HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Sentara Health and Hampton City schools have partnered together to launch telehealth clinics. A first of it's kind in Hampton schools.
The school telehealth initiative allows the school nurse and Sentara health leader to work hand in hand to care for sick students and staff.
"I have children that get sinus infections, ear infections and that is painful for them. It gives me a lot of peace of mind that i can say hey they're getting taken care of" said Georgia Branch a mother of three.
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“This school telehealth initiative is just one more way Sentara is getting creative to address the needs of our community members by meeting them where they are,” said Heather Strock, executive director, Sentara Community Care.
There will be a hybrid care team that includes an on-site licensed practical nurse and a virtual advanced practice provider. Virtual providers are able to look in the student’s throat, listen to their heart, examine their ears and make clinical decisions in real-time with advanced technology that facilitates remote physical exams.
“Our partnership with Hampton City Schools allows us to provide timely access to care, reducing student absenteeism and minimizing parents’ time away from work. This makes it easier for families to seek the care they need when they need it.”
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The goal is to make healthcare more affordable and accessible for families by reducing the direct and indirect costs for parents. It's already launched care to students at George P. Phenix. The clinics are open to students and faculty during regular school hours, Monday through Friday.
"1 in 4 students in a Title I school miss 19 days of school by being taken out early, which is part of our reason for being in the schools. It's really going to help reduce those absenteeism's" said Heather Strock, the Executive Director of Operations for Sentara.
Sentara leaders tell News 3 beyond direct medical care, they're focused on incorporating wellness and social care services as part of the overall delivery program to support the school’s healthcare goals.
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"The virtual provider whether it's a physician like me, or one of our nurse practitioners, or a physician assistant will be on the other end of the screen in our home site. There are small devices that allow us to look in the ears, the throat, listen to heart and lungs sounds.
We can get good images of the skin if there's a rash. It's a little bit different then the virtual care we're used to" said LaTonya Russell, Director of Medical Operations for Sentara Community Care.
Sentara aims to expand to more than 25 Title I schools across the Commonwealth of Virginia over the next two years.
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