LISA ROWELL Contributing Writer

Since 2019, a mobile healthcare program through Lake Cumberland Medical Associates has been quietly reshaping how students in Pulaski County access medical care during the school day.

Schoolhouse Health operates as a mobile medical unit rotating through area schools on a set weekly schedule, providing everything from acute sick visits to vaccines and school physicals. The service is staffed by Lojuanna Hardwick, LPN and Valarie Allen, APRN, who work in coordination with school nurses employed through Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital. Both have decades of combined experience and longevity with LCRH.

The program was developed under the hospital system and launched after planning began in 2018. It has continued to expand its role in school-based care, particularly since adapting through the COVID-19 pandemic.

A mobile clinic that follows the school calendar

The Schoolhouse Health unit follows a rotating

schedule that covers county schools, Somerset city schools, and several private and Christian school settings. Visits

are coordinated in advance with school nurses so families know when the mobile clinic will be on campus. There are

more than 10,000 school-aged children in the county.

On a typical day, the team arrives after buses have

cleared in the morning and wraps up before afternoon dismissal begins. Within that window, they handle a mix of

scheduled and on-demand care.

Services include:

• Vaccinations required for school entry or grade-level requirements

• School physicals, including kindergarten entry exams

• Acute care visits for illnesses such as sore throats, ear infections, and fever

• Telehealth visits when appropriate, in coordination with school nurses

If a child becomes ill at school, the school nurse assesses the situation first. Depending on symptoms and parent permission, the nurse may coordinate a telehealth visit or refer the child to the mobile unit for in-person evaluation. Hardwick and Allen said our school nurses possess a level of critical thinking and assessment skills that are exceptional.

Telehealth and coordination with school nurses

A key feature of the program is its integration with school nursing staff. Nurses assess students first and determine whether further care is needed. If so, they may initiate a telehealth visit or coordinate