ELIZABETH CITY, N.C. — Applause rang out inside Pasquotank County High School on Thursday morning as leaders cut the ribbon, bringing Sentara's telehealth technology to North Carolina for the first time. This means that students and staff at the school now have access to a medical professional whenever they need it.
"For me personally, my mom does travel for work because she works at the state level so I always missed school when I was sick and I couldn't go to the doctor. My dad's at work, my whole family is at work. I think it's going to help a lot of parents, a lot of students," said Deasia McPherson, a student at PCHS.
Stories like these are exactly what Sentara's telehealth services at Pasquotank County High School are hoping to help with.
"Now you're not having to choose my paycheck over my child's health. They can still continue to work together and know that here they can get what they need," said Delishia Moore, principal of PCHS.
Thursday was another massive step in health care access in northeastern North Carolina, with Sentara introducing its telehealth services to Pasquotank County High School families.
"I think having grown up in an area under resourced when it comes to medical care, it is so important that children, especially children, have access to good quality care," said Dr. LaTonya Russell, a pediatrician with Sentara.
So how does it work? Sentara professionals demonstrated it for News 3 and everyone in the room on Thursday. The provider comes on the screen, and medical professionals at the school use the same tools you'd see at a doctor's office, but that symptom data is fed straight to the provider, meaning a diagnosis can be made in real time.
"We can lay virtual hands to look at ears, nose, throat, listen to the heart and lungs," said Russell.
Sentara professionals also made it clear that a parent will always be present in person or virtually when the telehealth services are being used. This kind of technology can also be utilized by area families who might not have had access to it before.
"This isn't just about the physical health, but it's also about just the emotional health and just the ability to thrive. It's very hard to thrive when you're not feeling good and so this is just a great opportunity to be able to offer care to folks who may not have access to it otherwise," said Russell.
This type of technology can also be huge for the health care system overall.
"We don't have enough providers in this area for the influx of people that we have in the area. So until that catches up, we have opportunities like this, where we can take care of it in the schools," said Sandy Young, lead nurse for Elizabeth City Pasquotank Public Schools.
It can also inspire the next generation of health care professionals.
"Now to be able to actually see some of this practice and see themselves in this profession, we often talk to them about where this could lead," said Moore.
In an area where health care can be a challenge, this is another step that the community can be proud of.
"We'll look forward to some exciting stories to come about what a difference it's made, but we already see where it's going to be positive for the students and the teachers," said Teresa Watson, president of Sentara Albemarle Medical Center.
This was all made possible through a partnership between Sentara, ECPPS and Truist.
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