Mobile solution brings telehealth to Crawford County

MARENGO, Ind. (Inside INdiana Business) — The lone public school system in Crawford County will now offer telehealth services for its over 1,500 students. The county’s five schools serve the largest geographical footprint of any public school system in the state, which posed a problem not faced by many other school systems in Indiana.

The Rural School Clinic Network was able to find a mobile solution to the problem with a plan allowing three sites to host the diagnostic equipment, which is portable to allow for movement as needed. All the clinics are served by medical professionals from Harrison County Hospital in Corydon. 

“Through these state-of-the-art clinics, rural students throughout Crawford County will have access to an Indiana licensed physician or provider from a hospital who will use high-tech and high-resolution diagnostic technology – such as an electronic otoscope or digital stethoscope – to digitally view ears, eyes and throat as needed during a student’s visit,” said Kathleen Chelminiak, project director.

A grant from the Indiana Rural Health Association funds the program, which allows secure technology to connect school nurses with medical providers for real-time high-resolution images and diagnostic capabilities.