Newark, NJ (May 30, 2023) – Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, has received a $565,000 grant from the Health Access Fund of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) to support patient transportation.
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is providing free rideshare services through Uber Health to patients who need assistance traveling to and from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, including those who need transportation upon leaving the emergency department.
To date, approximately 3,300 patients and visitors have received Uber rides to and from the hospital with the support of this grant.
“At Newark Beth Israel we strive to remove all barriers to care and to eliminate health care disparities. This grant helps us deliver on that mission for thousands of patients and their families,” said Darrell K. Terry, Sr., MHA, MPH, FACHE, FHELA, President and Chief Executive Officer, Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of New Jersey.
In partnership with Uber, PayPal and Walgreens, LISC created the Health Access Fund to advance health equity by addressing transportation barriers to accessing health care and other essential services. Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is one of more than 20 organizations to receive a grant through the Health Access Fund, which aims to reduce health disparities in underserved communities, particularly for people of color living on low incomes.
“We’re proud to work with Newark Beth Israel Medical Center to help break down transportation barriers that keep too many people from accessing the health services they need to live a happy, full life,” said Jorge Cruz, executive director of LISC Newark. “This collaboration is part of LISC’s larger efforts to improve quality of life for Newark's most vulnerable residents. Along with addressing health concerns, our work helps connect people to affordable housing, quality education, and jobs with growth potential.”
About Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is a 665-bed regional care teaching hospital that provides comprehensive health care. Newark Beth Israel is a Top Teaching Hospital and home to one of the nation’s top 15 heart transplant centers, which has performed more than 1,100 heart transplants; RWJBarnabas Health’s Heart Failure Treatment and Transplant Program; New Jersey’s only Advanced Lung Disease and Transplant Program and a Valve Center that performs complex cardiac valve procedures, including minimally invasive transcatheter aortic valve replacements (TAVRs). Newark Beth Israel Medical Center is also home to Children’s Hospital of New Jersey (CHoNJ), which cares for children from birth through adolescence, with more than 30 specialized pediatric services including New Jersey’s largest Valerie Fund Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders; and the Children’s Heart Center that offers a complete range of medical and surgical treatments for the most complex cardiac abnormalities. The Newark Beth Israel robotic surgery program is the most experienced in northern New Jersey. RWJBarnabas Health and The Frederick B. Cohen, MD, Comprehensive Cancer and Blood Disorders Center at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey Breast Health Center, in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. Newark Beth Israel also offers many preventive health programs that promote wellness in the community, including The Beth Greenhouse, which provides access to fresh produce and health and wellness education to residents.
About LISC
LISC is one of the country’s largest community development organizations, helping forge vibrant, resilient communities across America. LISC works with residents and partners to close systemic gaps in health, wealth and opportunity and advance racial equity so that people and places can thrive. Since its founding in 1979, LISC has invested $29.7 billion to create more than 489,000 affordable homes and apartments, develop 81.4 million square feet of retail, community and educational space and help tens of thousands of people find employment and improve their finances. www.lisc.org