Thanks to a grant from the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, Norton Healthcare and Jefferson County Public Schools are expanding a partnership to offer virtual medical care to students and staff at all 89 public elementary schools across Jefferson County over the next two school years.

Story by: Nick Picht on November 6, 2023

Thanks to a grant from the Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation, Norton Healthcare and Jefferson County Public Schools are expanding a partnership to offer virtual medical care to students and staff at all 89 public elementary schools across Jefferson County over the next two school years.

With parental consent, the Norton eCare School Telehealth program allows children to see a Norton Healthcare provider through a secure video visit from the school nurse’s office. Working together, the school nurse and Norton Healthcare provider use remote medical technology to examine the students, look at their skin, listen to their hearts and lungs, and check their noses, throats and ears.

Common conditions treated through a telehealth visit include cold, fever, rash, earache, pinkeye and sore throat. The school nurse also is able to help perform tests for strep throat, COVID-19 and flu. Parents have the option to join the visit. If they are unable to, the provider follows up and sends an after-visit summary home with the child. Any needed medications are sent to the family’s pharmacy of choice.

“The goal is to keep children healthy, in school and learning,” said Rachel R. Alexander, DNP, APRN, manager of telehealth, Norton Healthcare. “Through the program, we can evaluate the child while at school and allow them to remain in class if possible.”

Parents will no longer have to leave work or forgo other responsibilities to take their child to the doctor. The program also will help connect families with primary and specialty care providers, which could help reduce student absenteeism.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for JCPS students, families and staff to receive immediate access to health care from their school,” said Eva Stone, DNP, APRN, manager of district health services, Jefferson County Public Schools. “Now, when a student comes to the nurse’s office with a medical issue, parents and guardians no longer have to inconveniently leave work to check on their children or take them to a doctor. The students can join a telehealth call with a Norton Healthcare provider, getting the medical attention they need to keep them in the classroom more often.”

The Norton eCare School Telehealth program launched in 2019 with three JCPS schools and expanded to 14 schools in 2022. The Norton Children’s Hospital Foundation grant is allowing the program to expand to 50 elementary schools during the 2023-2024 school year and the district’s remaining elementary schools during the 2024-2025 school year.

“Expanding access to care, especially for students, is our priority,” said Lynnie Meyer, R.N., Ed.D., FAHP, CFRE, senior vice president and chief development officer, Norton Healthcare. “We see this as an opportunity to improve that access, while supporting busy parents. The goal of our partnership with JCPS is to keep children healthy.”

The telehealth visit is billable through the parent’s insurance plan or covered similarly to an office visit. Parents must complete a registration form online to enroll a student in the program. Learn more at www.NortonChildrens.com/JCPS.