Within the past 10 years, school-based health centers (SBHC) have emerged as effective models for improving student access to healthcare and closing the gap experienced by those who live in underserved communities.

SBHCs remove obstacles for seeking healthcare, such as lack of transportation and worries about missing time at school, because an SBHC is like a primary care office inside a school building. A provider sees students – and even teachers and staff – during the day. The provider can perform rapid tests for conditions such as COVID-19 and strep throat, recommend treatment and even send prescriptions to the pharmacy.

As the area’s only locally owned and operated independent health system, Aultman Health Foundation (AHF) has expanded its services to incorporate this new model of community-based care. Thanks to state grants, AHF now serves 11 school districts throughout Carroll, Stark, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties. In the coming years, there are plans to grow even more thanks to $6.8 million in grants through the Appalachian Children’s Health Initiative. Aultman partners Brown Local Schools, Claymont City School District and Tuscarawas Valley Local School District all received funding to expand their offerings and facilities in order to reach more children and families.

Aultman is able to serve these schools through a mix of on-site clinics and school-based telehealth services. With telehealth, an on-site nurse serves as the hands for a remote provider, transmitting critical information quickly via a secured video call platform.

For example, the nurse can use a Bluetooth stethoscope to share the patient’s heart, breathing and bowel sounds or use an optical otoscope to transmit pictures of the inner ear. Using this information, the provider can make a diagnosis and share the plans for treatment with the student and their guardians.

Aultman was one of the first in Ohio to establish a school-based telehealth service through an SBHC, partnering with Rittman Exempted Village School District to pilot the program in 2018.

The SBHCs have been a major success. In 2023, the return-to-class rate across Aultman’s SBHCs topped 70%. In addition, patients gave the health centers an 87.5% satisfaction rating. Aultman’s SBHC program is a great example of what can happen when government entities, school districts and healthcare providers come together to address critical needs in local communities.