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The Use of Telehealth in Schools. Position Statement. Revised.

SUMMARY Telehealth has been defined as " the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long‐distance clinical health care, patient and professional health‐related education, public health and health administration " (United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], n.d.). Telehealth enables collaboration of healthcare professionals to provide healthcare services across a variety of settings. The registered professional school nurse (hereinafter referred to as a school nurse) uses clinical knowledge and judgment to provide health care to students and staff, perform health screenings and coordinate referrals to the medical home or private healthcare provider (Wolfe, 2013). The school nurse serves in a pivotal role to provide expertise and oversight for the provision of school health services, promotion of health education, and connection between the academic setting and healthcare settings. Therefore, the school nurse is a critical link to the successful implementation and use of telehealth technology. It is the position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) that telehealth technology may be used to augment school health services but not replace in‐person health care provided by the school nurse. HISTORY The world has become increasingly reliant on a variety of technologies to manage information needs. Technology is " revolutionizing the way that health care is delivered with a steady infusion of new solutions to clinical environments " (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society [HIMSS], 2011 p. 3). " Nurses have already taken a leadership role in embracing technology as a necessary tool to innovate the delivery of health care " (HIMSS, 2011, p. 2). School nurses need to be aware of and utilize telehealth when available to facilitate the delivery of health care in the school setting. School‐based telehealth includes using telephones, teleconferences, or web cameras in the school to connect to a distant healthcare provider. More sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment can be used in telehealth, such as an otoscope that transmits the image to a remote provider or stethoscope that transmits sounds with the goal of connecting a student with a distant health provider (The Children's Partnership, 2009). Some school systems are experimenting and finding success with telehealth programs to extend the range of services in school health and decrease absenteeism for illness or disease‐management encounters (Spooner& Gotleib, 2007). DESCRIPTION OF ISSUE The use of telehealth is " increasing access to acute and specialty care for children; helping children and families manage chronic conditions; facilitating health …