Voter registration comes to Einstein Health Network emergency departments

OLNEY (WPVI) -- The pandemic is derailing many voter registration drives, but one local hospital is trying to help fill the gap.

Einstein Health Network has voter registration kiosks in the emergency departments on North Broad Street in Philadelphia and in Norristown in Montgomery County.

Emergency department staff are also wearing lanyards with QR codes, which patients can scan to connect to a voter registration site.

"In emergency departments, unfortunately, sometimes patients have to wait. And why not have them engage in their civic health in addition to their physical and mental health," saidDr. Betsy Datner, chair of Emergency Medicine at Einstein Health Network.

"There are so many policies that impact people's health and well being," Dr. Datner notes, adding, "Food Insecurity, housing insecurity, even policies about our health care system."

In addition to those ventures, there are also English and Spanish messages on monitors throughout the Einstein network with information connecting patients by text.

The Einstein initiative is part of VotER, a non-partisan national campaign led by emergency department doctors.

VotER's mission is to create a more inclusive American democracy.

The program is taking part in Civic Health Month.