A recent telemedicine initiative with Mercer Medicine will allow students and staff in the Harris Country School district to see a provider from the school premises. The implementation of telehealth solutions aims to boost care access for both students and faculty members at the school. The virtual care facility can help reduce absences and education gaps.
The issue with in-person healthcare appointments for students and staff
To attend healthcare appointments, faculty members and students need to leave the school premises and travel to the clinic. This commute can take more than 30 minutes. Apart from the time-related problem, the number of absences can impede student progress and achievement at school.
Mercer Medicine partnership
To address this issue Harris Country School district entered into a partnership with Mercer Medicine aiming to reduce barriers associated with school students. Now with the implementation of a virtual care program, students can see a doctor without having to leave school.
How does the telehealth visit work?
Once the student or faculty member visits the school nurse, a telemedicine appointment is scheduled with Mercer Medicine if required. Furthermore, parents can also join the virtual session with the healthcare provider.
The telehealth workstation allows the nurse to take the patient’s vital signs and other exams as suggested by physicians at a primary care clinic.
Through Telemedicine EMR Software providers can virtually interview the student or employee and come up with quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment plan. The medical equipment at the telehealth workstation is high-definition and gives a clear picture as if it were an in-person observation. The HD cameras provide a magnified image of a concerned area and offer a better view than the naked eye.
Healthcare providers can easily leverage formerly created charts for the students, which can be accessed in the Mercer Medicine EMR software for virtual sessions.
Virtual care to increase access and efficiency
Virtual care initiatives in school settings can help eliminate the barriers families face when kids fall sick. Parents need to leave their jobs in a panic to take their kids to a doctor. The whole process can consume two or three hours. Through telemedicine sessions, the burden on parents can reduce and children can get immediate and effective care in their school.
