Canyons Schools Pilot Test Telehealth as One Solution to Student Absenteeism

All across the nation, schools are struggling with what is called chronic absenteeism. Last year, 32 percent of Canyon School District students were chronically absent — meaning they missed more than 10 percent of the school year. The problem became prevalent following the pandemic, and Canyons is working to help keep our students learning, interacting with peers, and taking full advantage of everything the classroom has to offer.

In the latest episode of Connect Canyons, we learn about one of the many ways Canyons works to help students, their families, and Canyons employees alike determine whether a cough is due to dry air or something more serious. Canyons Nursing Specialist Jen Gerrard, shares details about how Canyons is one of the first in the state to pilot a new Telehealth program.

“Adding the telehealth just gives us greater access,” says Gerrard. “It removes so many barriers. It removes the barrier of time, so students aren’t missing time from school, parents aren’t missing time from work. It removes transportation barriers. Somebody who doesn’t have a car has a real difficult time picking up their student and then also getting them to a doctor. That can be a real challenge for some families.”

Episode Chapters

00:57 Telehealth Program Overview

Our expert tells us how Canyons came to be one of the first in the state to pilot the telehealth program at 17 schools with the help of Intermountain Health.

02:20 How Telehealth Works

We learn how the telehealth program works from the moment a student feels unwell to speaking with a nurse, and how parents are looped in.

06:42 Impact and Expansion of Telehealth

How the telehealth program has already helped Canyons students and employees and what the future could look like.

11:19 Additional Health Programs

Gerrard explains other measures in place to help students and employees with a variety of health concerns.