Design a comprehensive telehealth model at your school
It is estimated that more than 20 million children in the United States lack sufficient access to health care. Health issues that arise for students, especially those living below the NPPS, conflate with transportation and other challenges to increase absenteeism, hinder access to quality care, and negatively impact learning.
Explore partnerships with health care systems to establish telehealth programs that can save parents trips to the doctor’s office, provide access to acute and specialty care, and increase efficiency in the care of children. Colleges and universities can offer virtual therapy services to help students cope with mental health issues.
To get started:
Develop a how-to guide for establishing a school-based telehealth program. The National Consortium of Telehealth Resource Centers provides free technical assistance, education, and resources on various telehealth topics. See best practices below for more information.
Collaborate with parents, school nurses, teachers, technology platform providers, health care providers, pharmacies, and regulatory agencies.
Define metrics, evaluate the program, and communicate results to partners and stakeholders.
Best Practices / Innovative Programs
Howard County Public Schools in Maryland began its telehealth program in six schools located in economically disadvantaged areas of the county. Medical professionals from Howard County General Hospital and two local pediatric practices partnered with the school system to provide care, and the county paid for telemedicine technology that each school required.
Rhode Island–based CYC (Children Youth Community) serves children in Providence through its Pivot to Prevention Program and Toolbox, a framework and tool kit for schools to use to improve students’ mental and behavioral health.
Children’s Health Virtual Care serves more than 225 schools in 27 school districts in Texas. The School-Based Telehealth and Telehealth at Home programs connect children with a physician or nurse practitioner at Children’s Health, the leading pediatric health system in North Texas.
