Telehealth for School Health: How a Partnership between MUSC and State Organizations Improved Access to Care for Over 200 SC Schools

The Medical University of South Carolina in partnership with organizations like the South Carolina Telehealth Alliance has developed a school-based telehealth program that has positively impacted the lives of over 200 schools in the state. The program offers students improved access to health care for various needs, including sick visits, acute care, chronic condition management, and behavioral health services.

One such student who benefited from this program is Zaire Warren, a ten-year-old from Sumter, South Carolina, who had been struggling with severe asthma symptoms until he started receiving care through the telehealth program. With close monitoring and care, Zaire’s health saw a significant improvement. He was finally able to participate in activities like singing and dancing without experiencing chest pain.

The school-based telehealth program provides physicians with telehealth equipment that enables them to conduct exams in real-time by seeing and hearing everything happening during the appointment. This benefits include reduced emergency department visits, fewer missed workdays for parents or guardians, and students being able to stay in school instead of missing class for health appointments.

Erinn Kasubinski, Nurse Manager of the School-based Telehealth Program at MUSC emphasized the program’s goal of increasing students’ seat time in class. With an average of 97 or 98 percent success rate, students who see providers through telehealth visits can return to class and continue learning as long as they are not contagious.

Zaire’s mother, Danielle Smith shared how telehealth visits have positively impacted their family since Zaire began managing his asthma through telehealth his mother has not had to miss work to pick him up from school. Zaire has had better control over his asthma resulting in fewer attacks and Smith expressed gratitude for the programs support and assistance