PEACH COUNTY, Ga. — The Peach County School District and Atrium Health Navicent are working to expand health care, reduce disparities, and improve health through their new school-based virtual health services.
Students and staff suffering with sore throats, coughs and colds, ear pains, and other common symptoms can meet virtually with an Atrium care provider. Parents are able to sit in on the virtual visit either in person or remotely.
Within minutes, a visit can be completed, and as long as they aren't contagious, they can return to class. If a prescription is needed, a care provider will order a prescription to the pharmacy.
"We're recreating this setting where a parent and a child is in an exam room, virtually as they would be in a clinic setting," says Atrium Health Navicent President and CEO Delvecchio Finley.
Finley says this school-based virtual health service is the first of its kind in Georgia.
"Their child can receive an assessment for a virtual visit with a provider without leaving school, often within a matter of minutes," Finley adds.
More than 30 students and staff have already used the service, like Joy Felton, a sixth grade teacher at Fort Valley Middle School.
"I went to the school nurse, I wasn't feeling good. I was doing my planning. I had a certain amount of time to get back," says Felton.
She says the experience was wonderful. She never even had to leave school and picking up her prescription was easy.
"Not having to go to your administrator and say, 'I need to leave,' and then find coverage for your students, but it's just a stress-free moment," Felton said, "And then not having to worry about going to a med stop and you're spending all day there, it's just... I love it."
The district hopes to minimize time spent away from school and work
"Probably 30-35 of them come in, headaches are chronic, sore throats, stomach aches," says Peach County nurse Lisa Champion.
This service was patterned after Atrium Health Levine Children's School-Based Virtual Care in North Carolina. This program resulted in a 40% reduction in unnecessary emergency department visits and 80% decrease in early dismissals. The district hopes to see significant changes in their numbers as well.
For any parents concerned with costs, Finley says everyone is eligible to take part.
"We take care of everybody, irrespective of their ability to pay," Finley adds.
If you're a Peach County parent, you can sign your child up for the program through the school's nursing office or by going to the Peach County website.