Telehealth is available to address minor illnesses

Telehealth brings medical care for students right to the school

Gaston County Schools is partnering with Kintegra Health to bring medical care for students right to their school.  With the establishment of telehealth clinics in schools, students can receive medical attention for minor illnesses without having to miss a lot of class time.

Officials describe telehealth as “an extension of the school nurse.”  Here’s how it works.  

If a student isn’t feeling well, the student can be referred for a telehealth appointment.  A medical assistant from Kintegra Health comes to the school to assess the student’s symptoms and connects virtually with a Kintegra Health medical provider in a format that is similar to a webinar or video conference.  With help from the medical assistant, the medical provider can remotely examine the student’s ears, throat, and nose, listen to heart and lung sounds, and examine minor injuries and rashes.  Parents can be there in person or join virtually.

Through telehealth, students can receive medical attention for allergies, asthma, coughs and colds, earaches, fever, sore throat, rashes, and other ailments.  Best of all, the care can be provided at school without parents having to take time away from work to pick up their child from school, make a doctor’s appointment, and wait to be seen.  Telehealth visits are covered by Medicaid and most insurance plans.  If a student does not have insurance, services are offered at discount rates.

“The telehealth program ensures that students get reliable medical care that is convenient and readily accessible,” said Dr. Rebekka Powers, assistant superintendent for student support services.  “Through Kintegra Health, our schools are able to provide care for minor illnesses – this can lead to a faster recovery for the student and fewer missed school days, which supports both student wellness and academic engagement.”

Gaston County Schools piloted the telehealth clinic concept several years ago, and it became popular rather quickly.  Now in its second full year of implementation across the district, telehealth is available at all schools (with the exception of the two Early Colleges and Webb Street School).  Since the start of the 2025-2026 school year, more than 150 telehealth visits have been conducted.  Month-over-month participation has shown steady growth, demonstrating an increase in awareness and the need for easy access to medical care for students, according to Powers.

In addition to telehealth, Kintegra Health partners with Gaston County Schools on programs that support students’ mental and emotional well-being as well as vision screenings and dental care through its mobile dentistry program.

“Kintegra Health is proud to offer telehealth as part of our on-going commitment to supporting Gaston County Schools,” said CEO Robert Spencer.  “It’s a collaborative effort to keep students healthy, learning, and thriving.”

Click here to visit our telehealth webpage.