Epic-OU Health Partnership Brings Medical Care to School

Illustration by Ayla Favero

Many students have seen a school nurse, but few have seen a school doctor. 

Thanks to Epic Charter Schools' partnership with OU Health, students now have access to a full range of healthcare services from the comfort of their phones through telehealth appointments. 

This partnership, which began in fall 2024, has already made a significant impact on students' health, ensuring they receive the care they need without leaving school or home.

While the program initially started small, it now serves both the Oklahoma City and Tulsa areas, offering virtual doctor visits for students. 

Jessica Jones, a registered nurse and school health services coordinator at Epic, explained that the partnership was designed to address the "whole child," not just their mental health needs but their physical health as well. By expanding access to medical care, the program helps students stay healthy and ready to learn. 

“If a student isn’t healthy, then it makes it hard for them to be able to learn,” Jones said, stressing the connection between health and academic success.

Epic's telehealth service is available to all students, whether they have insurance or not. For students with insurance, Epic collects the necessary information and OU Health handles billing directly with the insurance company. 

“If they have private insurance, we will collect that insurance information and send it to OU so they can bill for services,” Jones explained. 

Families don’t need to worry about copays at the time of the appointment, as these are handled later by OU Health.

For those without insurance, Epic ensures that students still have access to care, providing visits at no cost thanks to grant funding.

During a telehealth session, a school nurse or other healthcare professional connects the student with a doctor. 

“We have a stethoscope that hooks up to the tablet ... and the doctor on the other end can hear their lung sounds and their heart sounds,” Jones said. 

With specialized tools like otoscopes and magnifying flashlights, the doctor can examine the student’s health just as thoroughly as if they were in the same room. This high-tech equipment helps bridge the gap between virtual and in-person care, ensuring students get the attention they need no matter where they are.

Scheduling a telehealth appointment with Epic and OU Health is simple. Parents can scan a QR code to fill out an appointment request form, or they can call the school health service lines for either the Oklahoma City or Tulsa areas. 

Jones reassured families that scheduling is quick and easy, stating: “We respond to them very quickly ... we can usually schedule an appointment for them, if not the same day, usually the next day.” 

For parents with questions or concerns, there is also an email address available for communication and appointment coordination.

While the current focus is on Oklahoma City and Tulsa, there are hopes to extend the service. 

Jones mentioned that the vision is for “appointments that don’t necessarily need testing in person to be ... totally virtual, so that maybe they can be done from the student's home.” 

Expanding the program to remote locations and offering services directly at home would make healthcare even more accessible to students, regardless of their location.

Epic’s telehealth partnership with OU Health has already proven to be an essential resource for many families, offering students access to medical care without the barriers of insurance or transportation.