New technology lets kids see doctor without leaving school

Nathaniel Elkins has never seen inside of his ear before.

But like most 7-year-olds, he thinks it's pretty cool.

"He talked about it for days. He absolutely loved it," Nathaniel's mother Heather Wittig said.

New medical technology called telemedicine allows students in Sevier County to get immediate health care without leaving school.

"We have a camera where we can speak with the nurse practitioner on the other end," Northview Primary registered nurse Ashley Brown said.

With telemedicine, the nurse practioner can see everything the RN at the school can see. A television screen allows the student to see inside different parts of the body.

Cherokee Health Systems helped launch telemedicine. In addition to the new technology, all Sevier County schools from grades Kindergarten through eighth grade now have a registered nurse.

"If a child comes in with an acute illness, the nurse at the school triages the child and determines whether that child is appropriate for us," Cherokee Health Systems nurse Olga Eisenhower said.

"We can listen to heart sounds, lung sounds, we can look at rashes, eyes, nose, mouth, ears," Brown said.

The ability to evaluate acute illnesses at school is also a big plus for parents.

"Before, we just had the choice of taking the child's temperature," Brown said. "If we felt that they needed medical attention, then we would have to call the parents to have the parent come pick up the child and take them to the doctor. They would have to miss days of school before they could come back with a doctor's excuse."

Through telemedicine, nurse practitioners can even call in a prescription without the student ever making a trip to the doctor's office.

"The prescription would be called in, and we could just stop by and pick it up," Wittig said. "It does give peace of mind."

It also gives peace of mind for kids as well. An often dreaded trip to see the doctor, is now an easier pill to swallow, thanks to advanced medical technology.

"They come in not feeling very well, and they're perked up by the time they leave," Eisenhower said. "It's not because they feel better, but because they can see themselves on the TV."