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NewYork-Presbyterian recently held a dedication ceremony to celebrate the establishment of The Hauser Institute for Health Innovation, in recognition of the visionary philanthropy of longtime supporters Rita E. Hauser and Gustave M. Hauser. The Hausers have given more than $50 million to NewYork-Presbyterian in support of the Hospital’s innovation programs in health information technology and telemedicine since 2011.

“With the Hausers’ extraordinary support, NewYork-Presbyterian is transforming the way health care is delivered, using technology to put patients’ needs first and expand access to our world-class care,” said Dr. Steven J. Corwin, president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian. “We are deeply grateful to Rita and Gustave Hauser for their foundational leadership and partnership in making NewYork-Presbyterian a national leader in telemedicine.”

“We believe in the importance of harnessing technology to improve people’s lives, and we are delighted to support NewYork-Presbyterian’s efforts to expand access to their world-class care,” said Rita Hauser on behalf of the couple. “NewYork-Presbyterian is using advanced technologies to fundamentally change the way that health care is provided, making it more convenient and accessible to all.”

The Hausers’ vision and extraordinary generosity led to the creation of NYP OnDemand, NewYork-Presbyterian’s award-winning suite of telemedicine services, designed to expand access to the hospital’s world-class care. Today, NYP OnDemand, in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, has grown to include more than 46 programs and allowed leading providers to care for patients during more than 230,000 visits.

The Hauser Institute for Health Innovation will have a profound impact on how care is delivered now and in the future by supporting innovation and pioneering research to benefit patients and bringing thought leaders together to advance knowledge in the digital health field. A key focus will be expanding telemedicine services deeper into the communities NewYork-Presbyterian serves to provide high-quality, convenient and affordable care with an emphasis on preventive health and wellness.

The Hauser Institute for Health Innovation at NewYork-Presbyterian will support the operations of NewYork-Presbyterian’s robust telemedicine programs, including:

• NYP OnDemand, whose services, in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia, allow patients to easily communicate with physicians from a mobile phone, tablet, computer, and even self-service kiosks at select Walgreens and Duane Reade stores throughout New York City. The suite includes Express Care, which has helped to reduce emergency department visit times; digital urgent care, where patients can access emergency medicine physicians through a live video chat; virtual visits, for pre- and post-follow-up appointments with their doctor without traveling to their offices; peer to peer consults between physicians; and second opinions, to help patients make informed decisions about their treatment or the care of a loved one. The Hausers’ support also led to enhancing NewYork-Presbyterian’s fleet of Mobile Stroke Treatment Units – emergency vehicles specially equipped to bring faster care to patients who may be experiencing a stroke – with advanced telemedicine technology to allow neurologists from NewYork-Presbyterian’s hospital locations to be consulted remotely and at a moment’s notice.

• Remote Patient Monitoring, helping physicians monitor patients under their care from a distance, which can reduce the length of hospital stays and preventable re-hospitalizations.

• Clinical Operations Center (CLOC), a remote monitoring system and command center that connects clinical care programs throughout the healthcare system and provides support for the entire system. At CLOC, registered nurses can track physiologic data of patients in the emergency department in real time, as well as monitor the temperature of refrigerators that store lifesaving medicine.

• Teleparamedics for high-risk patients who leave the hospital, allowing the Emergency Management Services team who visit the patients in their homes to connect to the appropriate specialist and coordinate the patient/physician interaction in real-time during the home visit.

Gustave M. Hauser is a pioneer of the cable television communications industry and was the founding chairman and CEO of Warner Cable Communications. He then established and became chairman and CEO of Hauser Communications, Inc., a private company engaged in building and operating major cable television systems, international communications satellites and other electronic communications. He is responsible for developing many cable TV programming innovations such as Nickelodeon, MTV Music Television, The Movie Channel, pay-per-view, and various interactive services.

Rita E. Hauser, president of The Hauser Foundation, is an international lawyer and was a senior partner for more than 20 years at a major New York City law firm. She served on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board from 2009 through 2012, and on the President’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board from 2001 through 2004. For two decades, Ms. Hauser chaired The International Peace Institute, a think tank for United Relations related matters. She is a director of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, serving on the executive committee, and is a member of the Global Council of the Chamber Music Society. She was a director of the New York Philharmonic Society for more than 20 years.