Magnus Spotlight – Coordinated Student Care

user
Magnus Health
October 29, 2018
Blog
4 Minute Read

Magnus Spotlight – Coordinated Student Care

Brian headshot in circleCoordinated Care Across Campus and Beyond… that’s what the folks at Magnus say! Our number one goal here at Magnus is to make sure each of our client school’s health, safety, and emergency preparedness needs are met, so their students can focus on learning.

Students interact with a lot… A LOT… of people who care about them. Starting with the parents and guardians, as well as many other family members, plus babysitters, the doctors, and primary care physicians come into their lives at a very early age. Once they start school, they have teachers, guidance counselors, and school nurses making sure they are healthy and happy on campus. And, don’t forget about the bus drivers! As they grow older, they start to become more active and social, which leads to them joining clubs and teams and other activity groups. Add up all of the people in a student’s life, and that is a ton of interaction as they grow up and go through school.

As we all know, communication is key. So, let’s get back to the basics here, making sure communication and care coordination is all on the same page when it comes to these students. And, why not let technology improve our communication efforts? No more sending sticky notes with the student to their next class. Magnus has just released a new Communication Center where authorized users can securely send each other direct messages. Plus, Magnus connects nurses, athletic trainers and coaches, chaperones, and administration, to ensure the student is on the right path!

Our CEO, Brian Biddulph-Krentar, has a few words to say on Care Coordination and why it matters.

Why is Care Coordination important in schools?­
A School Nurse spends a ton of time on student care, with the students on campus and prepping documentation when the they have to leave campus. A Family Care Provider (PCP) only spends a limited amount of time with a student, while a school nurse may provide a greater volume of care. Not having information from all parties creates a disconnect. Consider too, if a student is undergoing counseling or some other form of behavioral health care, it is crucial for all care providers to be able to communicate in real time, and have access to notes and documentation on treatment for the student. So Coordinated Care ensures information exchange among all of the parties involved in student care.

What problems does it solve?
Care Coordination allows a provider, whether a school nurse, PCP, behavioral health specialist, physical therapist, orthopedist, or an athletic trainer to have a full picture of a student’s health. Without that complete picture, there could be conflicting treatments and incompatible medications… and, we are not doing right by our students and their families if we don’t help them manage that!

Why is coordination important in a boarding school? Why is it important in a day school?
Really the same as above, whether a student is on campus 24/7 or 6-8 hours a day, knowing what that student is going through, what allergies they have, as well as their past health history is vital to their safety.

Why does Magnus focus on Coordinated Care?
Magnus believes that there are many health and safety stakeholders at the school, beyond just the health office. We want to ensure athletic trainers, coaches, counselors, dorm parents, teachers, administration, and other caretakers have access to a complete picture for every student.

What makes the Magnus Coordinated Care stand out from other care tools that are used in schools?
Our ability to collect, track, and manage student health information, coupled with our ability to disseminate that information in a meaningful way, is why Magnus does Care Coordination better than anyone else.

Why does interdepartmental communication matter at a school?
Students don’t stay in one classroom… they move around the campus, as do the teachers and faculty. Making sure the right people know each student’s story is critical, no matter if they are on or off campus.

What is the Magnus vision for the future of Coordinated Care across campus?
We believe Care Coordination between internal school providers and external providers needs to improve, and Magnus intends to be the gateway towards that betterment.