Stringfellow Elementary School Nurse LeAndra Gay demonstrates equipment that allows a student in her office to be examined by a doctor miles away.

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Colquitt County School Nurse Coordinator Suzanne Sumner and Stringfellow Elementary School Nurse LeAndra Gay recently presented information about the Packer Health Clinic during a parent involvement event at Stringfellow Elementary School.  

Parents, students and staff watched as a volunteer’s throat was examined using state-of-the-art medical equipment. During the examination, Gay demonstrated how she is able to communicate with healthcare providers while transmitting audio/video information in real-time.  

The Packer Health Clinics are school-based telehealth clinics and a result of a partnership of Colquitt Regional Medical Foundation, the Colquitt County Board of Education, the Colquitt County Health Department, and the Georgia Partnership for Telehealth. This innovative approach to healthcare is in its second year and has been serving Stringfellow Elementary, Okapilco Elementary and C.A. Gray Jr. High.

Next school-year, the tele-health sites will be Stringfellow, Okapilco, and Cox.  In addition, Odom Elementary School will be a Packer Clinic site once school renovations are complete.  

The clinics meet the minor health needs of students without the students having to be absent from school. School nurses, using medical devices equipped with cameras, work with local healthcare providers who view the images on a computer screen at their offices. Written parental consent is required prior to students participating in the program. Parents are allowed and encouraged to attend, but it is not required.  

Local healthcare providers participating include Dr. Patricia Lee June and nurse practitioner Cassidy Fowler. Services offered at the clinic include but are not limited to care for acute illnesses (i.e. sore throat, earache, skin rash), management of ongoing care of existing medical conditions (i.e. asthma, ADHD/ADD), and lab tests (i.e. strep tests, flu screens, urine analysis). Patients of Dr. June may also be seen for attention deficit disorder follow-up appointments.

“This is a unique partnership between our school nurses and local physicians,” Sumner said. “Packer Health Clinics are a vital way for students’ healthcare needs to be met in a timely manner.  If after assessment, medications are needed prescriptions can be called into parent’s pharmacy of choice.  Packer Health Clinic benefits students, parents, community employers, and schools, resulting in a win-win for all.”

Colquitt Regional Medical Center CEO Jim Matney said the hospital is proud to partner in the effort.

“Bringing healthcare services to children at school not only helps students who are sick, but it also provides a valuable resource to parents allowing them to remain at work,” Matney said.

For more information on the Packer Health Clinic please contact Sumner at 229-890-6194 or suzanne.sumner@colquitt.k12.ga.us.