The Mississippi Department of Education and Care https://www.mdek12.org recently awarded a $17.6 million grant through the University of Mississippi School of Nursing https://www.umc.edu/son and the Center for Telehealth both located at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) https://www.umc.edu.
UMMC’s Center for Telehealth has more than 200 sites in 73 Mississippi counties and has a long history for implementing innovative telehealth programs throughout the state which includes schools.
The funding is providing a telehealth delivery system from kindergarten through 12th grade which is available during school hours. The video visits with UMMC are free for families in enrolled school districts.
Parents must consent for the school telehealth visits, and they can join in the visits in person or from their computer, tablet, or smartphone. After a telehealth visit, a summary of the visit is emailed to parents. With parental consent, a summary will also be emailed to the student’s primary care provider.
The second phase of the grant will bring UMMC telehealth services to 30 more school districts in the state and at that point, UMMC telehealth services will be in 235 schools. Mental health services are available for depression, anxiety, behavioral difficulties, and other conditions which will also be available through the UMMC Center for Telehealth..
At one high school, nurses tried out the technology which included a digital stethoscope and otoscope to allow nurse practitioners and other healthcare providers at UMMC’s Center for Telehealth to listen to heartbeats, plus look at patients’ inner ears and throats in real time.
“The goals of this grant are far reaching and visionary” said, Dr. Saurabh Chandra, UMMC’s Chief Telehealth Officer. “This has the potential to not only improve health outcomes in the school population, but it is an investment in the future by helping to create a healthy and educated workforce.”
For more information on the Center for Telehealth go to https://umc.edu/Research/Centers-and-Institutes/Centers/Telehealth_Center_of_Excellence/Home.html.