The Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health named the Avera eCARE School Health program the 2020 Outstanding Rural Health Program. The award honors a program that delivers services in innovative ways through collaborative partnerships to improve the access and quality of care to rural North Dakota residents.
From 2019 to 2020, eCARE conducted 1,819 school video visits and 34 behavioral health video visits in North Dakota, which allowed 92% of students seen to stay in school. The program provides services in innovative ways and creates critical partnerships within communities in order to ensure North Dakotans can access care.
Avera eCARE is a time-efficient and cost-effective program connecting rural schools with a registered nurse via telemedicine to work with students on complex health needs. The program aims to improve access to health care for underserved students in North Dakota.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancelation of the 2020 conference, but eCARE will be presented with the award at the next Dakota Conference on June 3, 2021, in Bismarck, N.D.