Cone Health is expanding its School-based Telehealth program this fall. The health system will enroll an additional 12 elementary schools.
The main mission is to reduce absenteeism and improve academic performance by keeping children in school with health interventions that allow them to return to the classroom as soon as possible.
Telehealth visits also limit expenses for parents forced to leave their jobs for appointments to get their child’s sore throat, tummy ache or bump on the head evaluated. An on-site certified medical assistant (CMA) tele presenter greets the student, connects with a remote health provider and adds the parent virtually via smartphone link.
Cone Health Medical Director for School-Based Telehealth Dr. John Jenkins describes a common earache visit guided by the CMA: "So, our technology allows us to use a handheld camera device called Tytocare to attach an otoscope that's just like those things hanging on the wall on your doctor's office, look inside the ear with the camera, and then both the parent and the telepresenter sees a beautiful high def image of the membrane and canal," says Jenkins.
The program will now serve 40 mainly high-poverty elementary schools throughout Guilford, Rockingham and Alamance counties.
