Research Paper- https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/isl/files/NYC-Healthcare-Expansion.pdf

As one of the highest growing populations in NYC, Corona, Queens has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the highest infection rate in the city, the current hospital for the area, Elmhurst hospital is running at 125% capacity, 40% more than it would on a regular day. As a result of the continued exacerbation of the COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare inequity, thirty local students from the International Socioeconomics Laboratory, alongside generous donations from a Queens landlord, gained equity over a lot, sizing over 17,500 square feet in Northern Corona, Queens. The partnered landlord of the laboratory had been passed on this land for many generations and would like to have it play a role in revitalizing the city and the local community. The property holds great value and can be used in a multitude of ways for increasing healthcare access, as it is only a 4 minutes walk away from public transportation–which is extremely important in creating healthcare jobs. They will work with the local government, with the goal of building a healthcare facility on said property, as it is an investment to the Corona neighborhood both economically and socially.

With the onset of the COVID-19, the neighborhood of Corona, Queens has been hit especially hard and is sometimes referred to as the epicenter of the pandemic. While facing some of the highest infection rates, it has also seen a decline in the number of resident healthcare workers. As of 2015, the area of Elmhurst and Corona was declared one of the neighborhoods with the largest decline in healthcare workers as a percentage, totaling up to an approximate decrease of 6%. When speaking with residents of Corona, Queens one of them shared a couple of insightful words: “Having been born and raised in Queens, NY, I have grown up to see peoples’ struggles first hand. From a young age I was taught to never give up, and when told something is “Impossible” I learned to keep moving forward. It’s because oftentimes it’s the crazy ones who change the world. So here I am, proud to say that besides being a businessman, I am a proud citizen of NYC, the city that never sleeps. To keep that name though, our city has never been more in need of revitalization, new infrastructure, and most importantly services that will help us today and provide for a greater tomorrow.”

The students want to make sure that the facility that will be built on this plot of land would benefit the community during, and after the pandemic. This is why the Laboratory conducted a one-way ANOVA test to determine if the desirability for certain facilities were different amongst the participants of the survey who reside in Queens. Resident households were asked to provide a desirability score for four different facilities: medical facility (n = 173), educational facility (n = 173), recreational facility (n = 173), and corporate facility (n = 173).

The ANOVA showed there was a desirability score significantly different between the different facilities, F(3, 688) = 12.458, p < .001. Desirability score increased from the medical facility (7.948 ± 2.561) to recreational facility (6.561 ± 2.694), to educational facility (6.491 ± 2.686) to corporate facility (5.208 ± 3.278) in that order. Tukey post hoc analysis revealed that the mean difference between several facilities was significantly different; from medical to corporate (p < .001), recreational to corporate (p < .001), and educational to corporate (p < .001).

From the results of the research, the Laboratory has been in contact with the offices of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Congressman Gregory Meeks, and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, thus providing the city with a great team working towards expanding health care to the citizens of Corona, Queens. In terms of working with members of the community, New Yorkers have the opportunity to sign the Laboratory’s petitions. These petitions already have over a thousand supporters and counting, allowing for the Laboratory to connect with more officials in the future, including Councilmember Alexandria Cortez, Mayor Bill de Blasio, Senator Jessica Ramos, and Councilman Francisco Moya.

Overall, with research from the International Socioeconomics Laboratory, students are now planning on taking this project to new heights by pushing to build hospitals in Brooklyn next through their property acquisition, as this student-led effort has the potential to serve hundreds of thousands of people. The results showed that city-wide healthcare expansion will uplift NYC economically and is highly desirable among residents.

Empirical Research Study: https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/isl/files/NYC-Healthcare-Expansion…

Petition to Engage Our Representatives: http://chng.it/7bMTrQSHrT

Petition to Expand NYC Healthcare: http://chng.it/78SL5WxM6T

Policy Institute Information: https://www.finxerunt.org/hospital

Laboratory Website: https://socioeconlabs.org/

About

NYC is undergoing a pandemic that has ravaged the city, families, homes, and the lives of its residents. Specifically, hospitals are run-down, crowded, and lacking resources, including PPE and essential facilitation medication. The current NYC administration has left the problem to evolve into where thousands lose jobs and families that were stricken in debt and sickness. Opening up facilities, including PPE stations, medical stations, and hospitals, would help foster the problem and divert the city’s resources to where it’s needed the most.

Problem

In the status quo, hospitals are run down and spread out, removing access to those in poor communities who were hit the hardest with COVID. Areas like Corona, Queens, and Elmhurst have overcrowded hospitals if any hospitals can assist their residents. The community hospital in Elmhurst, for example, has backed up waiting rooms that neglect social distancing guidelines. Thousands are consumed by rising medical debts and family deaths due to hospital shortages and understaffing that need to be diverted and assisted immediately.

Solution

We proposed establishing various medical and public facilities throughout these struggling areas to tackle the hardships of the pandemic and socio-economic issues. By introducing these facilities in the underrepresented areas of New York City, the communities get an opportunity to develop themselves and flourish.

Findings

136674085_1120395498426232_7167125294503348669_n.png

After conducting extensive research, many residents are suffering due to the pandemic and are seeking more accessible aid. After closely analyzing the survey data, it is evident that medical facilities are a necessity currently and can also have long term impacts compared to educational and recreational facilities. The establishment will ensure a more robust community bond while also providing relief.

 

Further Reading

Read more about future projects and research on these problems in the International Socioeconomics Laboratory™