Saint Claire HealthCare and Rowan County Schools have partnered to provide students and staff across the district with virtual access to primary and urgent care services.
Officials said the SchoolHealth+ Program allows students and staff to receive care for minor illnesses like fevers, upset stomach, coughs, and sore throats without leaving the school. Sick students or staff members can go to the school nurse where they will be placed into a virtual waiting room to be seen by a St. Claire physician.
Kellyn Gussler is the Community Schools Director for the district. She said one of her main goals is to ensure all students in Rowan County have equal access to all opportunities, including healthcare.
“There’s a lot of times that we have students whose families, they work, and if they’re sent home from school sick, that kiddo will not get to see the doctor that day if they are sick and the parents are working,” she said. “If we have access to be able to help them and get them in to see a doctor, then, you know, that is alleviating a barrier for that family.”
Gussler said with the new program, students can be seen by a physician right away which further eases the burden on those families.
“If mom can leave work on lunch and come get the kiddo from school, and they’ve been seen from the telehealth service, and they’ve called in a prescription, mom can pick up the kid, mom can pick up the prescription, and the kid can go home and start getting better with that medication if it’s needed,” she said.
The Community Schools Director said enrolling in the program is free, and the only cost to parents or staff who use the service comes from the services provided by the hospital.
More information and student enrollment can be found online.