Telehealth Clinics Coming to Orange County
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A new partnership between Southern Indiana Community Health Care and Orange County elementary, middle and high schools will establish in-school telehealth clinics. SICHC says Throop Elementary School in Paoli will be the first to allow students to be seen by medical professionals through a secure link using digital diagnostic insruments.
“This is a great advancement for our schools, as our students in need of health services can now been seen privately by medical professionals in the school nurse office instead of having to be transported to a doctor’s office or have their parents pick them up during school hours,” said Greg Walker, Superintendent of the Paoli Community School Corporation. “This helps both keep students learning in classrooms and doesn’t result in unnecessary disruption that affects families.”
SICHC purchased the digital equipment required for clinics using CARES Act funding.
“Through this equipment, SICHC providers can view high quality live images of what the school nurse is seeing in a student’s eyes, ears, nose and mouth,” explained Yolanda Yoder, MD, SICHC Medical Director. “Working in concert with the school nurse, a virtual stethoscope also allows our providers to listen to important heart, lung and abdominal sounds.”
Some of the services include diagnosis and treatment of acute illness and minor injuries, some lab testing and behavioral health services. SICHC says the telehealth services will expand to elementary and junior/senior high at Springs Valley Community Schools and the Orleans Community School District at the start of the 2022-23 school year.
Parental registration for the service will be open during the summer.