Pilot program brings telemedicine to Skyline Middle School and Stanton Middle School

Today, Red Clay announced the start of an on-campus health care program that will make it possible for students to receive telemedicine consultations from board-certified emergency medicine specialists, right from the school nurse’s office. The school district will pilot the program at Skyline Middle School and Stanton Middle School through the end of the 2022-23 school year, in partnership with CareForceMD.

“In Red Clay we’ve made tremendous strides in increasing health services for students in our elementary schools, high schools and magnet schools, but we saw a need to fill the gap for the hundreds of students who attend our traditional middle schools,” said Mandy Pennington, MSN, RN, Supervisor of Health Services. “Through the telemedicine pilot, more middle schoolers will be able to get tested for common illnesses and receive treatment right on campus, without having to make a trip to their primary care provider’s office.”

By providing access to telemedicine right in school, Red Clay hopes to help more students overcome some of the obstacles to receiving quality health care. “Many families lack transportation which makes it tough to get to and from a doctor’s appointment,” Pennington explained. “We also know that it can be difficult for parents and guardians to take time off work or find appointment times that fit their schedules -- now we can remove some of those barriers for families who want their children to receive health care during the school day.”

In the program, board-certified emergency medicine specialists provide telemedicine consultations to students, with parents and guardians having the option to participate in their child’s evaluation over secure video chat. When a student’s condition is deemed serious, health care providers can make recommendations for next steps and initiate communications with the student’s primary care provider or the local hospital. Prescriptions can be sent during the school day so that they are ready for pick up after school. Results and reports can be sent to the student’s primary care provider with parent/guardian permission.

To participate in the telemedicine program, parents and guardians must register their child and provide consent for their child to receive services. Services include testing and treatment for conditions like COVID-19, flu, strep throat and urinary infections. Parents and guardians will be notified any time their child uses the telemedicine services.

Beyond the pilot at Skyline Middle School and Stanton Middle School, Red Clay aims to expand the program to Alexis I. du Pont Middle School which would ensure that every Red Clay middle schooler has access to convenient, on-campus health services via telemedicine or a school-based health center.

About the Red Clay Consolidated School District

The Red Clay Consolidated School District is Delaware’s largest school district and one of its largest employers. With 32 campuses across New Castle County, Red Clay serves 16,000 students in early childhood, elementary, secondary, magnet, charter and adult education programs. Red Clay is home to several U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon Schools, U.S. News & World Report’s Top 10 High Schools in the Philadelphia Area, and was recently rated the #1 Place to Teach in Delaware.

About CareForceMD

CareForceMD is a leading regional provider of mobile and tele-urgent care services across the Delaware Valley, with a focus on improving access to timely, convenient and affordable health care for all people.