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A telemedicine program led by Cone Health is helping students at Guilford County Schools get the care they need without sacrificing much time in the classroom.
The school-based telehealth model allows pediatric physicians from Cone Health to see students virtually, using Bluetooth-powered equipment to visualize the ears, throat, heart and lungs. Cone Health trains a handful of staff members to use this equipment at schools to assist the student and doctor who is joining in virtually. Dr. John Jenkins leads the school-based telehealth program for Cone Health.
The school-based telehealth visits can avoid the calls home and early pick-ups for a headache or stomachache. Instead, the tele-presenter can diagnose the child and recommend additional care or return them back to class. According to American Family Physician, frequently missing classes can be linked to poor academic performance and poorer health.
“This is probably one of the first times where a major school system is partnering with a health system to develop this universally in all 51 Title I elementary schools over the next three years,” said Jenkins.
Guilford County Schools is the third largest school district in North Carolina, and the 50th largest in the nation. Cone Health will launch the telehealth program at an additional five schools in August 2023 and another eight schools by the end of the 2023-24 school year.
Find out more in the video below.
