Telehealth Unit at Prendergast Library

A telehealth unit is now available for virtual healthcare appointments at the Prendergast Library.

Librarian and Digital Health Navigator Danielle Bertolini said the unit is located in a private space at the back of the library, “We have a screen over it so that people have more privacy when they’re in telehealth meetings. Inside, we have a table, we have lights, we have a ventilation system, some chairs, and we also have a laptop that we can help get people set up on for their telehealth appointments. That includes headset, microphone, mouse, all of that.”

She said a staff member also is available to help assist users. Bertolini said people interested in using the unit may call the library, go online, or stop in to make an appointment, “We have a meeting room application just like we do for other meeting room uses in the library. And we can schedule people, the times that we’re open are Wednesdays from 9:30 to 3:30, Fridays from 10:30 to 4:30. That’s when we have a staff member available to help with those appointments.”

The telehealth unit service is free to the community. It was funded through a grant from the National Library of Medicine and developed by the Western New York Library Resources Council.

Green said only the library patron will be using the enclosed pod, “Typically, the patrons are using this for follow-up care. For example, maybe they had a surgery and they need a post-op check-up or maybe perhaps maybe they have a mental health counseling session. The patients won’t be coming to the library if they are ill, if they need to see a physician, that’s not the purpose of the telehealth space.”

Green added the Prendergast Library is one of two pilots for this project in Western New York with the other one being the Buffalo-Erie County Public Library.