School-based telemedicine: using technology to bring health care to inner-city children

In the USA, children in low-income, medically understaffed areas have difficulty accessing health care. A pilot telemedicine service was established in Kansas, linking four elementary schools with a local hospital at 128 kbit/s. PC-based videoconferencing systems, a stethoscope, an otoscope and fax machine were installed for each school's nurse. During the first three months of operation, 187 consultations were conducted by a hospital physician over the video-link. Ear, nose and throat problems were the most common reason for referral (29%), followed by dermatological problems (20%) and mandatory school physicals (20%). Prescriptions were issued in 67% of cases. Eighteen per cent of children required referrals for specialist care. The pilot service successfully enabled medically disadvantaged children to receive health care and prompted four additional schools to join the project.