Essentia's virtual access point brings health care directly to students

Bailey Leroux is no stranger to missing hours of classes when she meets with her medical specialist 60 miles away.

"If you live in a small town, it's going to be a while to drive," she said. 

But Leroux’s school district recently made receiving health care easier for her and hundreds of other students in Valley City, North Dakota.

Efforts between Essentia Health, Medica and Valley City Public Schools led to the fall launch of the district’s first virtual visit access point, located in Valley City High School (VCHS). The secured conferencing space is equipped with a camera, television and virtual access to health care providers, which benefits students, parents and faculty by reducing barriers to care, such as travel time, unreliable transportation and more.

The district’s virtual visit capabilities maximize students’ time in classes and make taking care of your health easier and safer, said Leroux, a VCHS senior. As for the physical space, “It’s really comfy, and you feel isolated — like you’re right there with your provider.”

“We're a rural state, and access to health care can be challenging,” said Josh Johnson, school district superintendent. “The support Essentia provides to meet the needs of our kids serves as an outstanding model to other school districts.”

And the model’s catching on. Three school districts are actively working to replicate this, said Kerry Carlson, vice president of operations for Essentia Health’s West Market.

For Johnson, the school’s virtual access point means reassurance that students’ needs are addressed in a timely manner.

“A high-priority component to the school’s partnership with Essentia Health and Medica is increasing awareness of behavioral health, for which students’ needs have steadily increased over the past five years,” Johnson said.

“The stigma has gone down, and schools are talking about it more, which is helping,” said Leroux. “It’s not something to be scared of — everyone’s going through something and it’s important that we share it, and we get the help that we need.

“It means a lot that we have those resources in our school."