By Courtney Burns, FNP-C
George County School-Based Clinics
As a primary care provider in a school-based health clinic, I see firsthand how convenient access to health care can benefit students, families and school communities.
When a student doesn’t feel well during the school day, parents are often faced with leaving work, taking their child to a primary care clinic, or caring for them at home. The benefit of a school-based health clinic is that children can be evaluated and treated (with a signed parental consent form) by a primary care provider right at the school and often safely return to class. This helps keep kids in the classroom while allowing parents to remain at work.
Best of all, for students, care through our school-based clinics is available at no out-of-pocket cost. All that is required is a signed parental consent form.
Our school-based clinics aren’t just for sick visits. Students can also receive annual wellness visits, immunizations, sports physicals, minor injuries, and care for ongoing health conditions such as asthma and allergies. Regular preventive care can help identify health concerns early and give families the opportunity to address them before they interfere with a child’s ability to attend and participate in school.
School-based health care can also benefit teachers and school staff. Teachers who aren’t feeling well or need an annual wellness visit may be able to utilize the primary care clinic at their school rather than taking additional time away from work to travel to a doctor’s office. Staff can use their insurance and applicable copay or may qualify for Coastal Family Health Center’s sliding fee discount program based on household income.
Ultimately, a healthy school community supports learning. When students have convenient access to health care, they can get the care they need while potentially spending more time in the classroom.
As providers, our goal is more than treating illness. We want to make health care accessible and convenient for the students, families, and educators who make our schools and communities strong.
If your school has a Coastal Family Health Center school-based health clinic, talk with your school about completing the required consent forms.
For a list of all Coastal Family Health Center school-based clinics and contact numbers, view all our Locations