How can EHRs help to create mandatory health reports for schools

EHR

How can EHRs help to create mandatory health reports for schools EHRs are real-time patient-centered health records that make health and medical information instantly and securely available to authorized users. The system goes beyond being a record of medical and treatment history, to include a broader view of a patient’s care. It: Is a log of patients’ medical history, diagnoses, medications, treatment plans, immunization dates, allergies, radiology images and laboratory and test results. Allows access to evidence-based tools that providers can use to make decisions about a patient’s care. Automates and streamlines provider workflows Reporting using EHRs in schools In schools, EHRs assist school nurses in providing population-based healthcare to the entire school community through efficient data management processes, including documentation, student data analysis and reporting. And as for reporting, with the introduction of EHR systems to manage student healthcare data, school districts can now follow a standardized reporting model that makes it easier to analyze health data and make informed healthcare decisions for the school district and state without taking up much time. School nurses can use the EHR systems to generate comprehensive reports on absences, communicable illness outbreaks, immunization compliances and much more in just a few clicks and share them as well with local or state health units. This ability of EHR systems to aggregate data in real-time and deliver reliable health data and reports is what makes it successful in the new value-based healthcare environment. Reporting with EHR systems in schools There are a variety of reports that can be generated by an EHR system and most systems make it easy for authorized users to enter the requirement and generate a report with just the requested fields. In a school environment, forms with student health data are often collected during the beginning of the school year where students can submit a form of their health statuses. And the information needed is extracted and put into a report. While this process was manually handled earlier, it has proven to be tedious as it involved hours of paperwork and coordination, without which it would be a challenge to put together such enormous amounts of information. With the introduction of digital forms in EHR systems, the collection of information and reporting has become so much easier as it enables collation of the information without much hassle and eliminates any need for paper. Once it collates all the relevant information, it is then saved to the database. Some of the pre-built health reports for schools that can be easily generated on EduHealth EHR are:  Immunization reports COVID 19 status reports Medical history reports Treatment history reports Allergy reports Nurse visit reports Log reports If you need a custom or a specific report that is not currently available in the current module, our team will help you add the custom report into your product, so you never come across a hassle in your reporting requirements. How EduHealth helps schools meet their mandatory reporting requirements Meticulous reporting on student health and the coordination between schools, school districts, local health bodies and state health administrations are critical to ensuring the safety of students and staff in the school environment. Reports generated by EHR systems are standardized and therefore enable coordination. EduHealth’s comprehensive reporting module is in-built with most standard reports that allow authorized school health officials to quickly compile this information and submit it in a standardized manner to the authorities concerned. Standardization of reporting with EduHealth EHR makes sure that no information is missed. Health authorities have the correct and updated health information of students and staff enabling them to take important calls on key health-related decisions for school districts. This helps them to meet their mandatory reporting requirements and get all information together in one format, which makes reporting convenient and efficient.

How do electronic health records (EHR or EMR) improve the quality of care

Softwares, Student Health Care

How do electronic health records (EHR or EMR) improve the quality of care   There is a growing interest in EHRs around the world. Technology and innovations are changing the health industry, governments and organizations are focusing on providing better health services to the public.  Today, we’ll look at the world of EHRs or EMRs and how significant they are in the ever-changing world of modern health care.  Examining the health-care quality aspect of EHRs You may be aware of EHR’s or EMR’s in recent times and how they are changing the health industry with their fast-paced functionalities and interoperability. EHR’s are conceptually designed for different purposes and they offer a huge advantage of collecting and maintaining the patients’ medical information in electronic formats.    EHRs contain a wide range of patient-level variables such as diagnoses, demographics, vital signs, problem lists, medications, and laboratory data. It is a key tool that performs a variety of core functions such as health information capture, clinical decision support, health information exchange, patient support, electronic communication, orders and results management administrative processes, and population health reporting. Electronic health records provide all the essential information and meaningful patient data that helps in providing positive health outcomes. In present times doctors and clinics are better equipped to treat the patients and meet their expectations, and readily available valuable data from the EHR systems will help contribute to easier clinical decision making. Better analysis and information  EHR’s provides better and more detailed information about the patients that were not previously possible with paper charts. Primary care providers can acquire accurate analysis by viewing or printing graph values such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and weight by tracking all the changes over time. The EMR data will help primary care providers to develop a better care plan for chronic diseases, management, prevention, and screening. Point-of-care data from EMRs can be used to inform practice and conduct research. The EMR data provides the physician with valuable practice-level information when used meaningfully, which includes standard and consistent data entry in specific fields. Positive effects on workflow  The EMR allows clinicians to see a greater number of patients by providing better access to comprehensive patient histories that include clinical data, potentially saving physicians time searching for results and reports. Remote access to patient charts, improved laboratory result availability, medication error alerts, and preventive care reminders are among the perceived benefits. Aids physicians in focusing on preventive care  Improved versions of today’s EHRs have helped healthcare providers manage preventable diseases more effectively. They can use EHRs to send electronic templates to patients, prompting them to schedule appointments for procedures such as mammograms, colonoscopies, and other exams. These precautions can help in the early detection of potentially fatal diseases like breast cancer. Doctors can stay on top of their patient’s health by being on a high alert for patients who still have not had important screening tests.  EHRs give caregivers the tools they need to spot patient risks and behaviors, resulting in better preventive care. It also allows doctors to focus on patients rather than numbers, which improves the quality of care and treatment outcomes. Better Patient Outcomes  In the emergency room, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities, doctors are frequently the only point of contact for patients. When data isn’t recorded and available to all staff, it leads to fragmented data and misinterpretations. Thanks to EHRs, administrators can virtually monitor a patient’s health. This improves patient outcomes by improving access to healthcare data and care coordination. The Positive Impact of EHRs in the Healthcare industry EHRs are significantly transforming the healthcare industry; they contain patient-centered records containing medical and treatment histories of patients that are only accessible to authorized users.  Because of its safe and compatible features, and elaborate reports, it is an ideal instrument for health practitioners and labs to provide a comprehensive and broader view of the patient’s care. So, how do EHRs improve the quality of care, you might ask?  Well, EHR systems are designed to go beyond the standard clinical data collected in a physician’s office. Here are some of the key points that EHRs deliver in the field of healthcare and medicine. Improved Patients care  Aside from making healthcare providers’ lives easier, they also improve patient care and safety. EHRs make more valuable data available to providers and aid in clinical data management. They also help to streamline clinical decision-making and time-consuming processes.  Patients may see multiple doctors, ranging from cardiologists to dermatologists. Every doctor a patient sees must have the same knowledge. EHRs ensure that every provider in the patient’s network of care is aware of which medications they are taking as well as any other treatment plans. EHRs also offer the convenience of electronic prescriptions sent to pharmacies and the elimination of the need to fill out the same forms at each doctor’s visit. EHRs put accurate and complete information about patients’ health and medical history at the fingertips of providers. With EHRs, caregivers can provide the best possible care at the point of care. This can result in a better patient experience and, more importantly, better patient outcomes. That is how EHRs help in improving patient care by delivering high-quality treatment.  Increase Patient Participation  EHRs authorize providers and patients to share access to electronic health information and collaborate on making informed decisions. Patient involvement is especially important for treating chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, and obesity. EHR-enabled patient portals give patients access to critical healthcare information. EHRs deliver patients with access to current medical records and enable them to review notes or treatment results in near real-time. Many also allow patients to send messages to providers through a secure system.    Providers may be able to identify symptoms earlier if patients and providers can communicate quickly and easily. It can also position providers to be more proactive in their patient outreach. Patients can also access information from their providers via patient portals linked to their EHR system.  Improved Care Coordination   As medical and…

How can schools implement FERPA and HIPAA regulations using EHR

EHR

  How can schools implement FERPA and HIPAA regulations using EHR  As digital health records and electronic health monitoring and recording technologies transform public health systems, medical institutions, and schools, we need to address how to meet HIPAA and FERPA compliance standards set by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Selecting, adapting, and implementing a reliable documentation system for patient records is part of health information technology. When schools are using EHRs to capture their students’ health information, they must follow HIPAA and FERPA privacy rules for storing and transmitting personal data for billing or business purposes. Continue reading to the end to gain a better understanding of how these federal privacy laws impact educational institutions and how to ensure compliance.  What do we know about HIPAA and FERPA compliance so far?  According to federal law in the United States, school health records are considered educational records. This means that a child’s right to privacy and access is influenced by the same regulations that protect educational records. When schools share (PHI) protected health information with these students, the HIPAA and FERPA act automatically apply to them.  When do FERPA guidelines apply to school health records?   FERPA protects the privacy of students’ records and information in school health records. The types of student records that come under FERPA are financial information, disciplinary files, student transcripts, and immunization and health records.   Parental consent is necessary under FERPA before records may be shared. The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act applies to all schools that receive finances from the US Department of Education, as well as those with which they interact.   When do HIPAA guidelines apply to school health records?  While FERPA applies to schools and educational institutions, HIPAA applies to healthcare. When a school hires external healthcare personnel who digitally shares PHI (protected health information) such as healthcare claims to a health plan for payment, they are subject to HIPAA.When sharing student health information with the following authorities, schools must adhere to HIPAA guidelines. Physicians  Nurses  Organizations that present bills or are paid for healthcare in the normal course of business  Clinical social workers  Other medical and mental health practitioners  Hospitals  Clinics  HIPAA-covered organizations that assist school-based health clinics could have the same student healthcare information protected by both HIPAA and FERPA. A hospital or health agency would be bound to follow HIPAA guidelines when retaining the same student’s health information.   How can FERPA and HIPAA be implemented in schools?   Under FERPA and HIPAA, schools must follow the guidelines that protect the privacy of student PHI records while transferring them electronically. According to these laws, schools are subject to multiple health record privacy and access requirements than doctors, clinics, and hospitals. To follow compliance, schools can implement EHR system like EduHealth. Here are some of the major challenges addressed by implementing EHR in schools.    Collaboration  A collaborative care model demands secure sharing of student health data by physicians, counselors, athletic trainers, and other specialties. EHR software will help schools to facilitate collaboration in schools within a short period. Productivity  Workflows will be streamlined with the automation of routine administrative and nursing tasks when EHRs are implemented, enabling providers to see more patients and provide better care. Compliance   Manually verifying thousands of student immunization records and sending out reminders is tedious and time-consuming. This is something that EHRs can help address and solve because they provide a safe and dependable method of sharing and storing student health data with other allied health institutions and personnel.   Security  Total student data security and privacy, starting with HIPAA/FERPA compliance, is essential. EHRs are a safe, compliant, and efficient medium for adhering to HIPAA and FERPA federal laws when using student PHI for treatment or billing.  What student records can be stored and shared under FERPA     The type of student records that requires compliance are the following.  Financial information  Disciplinary files  Immunization & health records  All personal information  Student course history  Student transcripts  According to FERPA, numerous requirements make compliance requirements necessary for schools to protect private student information. In any case non-compliance will result in hefty fines.   There is no formal retention time for student records, however, many state laws set retention restrictions. Temporary student records should be maintained for at least 5 years, even after the student no longer attends and permanent records need to be maintained for at least 60 years.  When can the school records be shared?  With school administrators who have legitimate educational interests.  To other schools where students will be transferring.  To designated officials for auditing and evaluation.  To third parties concerning student financial aid.  In the event of a health or safety emergency, to health officials.  In compliance with appropriate state law, to state local authorities in a juvenile justice system.  How Eduhealth helps schools implement FERPA and HIPAA regulations to keep confidential health information safe?  The key aspects that EHR systems like EduHealth help for implementing FERPA and HIPAA regulations are.  HIPAA-compliant features in EduHealth EHR  Audit trails – Every action taken in EduHealth is recorded, as well as when the changes were made.  Encryption – The data stored in the EduHealth system is encrypted, preventing the risk of unauthorized access by strangers.  Access controls – EduHealth’s access controls ensure that only authorized personnel have access to students’ PII.  Security – EduHealth is centered on the reliable Microsoft Azure platform. HIPAA requirements have been mapped to the well-established security frameworks and standards that CSPs follow regularly.  FERPA-compliant features in EduHealth EHR Record retention: – EduHealth stores students’ PII (personally identifiable information) in the cloud and complies with state requirements by retaining the information for as long as it is required.  Robust security and protocols: With secure processes on the EduHealth platform, it protects students’ PII and avoids improper disclosure.  Paperless digital health records:  EduHealth’s access controls and security make unauthorized access to PII less likely.  Security in information sharing: Data stored in EduHealth is secure and shareable only with authorized persons.   For schools who want to ensure compliance with HIPAA and FERPA  Schools are currently experiencing…

The Importance of School Nurses in Students’ Mental Health

EHR, School nursing

  The Importance of School Nurses in Students’ Mental Health  Mental health is an issue in today’s fast-paced environment, and it affects children as well as adults. Many of the key institutions of America such as (ACMH) have released a study that reveals that 1 in 5 children in America shows symptoms of diagnosable behavioral, emotional and mental health disorders. School nurses work with healthcare experts, community healthcare professionals, students, and families to identify children with mental illnesses and create a better healthcare system for those who require behavioral health services.   They are ideally suited and capable of identifying students with potential behavioral health difficulties due to their direct access to pupils. School nurses serve as advocates, facilitators, and counselors for behavioral health services both in and out of the school.  Let’s explore a little deeper by reading more about this topic.  How does it all start?  The first few minor symptoms of student mental problems are refusal to attend school as well as difficulty studying and concentrating in class. Children exhibit disruptive behavior, eating and sleeping issues. While some of these symptoms are temporary, moderate, or mild, others cause significant discomfort, confusion, and loss of control that becomes unmanageable.   Poor academic performance, a lack of enthusiasm for school, a loss of enthusiasm in homework, or poor interactions with peers or teachers can all be indicators of what the child is going through at school.  What are the mental health concerns in students?  Children, like adults, are affected by the same mental health issues and respond differently to them. For instance, when an adult is depressed, he has trouble concentrating and enjoying activities that used to engage him. If a child is going through depression, he/ she may show signs of irritability more than sadness. Behavioral issues often come out as symptoms that are manifested by children who are dealing with mental issues.[/vc_column_text]Children are also more prone to exhibit behavioral abnormalities as a result of mental health problems. For many youngsters, this emerges as behavioral disorders such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).   Some of the behavioral health issues that trouble students are: Anxiety Disorder  Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)  Mood Disorders  Eating Disorders  Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)  Anxiety Disorders:  Anxiety is normal for just any individual, child, or adult. When it hinders the child’s ability to succeed in school or social connections, it may be an indication of something more serious. Some of the most prevalent types in children are obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and social phobias.  Autism spectrum disorder:  Another difficult-to-define and understand mental health condition is an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is a developmental disorder that influences a child’s speech and behavior. Every kid with ASD is unique, but many have difficulty speaking and connecting with others.  ADHD:  An attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a medical condition that affects a child’s capacity to process his or her own emotions in order to comprehend the needs and feelings of others. The major symptom is trouble concentrating; nevertheless, youngsters typically display impatient and fidgeting behavior, difficulties following directions, and frequent daydreaming.  Mood Disorders and Eating Disorders:  Eating and mood disorders can affect children of all ages and are often caused by stress or trauma. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder are all life-threatening eating disorders. Mood problems can lead to suicidal and even violent ideas. What can school nurses do to help? A crucial strategy here for a school nurse is connecting, sustaining, and engaging with parents for implementing and supporting excellent outcomes in students. Assessment and screening for students who have mental health problems is an important part of school nursing practice. School nurses continue to interact with students and their families regularly, helping to build essential and long-lasting bonds.   With strong relationships with parents and other support personnel, school nurses strive to keep parents involved in a range of activities and opportunities by addressing typical challenges and hurdles.  Screening and assessment of mental health issues at school:  Most screening procedures, at most, provide a preliminary sign that something may be wrong. When considering formal diagnosis and prescriptions on how to solve the problem, more valid data from evaluation methods are required. Many mental health problems are identified by nurses when students visit their office or while being screened for other health issues. Such issues are also brought to the nurses’ notice during attendance and discipline reviews, assessments for special education placement, crisis interventions, or when others (staff, parents, students) express worries about a specific child. A nurse’s responsibilities also include teaching educators, classmates, parents, and others how to correctly identify and refer students. What appears to be a learning handicap, or an attention problem may be emotional; behavior problems and hyperactivity can occur as a result of learning challenges. Troubles at school may be the result of problems at home. The initial assessment report will identify the child’s trauma symptoms and causes.  School nurses collaborate with parents and the community.  School nurses can educate parents about mental health and help them treat their children. Nurses use school assessments to ask parents about their children’s health needs and interests, and how they want to take part in the school’s health activities, services, and programs.   They collaborate with school officials to develop policies and procedures to increase parent involvement in school health programs. They also create school health programs that cater to parents’ concerns, such as student wellness seminars.  Schools and nurses educate parents about mental health issues.   School nurses give parent education seminars on depression, suicide prevention, and student resiliency, either on their own or in collaboration with community organizations. They provide information to parents on the same mental health problems that they discuss with students. They provide and promote school-sponsored mental health resources in neighborhood libraries, community centers, and other public places.  How can school nurses keep parents involved?  School nurses can ask parents to participate in school decision-making through parent-teacher associations, school health councils, or other groups. They collaborate with teachers to create family-based education techniques that engage parents in health talks with their children. For example,…

The Advantages of Digitizing School Health Records

covid-19 resources, EHR

  The Advantages of Digitizing School Health Records  Digitalization of documents is becoming more popular. Every business we know is rapidly moving away from paper, as proven by online transactions, grocery stores, doctor’s offices, gas stations, and airlines. The digitization model is also being implemented in schools, as it is gradually replacing the use of paper documents in the school setting for all functions.  Schools in the U.S, from K-12 to higher secondary education collect many types of documents related to student health and medical information. It includes student immunization records, records of allergies, health conditions, regular medications, immunization records.  Such immense volumes of sensitive information are subject to the privacy and lifecycle regulatory authorities of HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act).  Digitizing school health records can help schools overcome the gap. Not only will it facilitate greater security compliance and privacy requirements than paper documents, but it also provides improved data gathering, control, and auditing access, as well as expedites approved release in an emergency.  Let us look at why schools need to digitize their school documents.  Why Is It Necessary To Digitize School Health Records?  Schools face significant challenges in keeping a record of their student’s data. Thousands of children come through the school system each year. Academic institutions must maintain massive amounts of data that grow year after year. This data includes everything from attendance sheets to exam report cards, academic transcripts, exchanges, and papers linked to student loans, sponsorships, and scholarships.  Paper records administration is resource-intensive and time-consuming, and it frequently relies heavily on the knowledge of a few employees. If a key employee leaves or retires from the service, the entire staff will be in a predicament because they may not know where the specific file is kept. The monthly cost of expensive storage space compounds to that same closed system.  Digital technology is fast becoming the norm in the business world. The digital transformation approach and adaptability are helping all of the world’s major sectors in generating growth and success. Education is one of the world’s major industries, and it is benefiting greatly from digitalization. The use of digital technology has assisted many academic institutions in improving student experiences, promoting data-driven decisions, increasing competitiveness, and optimizing resources.  The covid-19 epidemic is another reason that has necessitated digitalization and digitized teaching in schools. Schools are better equipped and prepared with digitized learning experiences such as online classes, online assessments, eBooks, video conferencing, and, in some situations, virtual reality.   Post-pandemic schools gather much of their data in digital files and are moving forward by decreasing the need for paper to keep records. Benefits of Digitizing School Health Records   Quick Accessibility:   Document digitization allows an institution to access data in digital form from anywhere, breaking down the constraints of geography, time, and simultaneous access. Data accessibility promotes data flow inside the school, resulting in increased productivity.  Cost Cutting:  Document digitalization enables schools to reduce the use of physical records, which consume resources such as space, security personnel, employees, and a decay-free environment. Once the data is digitized, we can optimize these resources to save money.  Information Security:  Because the documents have been digitized, access to digital material is simple to specify. Digital access not only decreases the time required to provide access but also lets you specify the level of accessibility. This improves data security and safeguards against data leaks. It is simple to keep data safe with the right type of cyber security.  Higher Productivity:  Data may be accessed by different departments inside the organization at the same time; but, if the data is not digital, accessing it requires more time and effort.  Data Backup and Restore: Digitized data is easy to store in different spots, improving data security. Data storage in various places provides additional protection against data corruption or loss. Physical papers are more likely to be harmed in natural calamities, but digitized data is safer and easier to copy. Natural disasters are frequently unpredictable, therefore storing them in several, secure locations increase the reliability of your records.  Ecofriendly:   There is no need to print digital data for distribution, and it is also simple to handle. To eliminate excessive printing, an email is all that is required to share the data. This will eventually result in the conservation of natural resources.  Strategic Advantage:  When you have access to digitized data, it is much easier to find records and information instantly. You can perform an analytical diagnosis, which can provide useful information.   Ultimately Digitization Secures and Protects Student Records   “Misplacement, inaccurate filing, and accidental deletion of paper records are all disadvantages of managing paper records.” This problem is instantly solved by digitizing the records. Digital files are safely stored, indexed, and instantly recovered when required. These documents are saved on a third-party cloud platform. There are various levels of access permission, each requiring a security key.  A secure digital student record is only accessible and managed by authorized persons. This safeguards a student’s privacy by preventing anyone who does not have the appropriate authorization from reading the academic records.   More importantly, it safeguards a student’s academic record against unauthorized modification, theft, or destruction. Digital records are resistant to tampering and misuse. Final Thoughts on Digitizing Student Data with EduHealth EHR systems, such as EduHealth, offer advanced functions such as efficient data administration, scanning and aggregating data from physical forms and medical documents, and analyzing student health data. It can help assess health trends such as communicable diseases.  School population health data shared via EduHealth EHR can be used to track vaccine compliance, environmental and chronic health issues, and effective prevention measures. EduHealth also streamlines and simplifies the school nurse’s documentation tasks, making it easy to gather, review, update, and delete data as required by various laws.  The significance of digitizing information in terms of confidentiality, security, privacy, and regulatory compliance cannot be understated. In today’s world, converting your students’ records to digital format is a crucial advancement for tracking, managing, and transferring medical records. Using digital innovation, EduHealth can help your school’s health system in progressing and providing better health care.

What is a school nurse’s role in aiding students with ADHD?

EHR, School nursing

  What is a school nurse’s role in aiding students with ADHD? ADHD is a behavioral disorder that affects one in every twenty children in the United States, with around 80% of adolescents experiencing symptoms throughout adolescence and into adulthood. Children with attention deficit disorders exhibit symptoms such as impulsivity and hyperactivity, which affect their academic and behavioral performance at school and at home. School nurses can play an important role in raising awareness of ADHD by improving the service delivery model for distressed children and their families. In this blog, we will learn how school nurses help students with ADHD, and how they help parents of both affected and non-affected students in empowering themselves and their children to live a quality life. ADHD in students, and what challenges they may face at school Children with attention deficit or hyperactivity disorder have even more personal struggles than average students. They typically exhibit symptoms such as inability to pay attention, difficulty controlling impulses, and difficulty sitting still, such conditions cause students to perform poorly at school. Around 5% to 9% of children aged 9 to 17 have serious behavioral problems that hinder their ability to function at home, school, or in the community. ADHD is one of these concerns. To educate such students, schools must implement measures that will support their treatments while still allowing them to learn with their classmates. How can schools support ADHD students? ADHD treatments in schools usually involve behavioral classroom management and organizational training. Students with disabilities receive special education programs in schools. Schools are also taking the necessary steps to limit the effects of ADHD on their learning. The Role of the school nurse in helping children with ADHD School nurses are the main care providers in schools and provide primary prevention for students who show symptoms of ADHD. They play an important role in raising awareness of ADHD by enhancing the health service delivery model for afflicted children and families. School nurses perform as ADHD educators for families and their children who are affected by the condition. They encourage families to seek therapy for their children at healthcare institutions since most parents are scared that their children will be labeled and stigmatized because of their child’s mental health issues and need for treatment. School nurses create and implement programs and workshops to fight the stigma associated with ADHD and raise awareness about child behavioral programs. They also develop culturally relevant methods to care for affected children and provide support, education, and information to families, children, and communities. They also collaborate with other health care providers to initiate national screening programs for identifying behavioral issues in children and ADHD in school-age and younger children. Children who show symptoms of ADHD are subsequently evaluated individually and clinically by skilled, highly trained professionals in this field. If a child is diagnosed with symptoms of ADHD, the school nurse can assist in implementing the following framework in school and at home to ensure better care for them. 1. Accepting a child as an equal and interacting with him based on his current level of functioning: It will help the child grow milder, allowing him to express his thoughts and emotions and helping him to respond more properly considering his condition. 2. Using clear and simple instructions Repeating instructions several times and using visual aids and images can improve a child’s learning. Such short lessons will benefit the child’s education and help him adjust better in school, despite his short attention span. 3. Implementing a daily routine schedule Repeating the exercises in a regular and ritualistic manner will improve his individuality and responsiveness to learning. 4. Creating a non-distractive environment for the child Setting a quiet and non-distractive environment at schools will prevent the child from being hyperactive and distractive. 5. Encourage the child positively and allow him to do physical activities Giving him rewards and praise for reaching a goal can help encourage him while decreasing his tolerance and impatience. Encouraging the kid to participate in physical activities can also help him expend his energy productively and get a good night’s sleep. 6. Educate families to take better care of ADHD students at home School nurses also help families in gaining information about home care instructions for students with ADHD. It involves helping the child to develop a sense of belonging and appreciation for his or her efforts. Promoting a student’s academic success will help the child’s social, academic, and personal development. Additionally, preparing the child to develop patience, creative thinking, and persistence will help him to learn new skills and accomplish tasks at home and at school. Final thoughts on school nurses caring for ADHD students School nurses must play an important part in raising awareness of ADHD by improving the health service delivery model for affected children and their families. Through research, workshops, community activities, and national screening programs, they can build on a solid foundation of analysis to improve the benefits. Students who are diagnosed with ADHD need medicines to help them learn, focus and stay calm in class. A school nurse must maintain contact with the student’s doctor and keep a close eye on the child while he or she is taking medication. Another important aspect of their treatment is behavior therapy, which helps the child to do better at home and school. A comprehensive school health tracker platform, like EduHealth, will help school nurses in conducting their regular school health responsibilities while also accurately managing the medications and therapy of ADHD students. EduHealth also has functionalities for tracking hospital visits, treatment charting, and doctor appointments. It also records health screening information in pre-built forms and has effective tracking systems for notifying and monitoring medicine treatments. School nurses can use the EduHealth school EHR system’s features to provide better health care for students at school. Learn more about our school health care system here.

Role of School Nurse in Managing Chronic Health Conditions in Students

Student Health Care

EduHealth can help you here Role of School Nurse in Managing Chronic Health Conditions in Students There is no denying that a school nurse plays a vital role in schools by improving student health and supporting better health standards in schools. They are invaluable when it comes to managing and caring for students who have chronic health conditions.   Students with chronic diseases may have complex and sensitive healthcare needs. The school nurse is usually the only healthcare practitioner in a school for both emergencies and the everyday treatment of chronic health conditions.  Continue reading to learn how school nurses help students with chronic health issues.  The importance of school nurses in schools  Health services in American schools are accepted as an important element to meet the health care needs of students and faculty. According to the current guidelines from the national American associations of school nurses and pediatricians, every school district must appoint one school nurse for each school facility.  Students with chronic health conditions may have complex and ongoing healthcare needs. School nurses are the only health professionals in the schools for both normal and emergency management of chronic health disorders.   What challenges do students with chronic health issues face?  Children with chronic illnesses, also known as kids with special healthcare needs, are at risk of developing chronic illnesses that affect their physical, developmental, behavioral, or emotional well-being. They also require more and higher-quality health and related services than the other children.  Diabetes, cystic fibrosis, asthma, severe allergies, seizures, sickle cell disease, and spina bifida are among the ailments that students with chronic health conditions may experience.  Chronic illnesses will negatively impact the student’s behavioral and emotional health and increase anxieties in them. It is seen in children who have frequent hospitalizations or in kids who have little or no social support within their families.    EduHealth can help you here See How The school nurse roles for students with chronic needs  School nurses play an important role in supporting children with chronic health concerns in schools and staying healthy and ready to study. They also work with parents and families to provide good care for children while they are in school.  Here are some of the key responsibilities that school nurses play in helping kids with chronic health issues.  School nurses as direct caregivers  School nurses play an active role in ensuring that your kid receives immediate treatment for any health concern in school. A school nurse can aid in the treatment of a wide range of chronic health disorders, including asthma and allergies.  They can also provide emergency treatment in case of an allergic response. The seasonal allergies can cause a sudden rise in number of allergy cases than the usual time and the school nurse may need to manage the history of each student Because school nurses play such a vital part in the management of health difficulties, the school will require current health forms as well as pharmaceutical prescriptions or medications for the child, which parents will be asked to provide.  School nurses as care practitioners  School health nurses are important in coordinating care for a student’s medical condition. Parents should cooperate with the school nurse at all times to ensure that the school has the prescriptions, health forms, and equipment needed to treat their children’s health conditions.  School nurses also communicate with parents since they have the right to know about changes in the student’s treatment plan, health status, and medicines. Doctors frequently interact with parents and propose adjustments or updates to school health programs to improve the student’s health.  The school health nurse takes care of students by working with partners, educators, doctors, and the community. It ensures that the child stays healthy and that, as a student, they make progress while learning at school.  School nurses serve as student and family activists.  A school nurse will also act as a go-to advocate for parents and students, providing an extra voice to help them get answers to concerns and questions regarding their child’s health condition and how the child will be supported at school. For example, if your child has a gluten allergy, the school nurse will advocate for more gluten-free meals at the school. They will also advocate raising awareness among students and parents to include more gluten-free food options in their packed lunches.  With the support of a school nurse, students with various health concerns will get appropriate accommodation, regular restroom access, an allergy-free environment, and access to drinking water. If a child is suffering from a chronic health issue at school, the school nurse can be a lifesaver. School nurses can also assist families and children in obtaining health insurance.  What else can a school nurse do to help students with chronic health conditions?  School nurses can help improve academic achievement and decrease absenteeism  Higher standardized test scores, graduation rates, and low dropout rates are all associated with students daily attendance. Students with chronic health concerns will struggle to maintain proper attendance in school, often known as chronic absenteeism (missing 10 percent a month’s school year). It will affect their academic achievements.  A school nurse’s services with thorough care and coordination can reduce chronic absenteeism among students with chronic health conditions. They advocate for a school-centered approach to discuss chronic absenteeism in students with chronic health conditions and develop a health care plan to avoid school absences. School nurses advocate for students and provide organized case management.  School nurses are capable to lead the school health system by acting as a link between the school, school physicians, families, community health providers, and health groups in the district.  Many of the local organizations include healthcare systems, health departments, and hospitals. In some regions, district hospitals and clinics provide school nurses with secure electronic health medical records (with the permission of parents). Once school nurses have access to diagnoses, treatment plans, current medications, and precise care instructions for sickness, surgery, and hospitalizations, they will be able to provide consistent and high-quality health care to students with chronic health issues.  School nurses pay close attention to developmental stages. Identifying a chronic health condition in students at the…

Tips to Improve Your Student Immunization Tracking Process

EHR

The school health care system in the US is evolving with the adoption of mobile and electronic health systems for tracking student’s immunization. With the introduction of new immunization programs, such as the covid-19 vaccination programs, it is necessary to collect up-to-date student immunization information for confirmation and accurate tracking. Efficient immunization tracking can help in better student health care and ensure students receive proper immunizations on time. The Importance of student Immunization trackers Student immunization tracking will ensure coordination, quality, and order to prevent delays in student health care, allowing school health programs to run more smoothly. Regardless of the number of students, it will help in improved data collection from students using required documentation and delivers up-to-date and accurate student data to health officials. Some of the great benefits that student immunization tracking helps you are as follows. Better compliance: The immunization tracker’s built-in data security features comply with HIPAA and FERPA guidelines, ensuring the school health program is on good terms with clinical affiliates and audit requirements. Reduced delays: An immunization tracker will remind you with automated reminders and resources to collect and validate the student’s submitted health data. Less legal and financial risks: An efficient immunization tracking process prevents you from getting involved in lawsuits and paying fines for non-compliance, helping you from not losing your reputation. Tips to improve student immunization tracking: The standard student immunization tracking program takes time and requires the cooperation of both your school’s students and clinical affiliates. The steps outlined below will assist you in efficiently managing student immunization monitoring and making it easier to gather and verify student data. Set a reasonable timetable for students to respond: A well-communicated timeline decreases the possibility of students or your program running out of time to gather information. It helps to keep your data sorted and allows you to catch up on any incomplete or inaccurate information in the records. Students have many busy schedules and many information requests throughout the school year. To increase student responses to requests for immunization data, an ideal period of 60 to 90 days to submit the required documents should be provided. Make your requirements clear: When admitting students, hospitals or clinics in a locality may not require the same vaccine requirements. As a result, make your immunization obligations clear. Establish which immunization documents require acceptable substitutes and which can be excluded from the requirements. Students must be given clear guidance on which documents are required and what formats are acceptable for immunization documents. and what they should do if they missed any vaccinations. Along with routine immunization documentation, the following may be requested. Confidentiality agreement. Immunization waiver Medical history form. Any form of valid identification, such as a photo ID or Driver’s license. Approval form for background screening at the clinical site. Antibody or virus test findings for COVID-19, a requirement asked by most schools and universities. Involve medical professionals: Having a dedicated team of healthcare specialists who understand the medical requirements of immunization and testing will help your immunization tracking operations greatly. Your immunization compliance providers can put you in touch with HIPAA-trained specialists and medical professionals who can help your team, when needed. They are trained to read health reports and ask appropriate follow-up inquiries. Rather than simply acknowledging the student data at face value, you can benefit from the services of a knowledgeable specialist who will verify the student immunization data and save you the trouble of discovering a student who did not follow the standard procedures. Create a safe and secure reporting system: Using a safe and secure digital platform can help you acquire and store sensitive information and examine the results without violating student privacy. All schools and student immunization recording systems must obey HIPAA and FERPA guidelines for storing, exchanging or using highly sensitive student health information. Working with a compliance partner can therefore help you in learning about specific standards for the use of electronic health records in educational settings. Manual processes should get Automated: When you depend on manual processes and paper records to manage immunizations, you run the risk of inefficiency and inaccuracy. To increase data accuracy and make efficient use of time, automate your immunization tracking process and reduce your dependence on paper. An automatic immunization tracking system can help you streamline your immunization management processes and procedures. Simplifying recurring steps, like information requests and status notifications. Minimize the need to enter the same student information several times. Create a preset schedule and send reminders on time. Setting the rules and guidelines for recognizing the issues that must be addressed, such as when students fail to meet specified requirements and therefore must retest and receive boosters. Make use of modern technology: The latest student immunization tracker technology enables school health staff and students to exchange confidential health information, reducing the possibility of important details falling through the gaps. It also connects you with resources and compliance partners who can assist you in interpreting and verifying incoming health information. Some of the core benefits of implementing a cloud-based secure application are as follows: You can access student data from any location, at any time, 24/7. Centralized spot for recordkeeping and communication Modern designs and easy navigation Features for tracking a variety of clinical sites and serving them to capacity. Customizable tools to adapt to the changing health and safety regulations Dashboard reporting to keep you updated on student compliance metrics Integrate with relevant systems: Integrating school immunization tracking systems with relevant systems and services can benefit your immunization efforts. When dealing with a large amount of student health data from numerous sources, you need dependable integration with those other systems to speed up the flow of data and limit data entry repetitions. Integrations with the following allied systems and services are possible with school immunization tracking solutions. Associated clinical site systems: You can share student data directly with clinical sites. State immunization registries: Get access to the student medical information in particular state registries. Programs for Background Checks:…

How to safely reopen schools after COVID-19 closures?

covid-19 resources

  Several school districts in the US have been shuttered for more than a year and are struggling with how to open schools safely. The stakes are massive. With coronavirus rates still high and more variants of the virus emerging, schools, parents and children are equally concerned about school reopening safety.   In February, President Joe Biden issued the set of COVID-19 prevention guidelines as proposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for safely reopening schools. The guideline deliberates important points of safe K-12 school operations for in-person learning. The President also emphasized that the price of protecting children, families, and educators is nothing when compared with the price of failure to act. He added that mental well-being and educational disproportions due to remote learning are growing concerns of the country and this is one of the reasons why schools need to reopen under stringent settings.     Safety measures should schools adopt on reopening The CDC has recommended school districts to ensure 5 key prevention strategy namely for school reopening viz.:   Universal and correct wearing of masks Physical distancing Handwashing and respiratory etiquette Cleaning and maintaining healthy facilities including ventilation improvements Contact tracing in combination with isolation and quarantine. The following guidelines were also issued to ensure safety while reopening: 1. Community data assessment To determine whether school districts should proceed with in-person learning, it is important to analyze the data of community-level transmission. The CDC K-12 operational strategy has recommendations about threshold of community transmissions, based on which schools should take associated actions to reopen school safely. CDC has pointed out 4 categories of COVID-19 community transmissions: 1. Low (blue) 2. Moderate (yellow) 3. Substantial (orange) 4. High (red) These categories are derived from metrics such as total new cases/100000 persons in one week and rate of positive diagnostic and screening viral tests that are NAATs and RT-PCR tests. On the basis of these thresholds, school districts can take the first step towards implementation strategy:   2. Require universal masking: Encourage universal and correct wearing of masks that provide necessary protection. Students and staffs preferring in-person learning should know how to correctly wear disposable/cloth masks. Schools should determine how to best support staff and students (including the narrow subset of students with disabilities) who cannot correctly wear masks. 3. Use of school space Ensure classroom layouts have sufficient safe space for physical distancing. School administration has to conduct school walk-throughs for identifying spaces where additional changes are to be made. Schools can identify and utilize safe spaces in their community like libraries and community recreational centers to follow the instruction regarding maintaining physical distancing. Extra planning time should be provided to schools for redesigning classrooms and familiarizing new routines among staff to support physical distancing. 4. Use healthcare tools that lets you stay compliant to DOH directives and privacy laws Using healthcare management software that are FERPA and HIPAA compliant, which also lets you collaborate with public health departments can help you meet diagnostic testing, communication and tracking needs – which are critical as school reopen. When school staff or students test positive, it is important to quickly coordinate with all important touchpoints like parents, healthcare providers, health departments and so on to ensure impact is low and school functions go undisrupted. In situations as such, a school nurse EHR software like EduHealth with contact tracing features can be beneficial for you. 5. Facility improvement: Ensuring proper ventilation, open windows, and doors, using fans where safe and feasible, consistent cleaning of the facility, auditing existing ventilation systems, and improving ventilation wherever necessary are all part of the facility improvement plan. There should be frequent checkpoints to ensure timely changing of ventilation filters and ensuring proper air circulation. Good ventilation is one key to control a virus known to be airborne 6. Sports, events, and extracurricular activities The format of additional school activities should strictly adhere to the CDC guidelines and events that require close contact between competitors pose a high risk than others – it is best not to conduct such events. Other events that involve the least physical contact can be played outdoors with strict adherence to physical distancing guidelines.     Transmission of COVID-19 among students: What we know The transmission of COVID-19 among students is substantially lower when compared with community-wide spread, according to CDC. Other studies also revealed that in controlled environments like schools, transmission rates are lower compared with community levels. The CDC also pointed out that one of the school districts in North Carolina held in-person learning and adhered to strict mitigation measures like wearing masks and social distancing. It was noted that the transmission rate in this school district was low, even when community transmissions were at high rates. On analyzing the school-based transmission rates, experts say that transmissions were more common in adults than in children. The COVID-19 infected children were asymptomatic and possessed high risks of spreading the disease to parents and grandparents. However, shreds of evidence suggest that children under the age of 10 transmit it less efficiently than children of 10+ age.     Should schools reopen? According to UNESCO, the lockdown led to partial or full closure of schools, affecting more than 90% of the student population across 186 countries around the world. In USA, the Biden administration is apprehensive about the negative consequences of remote learning like forfeited academics and mental struggles of children. During the onset of the pandemic, it was assumed that children are susceptible to get infected and were likely vectors of disease spread. However, there is very little evidence on transmission in schools, outside of indoor practices and competition events. Only 3.7% of Covid-19 cases in students resulted from the in-school transmission. This is backing the decisions of those in favor of in-person schooling. On top of this, parents are having a tough time managing kids at home while working. 20% of full-time employed parents have a child younger than 9 at home, of which 61%…

Top-performing Electronic Health Record software with contact tracing feature

Softwares

Table of Contents   Schools in the US are expected to reopen in the fall and while parents remain concerned about children’s safety when in-person learning resumes, school health administrators are looking at ways to keep school environments safe to ensure there are no disruptions to in-person learning. Public health authorities in the US have received around 8.2 million reports for COVID-19 as of May 25. And as schools prepare to open, school health authorities need to anticipate such a crisis as well and prepare with the best tools to manage the crisis. A COVID 19 tracker tool with advanced contact tracing features is the technology schools need to have in place to efficiently manage this crisis. But how can you mitigate the spread of communicable diseases like COVID-19 using an EHR tool? By putting in place an EHR software that facilitates the exchange of important health information between parents, school health authorities and medical professionals in real-time on one single system. This is very helpful when there are lots of student health monitoring, reporting, and cross-platform communication to tackle. However, recent surveys say that school nurses are finding it hard to manage student data in EHR software. The reason? Bad user experience! Not every EHR software can give a pleasant user experience. Which is where a simple-to-use system that meets a school’s end-to-end school health needs like EduHealth can help. The system is so easy to use even if users are not particularly good with technology systems. The EduHealth team recently conducted a school nurse survey and 86% responded that user-friendliness is very important for school EHR systems. And now, in the present context, what schools and school nurses are expecting in EHR software are added features like contact tracing and COVID-19 tracking. EduHealth, in this aspect, is all set to make things stress-free for school nurses. According to a December 2020 survey of US adults, 31% of respondents believed that a contact tracing software on their mobile phones to trace the spread of COVID-19 would be very effective at slowing its spread. Only 7% believed that contact tracing software are ineffective in tracing COVID-19 spread. This indicates that EHR software with contact tracing and COVID-19 tracking may finally get their moment! Let us have a quick glimpse of the top-performing school EHR software in 2021 and how EduHealth is different from those, especially in the context of the global pandemic.     Top EHR software of 2021 We evaluated some of the top EHR systems available today and have a list for you to look into as you invest on a new EHR software for your school. All observations are based on user feedback. EduHealth: EduHealth supports K-12 school health clinics in improving student health care. It digitizes students’ health information, making the right information available in a single button click and with features like bulk scanning, health information management within the system is simple and hassle-free, easing the efforts of school nurses. EduHealth can ensure utmost healthcare for children and helps school nurses proactively manage their tasks on any device. Comprehensive student health record management COVID 19 tracking and contact tracing capabilities Real-time communication with important touchpoints on one system Charts are similar to medical charts, allowing nurses to adapt to the system faster System can be custom-built to school’s unique needs Infinite Campus: Infinite Campus is a Student Information System (SIS) that has on-boarding support, parent and student portal, academic planner, and access to the inbuilt Learning Management System (LMS) platform. While Infinite Campus has great flexibility, and, is regarded as a great tool for student data tracking and parent communication, it has certain areas to look into like: Lack of a user-friendly interface Additional payment for added features Character limitation in fields EHR module is not comprehensive PowerSchool: PowerSchool SIS is a powerful tool that helps students, teachers, and parents maintain their schedules. It offers cloud-based software solutions for K-12 education in North America. It can manage instruction, learning, grading, assessment, and analytics among others. While PowerSchool has all such benefits, there are aspects of health record management to improve: Long page loading durations User has trouble understanding icons Technically challenging Lengthy training sessions Less intuitive in terms of finding shortcuts and system tools Customization is challenging EHR module is not comprehensive SNAP Health Center: SNAP Health Center is a management tool designed for schools of all sizes for health monitoring, screenings, appointment scheduling, and more. SNAP is a cloud-based student health surveillance tool. Certain schools don’t find SNAP Health Center as a feasible option because of its disadvantages such as: No free trial/version No training/help tools, only call/email support Less intuitive in terms of the complex names in menus User interface is difficult to maneuver Skyward Skyward is a K-12 SIS that offers academic planning, a portal for family engagement tools, and task management for admin and students. It is an ideal solution for schools and districts looking forward to an intelligent SIS for student data collection, organization, and ease of communication. Here are some suggestions it needs to look at: Software is not user-friendly and looks outdated Customization difficulties Not comprehensible Reporting is confusing Synergy With over 10,000 users, Synergy is a well-known web-based software that improves the health outcomes of school students and saves school nurses’ time and effort. It is quite the software required for educational looking forward to a SIS solution, but Synergy too has certain shortcomings such as: Design imperfections Saving downtime not up to the expectations Software hanging issues