{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,23]],"date-time":"2026-09-23T02:43:19Z","timestamp":1790131399350,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":13,"publisher":"JMIR Publications Inc.","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J Med Internet Res"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Vulnerable populations have been identified as having higher infection rates and poorer COVID-19\u2013related outcomes, likely due to their inability to readily access primary care, follow public health directives, and adhere to self-isolation guidelines. As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many health care services have adopted new digital solutions, which rely on phone and internet connectivity. However, persons who are digitally inaccessible, such as those experiencing poverty or homelessness, are often unable to use these services. In response to this newly highlighted social disparity known as \u201cdigital health inequity,\u201d emergency physicians at the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada, initiated a program called PHONE-CONNECT (Phones for Healthier Ontarians iN EDs \u2013 COvid NEeds met by Cellular Telephone). This novel approach attempts to improve patients\u2019 access to health care, information, and social services, as well as improve their ability to adhere to public health directives (social isolation and contact tracing). Although similar programs addressing the same emerging issues have been recently described in the media, this is the first time phones have been provided as a health care intervention in an emergency department. This innovative emergency department point-of-care intervention may have a significant impact on improving health outcomes for vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2196\/23914","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,10]],"date-time":"2021-03-10T14:29:15Z","timestamp":1615386555000},"page":"e23914","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":30,"title":["Prescribing Phones to Address Health Equity Needs in the COVID-19 Era: The PHONE-CONNECT Program"],"prefix":"10.2196","volume":"23","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3185-1655","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gill","family":"Kazevman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2143-5121","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marck","family":"Mercado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9825-9069","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jennifer","family":"Hulme","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4211-4754","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Somers","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1010","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)30893-X"},{"key":"ref2","unstructured":"Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario)COVID-19 - What we know so far about... social determinants of health202005242021-03-31Toronto, ONQueen's Printer for Ontariohttps:\/\/www.publichealthontario.ca\/-\/media\/documents\/ncov\/covid-wwksf\/2020\/05\/what-we-know-social-determinants-health.pdf?la=en"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1503\/cmaj.200834"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1056\/nejmp2005835"},{"key":"ref5","unstructured":"Prime Minister of CanadaNew mobile app to help notify Canadians of potential COVID-19 exposure now available202007312020-08-12https:\/\/pm.gc.ca\/en\/news\/news-releases\/2020\/07\/31\/new-mobile-app-help-notify-canadians-potential- covid-19-exposure-now"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/phe\/phn031"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2196\/19361"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chb.2020.106424"},{"key":"ref9","unstructured":"Federal Communications CommissionLifeline Program for Low-Income Consumers2020-08-12https:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/general\/lifeline-program-low-income-consumers"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/10810730.2015.1033117"},{"key":"ref11","unstructured":"Homeless people in Britain to receive free phones in connectivity driveThe Guardian202008182020-08-25https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2020\/aug\/18\/homeless-people-uk-receive-free-phones-connectivity-drive-covid-19"},{"key":"ref12","unstructured":"Smartphones to better connect vulnerableBC Gov News202005122020-08-12https:\/\/news.gov.bc.ca\/releases\/2020SDPR0028-000858"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0046958018763917"}],"container-title":["Journal of Medical Internet Research"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.jmir.org\/2021\/4\/e23914","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,30]],"date-time":"2026-06-30T17:33:55Z","timestamp":1782840835000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.jmir.org\/2021\/4\/e23914"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,6]]},"references-count":13,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.2196\/23914","relation":{},"ISSN":["1438-8871"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1438-8871","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,6]]}}}