Schools turn to virtual doctors for sick children

In the current economic climate, it is common for both parents to work. When a child gets sick at school, one of the parents must pick him up and ask for a doctor's appointment, which may not be possible on the same day – the parent has two days off .

In winter and in families with more than one child in school, this situation can occur repeatedly: unacceptable for employers and nightmare for parents.

Enter the digital age and the arrival of the virtual doctor.

Advances in technology have allowed a sick child in school to be accessible via videoconference with a doctor. Diagnosis and remote treatment of patients are called telemedicine.

These virtual consultations of doctors help school nurses in their work. Now, a school nurse can see a doctor about a child who has fallen ill at school. The child can be in front of a screen and a doctor can interrogate and examine him.

The examination is facilitated by otoscopes and stethoscopes connected to a computer. This allows the doctor to virtually examine the ears, nose, throat and heart rate of a child.

When the stethoscope and the otoscope are connected, what the doctor sees also appears on the screen of the school.

The advent of telemedicine has many advantages.

Getting an early diagnosis as soon as a child starts to feel sick facilitates his quick recovery. The child can start taking prescription medication immediately if necessary.

However, certain conditions can not be properly examined during a virtual consultation. For example, a condition that requires a physical exam, such as a stomachache, can not be examined remotely. The condition requires a physical examination by a doctor.

Telemedicine has proven effective for much more than diagnosing colds and fevers. Technology is also able to deal with serious mental problems in schools. A virtual visit with an expert in behavioral health has been shown to signal students who need psychiatric services.

A telemedicine program from the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center was launched in 2012 after the Sandy Hook Elementary School Mbadacre. The program is operational in 11 school districts in Lubbock and surrounding areas.

The program attracted about 34,000 middle and high school students and about 3,400 of them were then advised. In addition, about 300 of them needed psychiatric care.

That's not all: 25 students were removed from school because they showed signs of high risk of suicidal acts or homicides.

Another positive result of telemedicine is its ability to reach underserved children as well. As part of a school system that has a telemedicine agreement, kids who might not have been able to see a doctor can now do it.

A project tested the telemedicine service in schools in the city of Kansas City. Many children from disadvantaged neighborhoods were excluded from appropriate health care and this project helped to reverse the trend.

In some school districts, service providers also extend their services to staff and teachers. They do not have to leave school. Consult a doctor if they do not feel weather.

However, these programs are not yet fully established and some problems remain, including the funding of the service.

Schools are not always able to finance or finance them as much each year. The proposed solutions range from private health insurance, Medicaid to grants directly to families. For telemedicine to reach its full potential, it will be necessary to find ways to finance the service.