Freeman Offers Easy Access to Healthcare for Seneca Students, Parents and School Staff

Effective for the 2016 – 2017 school year, Freeman Health System announced a school-based health program with the Seneca R-7 School District. The goal is to increase the health of students and staff, and decrease time lost time in the classroom and at work for both staff and parents.

“Increased access to medical services will not only result in an environment of wellness for the school, but for the entire community,” said Paula F. Baker, Freeman President and Chief Executive Officer. “Data supports what we already know – if students receive good healthcare, over time, student attendance and academic achievement increase.”

Children who are ill will still see the school nurse, and with parental consent, the school will have the option of using telemedicine to contact providers at Freeman Seneca Family Medicine to determine if the child can return to the classroom or requires further evaluation. If additional treatment is needed, the partnership offers priority scheduling at the clinic.

“This truly is a collaborative effort,” said Renee Denton, Freeman Neosho Chief Operating Officer. “Seneca has an amazing nursing staff. This partnership will allow them to take that care to the next level and provide an even higher degree of service to students and staff.”

Dr. Jim Cummins, Seneca R-7 School District Superintendent, says the partnership not only gets students and teachers back in the classroom more quickly, but priority scheduling will also benefit parents who have to leave work to take their child to a physician.

“We recently polled our parents about the time it takes for them to get their child to a doctor,” said Dr. Cummins. “More than 60 percent said it takes them away from their jobs at least a half day. This partnership will help relieve some of that burden by providing opportunities for timely and local care.”

Along with diagnosis and treatment of illness and minor injuries, services available through the new partnership include routine physical exams, health and nutrition education, immunizations and management of chronic conditions.

Photo (left to right) Dr. Barker, Friend of Freeman; Paula F. Baker, Freeman President & Chief Executive Officer; Jill Endicott, Freeman Nurse Practitioner; Renee Denton, Freeman Neosho Chief Operating Officer; Dr. Jim Cummins, Seneca R-7 School District Superintendent; Katie Whitekiller, Seneca R-7 School District Lead Nurse; Jami Wilson, Seneca R-7 School District Nurse; and Dr. Freddie Fox, Freeman Goodwill Ambassador

About Freeman Health System
Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. For 2016, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. U.S. News & World Report ranked Freeman one of the top Hospitals in Southwest Missouri more than four years in a row. With more than 300 physicians on staff representing more than 60 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart and vascular care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com or facebook.com/freemanhealthsystem or follow Freeman President and Chief Executive Officer Paula Baker at twitter.com/freemanceo.