Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) have joined forces to introduce the innovative Virtual Care at School program. The collaboration aims to provide accessible healthcare for children by offering virtual healthcare visits at 20 selected schools. This ground-breaking initiative, announced on Wednesday, is set to revolutionize healthcare access and attendance for students with chronic conditions.
The Virtual Care at School program aims to address the challenge of student absenteeism due to medical appointments by offering an alternative solution. By partnering with CHLA specialists, the program enables students to receive care without missing valuable classroom time. This innovative approach ensures that students can access necessary medical attention while maintaining their regular school routine.
Program Details and Specialties
Commencing from the first day of the 2023-24 school year, the Virtual Care at School program will be available to CHLA patients aged 12 and older who attend participating LAUSD schools. Virtual appointments will be offered in several specialty areas, including Adolescent Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Infectious Diseases, Medical Genetics, and Pulmonology. This diverse range of specialties ensures that students with various chronic conditions can receive the specialized care they require.
The Rise of Telehealth
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated the adoption of telehealth services, and CHLA has experienced a substantial increase in virtual appointments. Before the pandemic, CHLA conducted approximately 470 virtual meetings per year. However, in the wake of the pandemic, the number of virtual positions has surged to over 42,000 annually. Embracing telehealth has proven to be a game-changer, benefiting students by providing essential healthcare while minimizing disruptions to their academic schedules.
Pilot Program Schools
The Virtual Care at School program will be piloted in 20 LAUSD schools. The selected schools include:
- David Starr Jordan High School
- Dr. Maya Angelou Community High School
- Felicitas & Gonzalo Mendez High School
- Francisco Sepulveda Middle School
- Huntington Park High School
- James Madison Middle School
- John C. Fremont High School
- John H. Francis Polytechnic High School
- John Marshall High School
- Los Angeles Academy Middle School STEAM Magnet
- North Hollywood High School
- Northridge Academy High School
- Olive Vista Middle School
- Panorama High School
- Phineas Banning Senior High School
- Rudecinda Sepulveda Dodson Middle School
- Thomas Jefferson High School
- Vista Middle School
- William Howard Taft High School
- Woodrow Wilson Senior High School
- Scheduling Virtual Appointments
Interested individuals can contact CHLA's virtual care coordinator from Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 323-284-3829 to access virtual appointments under the Virtual Care at School program. The virtual care coordinator will assist in scheduling appointments and provide further guidance on the process.
This innovative partnership between CHLA and LAUSD signifies a remarkable advancement in healthcare accessibility for students. By integrating virtual care into the school setting, the Virtual Care at School program ensures students can prioritize their well-being while fully engaging in their educational journey.
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