Mehak Paul, MBBS, MPH

I am the Associate Director in the Department of Social Work at NYC Health & Hospitals/Elmhurst Hospital Center. As a practicing General Physician, I have extensive experience working in safety net hospitals in India serving low-resource communities who faced large barriers to healthcare access and had very limited healthcare resources which gravely impacted their health outcomes. Witnessing the harms that systemic and structural barriers have on population’s health outcomes prompted me to do my Master of Public Health from New York University with a concentration in Public Health Policy and Management. My core interest is in improving healthcare systems and care delivery to underserved populations with the goal of improving health equity. Currently, I am the program manager for the ED Follow Up Program which provides care coordination and resources to high Emergency Room utilizers with the aim of reducing ER usage and connecting patients to ambulatory care for better long-term treatment adherence. My background and experiences in safety net hospitals with direct and indirect patient care uniquely qualify me to present on this care transition and patient safety program which has yielded successful results in the one year since its inception. This program can be used in similar settings to improve healthcare delivery and provide quality care to patients, especially in low-resource communities.