sevier county schools make any effort to keep kids healthier

By Kimberly Hood

The Sevier County School System is doing its part to keep kids healthier and make life a little easer on parents by offering on-site medical care for children.

It has partnered with Cherokee Health to provide Student Medical Assistance Response Team (S.M.A.R.T.).

S.M.A.R.T. provides the 17 elementary and middle schools with a secure, two-way video link from a sick child and the on-site registered nurse to a Cherokee Health Systems pediatric or family nurse practitioner.

"I am delighted that the Sevier County School System, in partnership with Cherokee Health Systems, is equipped to offer on-site medical services for our children," said Jack Parton, director of schools.

"Telemedicine utilizes state-of-the-art technology to assist us in attending to the physical needs of our students. With this program, youngsters in our school district have the opportunity to receive timely care from a medical professional. Such care will promote healthier and happier students with improved attendance. I believe this will result in increased academic achievement.”

During a telemedicine visit, a child can be screened, examined, diagnosed, treated, and monitored. The clinics at the schools have special equipment that gives the medical provider the ability to examine the child's ears, eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin and more.

With parental permission, a child may be seen through telemedicine for cuts/abrasions, rashes, pink eye, coughs, colds, strep throat, earaches, and/or flu-like symptoms. Lab testing for strep throat and influenza are available on site.

The telemedicine visit will be followed up with a call to the parents from a medical professional, who will provide information on any findings and give recommendations for continued treatment or referral.

For students with TennCare, CoverKids, or other insurance coverage, Cherokee Health Systems will submit claims to the insurance company and standard co-pay fees will apply. 

However, for students without insurance, services will be provided for just $5 per visit and a minimal charge for any lab services.  

Lori Turner, a nurse at Seymour Primary, said the program is good because it saves parents a lot of time and allows children to be treated sooner rather than later.

The Cherokee Medical provider can call in a prescription for the child and the parents can pick it up on the way home from getting their child at school.

Turner also said that parent response was slow at first, but has definitely picked up as more parents become aware of the program.

"This is the first year (for S.M.A.R.T.). It came on so late that I don't really think a lot of parents understand what it's for, so we're trying to get the word out. But until you use it, you don't really feel the convenience of it," she said.

Turner said about 100 kids per month have been treated via telemedicine, according to what she has heard.

For more information about S.M.A.R.T., contact Don Best, coordinator of school health, at 453-4671, or visit www.sevier.org/csh/index.html