! Submit them to us via our Facebook page, tweeting @queenscourier or by emailing [email protected]. New Yorkers need access to accurate information about doctors BY ASSEMBLYWOMAN ARAVELLA SIMOTAS Nydoctorprofi le.com is a powerful tool that must be preserved and expanded. It is a searchable database that allows patients to know instantaneously whether their doctor has committed malpractice, lost medical privileges, or has been convicted of a crime. This system protects the reputations of honest doctors while providing patients notice before they engage the services of a doctor with a history of wrongdoing. In recent years, New York State has provided this service at the relatively modest cost of $1.2 million a year. This year, funding for this vital resource is in danger. For too many New Yorkers and their families, choosing a doctor is a stressful and uncertain process. Healthcare decisions can have tremendous ramifi cations for patients, their families and their fi nances. Those needing care often do not know where to turn for reliable information on a chosen physician. I introduced the Patient Notifi cation Act to ensure that the public has more information, not less. In addition to requiring that doctors provide patients notice of any red marks on their record and be honest in their advertisements, my legislation would enhance nydoctorprofi le.com to make it an even more useful and accessible resource. The Patient Notifi cation Act would require the Department of Health to update individual physician profi les to refl ect the most current information. In this day and age, there is no reason why patients searching for a trusted physician should be denied access to records that are both accurate and up-to-date. The technology and infrastructure to carry out this measure already exist, and my legislation would make it a reality. In addition, the Patient Notifi cation Act would require nydoctorprofi le.com to make information about physicians available in languages other than English. New York is one of the most diverse states in America with a long history of welcoming immigrant communities. This service must be available to the many non-English-speaking New Yorkers who already face barriers to accessing this vital information. A limited command of English should not stand between New Yorkers and access to the best possible medical care. Enactment of the Patient Notifi cation Act would strengthen nydoctorprofi le.com and go a long way to helping New Yorkers fi nd qualifi ed care for themselves and their loved ones. If funding is cut for this website, patients will be forced to wander the Internet hoping for honest and reliable information or simply resign themselves to less informed choices about their medical care. A patient seeking medical attention should not be required to navigate multiple, incomplete websites to access information about a particular practitioner and be left to wonder whether their doctor is fully qualifi ed and authorized to provide treatment. Given the enormous cost associated with medical malpractice, both to the fi nances and, more importantly, the health of New Yorkers, nydoctorprofi le.com is a sound investment. Nydocotorprofi le.com gives patients a central clearinghouse for critical information about their doctors and protects the reputations of the vast majority of physicians who are well qualifi ed and in good standing. This service should be preserved and expanded, not gutted. Aravella Simotas represents the Astoria area in the New York State Assembly.
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