By Hannah Zwiebel and Lindsay A. Thompson, Illustration: From article, JAMA Pediatrics, February 28, 2022
Schools provide health care in many ways, from nurses’ offices for routine health needs to professionally equipped school-based health clinics staffed by trained medical professionals.
More and more schools are offering these school-based health clinics to students. Because regular physician’s offices may only be open during school or work hours, parents may be forced to choose between missing school and/or work and seeking care. Also, transportation to an outside office can be difficult. School-based clinics help busy parents get their children medical care and avoid student absences. The best school-based clinics provide quality health care as a comprehensive medical home to students in the location most accessible to them. Trained school nurses, physicians, and psychologists keep children healthy and ready to learn.
There are many benefits of school-based clinics. School clinics offer prevention and screening services to students, and students can access well-child visits, sports physicals, sexual health education, sick visits, and vaccinations. These clinics can also spot and treat mental health concerns, even with same-day appointments. Students with chronic conditions such as asthma, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and diabetes can be cared for in the school environment, often with input from teachers who know them well. Some students and families may worry about the privacy of care when they see a clinician at school, and parents should make sure these clinics uphold the highest privacy and confidentiality as in a standard physician’s office setting. School clinics can increase access to health care overall for children. The location and availability of health care services makes it possible to address a wide range of needs and populations. School-based clinic visits are easier to fit into a busy schedule, which results in fewer absences from classes. Students can stay on track better with their academics because they do not have to leave school to attend a physician’s appointment. School-based vaccination programs provide a safe and efficient way to vaccinate children. This is important because vaccines help keep children safe from getting sick in the school environment and prevent children from bringing sickness home to their families.
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