“Nine-year-old Addie Scheid was getting a medical check up in a conference room at Riverside Central Elementary last week.
But in reality, it wasn’t an actual check up. It was a dry run to test the school’s new TytoCare device, which will allow medical staff to examine students remotely. The acquisition of the technology, which was a partnership between the school and the Mayo Clinic, is groundbreaking for the area.
Aside from the technical advance, it’s also expected to revolutionize the school’s ability to help its students.
Connie Scheid, a nurse at Riverside Central as well as Addie’s mother, said the ability to offer remote examinations will go a long way toward helping students in the community who need medical care.
“We have kids that may not be able to have access to a care provider as quickly as some,” Scheid said. “It’s a huge opportunity to be able to keep our students in school healthy and learning as opposed to at home waiting to be seen potentially. We have a population too that’s new to the U.S. that may not have been able to establish care yet. It’s a much quicker option for them and less disruptive to their lives.”
Parents will have to sign off on the school providing virtual exams for their students.
Lida Casper, facilitator for Riverside’s Community Schools program, explained how the option will be good for families across the board.
“There’s lots of kids who have barriers, but there’s also just the barrier of being a working parent,” Casper said.”
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