The Slicer Health Clinic, a service of La Porte Physician Network, is open for business to serve all students within the La Porte Community School Corporation, thanks to a grant from the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte, and support from the school board and La Porte Hospital administration.
The clinic, located at La Porte High School accessed through the main entrance at 602 F Street, La Porte, is open from 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m., weekdays in conjunction with the school calendar. La Porte Physician Network nurse practitioner Elisa Bergquist and medical assistant Lauryn Jones care for students at the clinic.
Research shows that student-based health clinics improve the health of student bodies by providing access to services at the time they are needed, while helping to instill healthy behaviors in young students and teens, when they are more likely to form good habits that last a lifetime.
“We see the Slicer Health Clinic as an extension of the primary care provider or pediatrician role. The nurse practitioner coordinates any care provided at the clinic with the student’s primary care provider, while helping the student to manage any immediate health needs,” said Ashley Dickinson, CEO of La Porte Hospital.
The clinic is especially convenient for parents whose children may need to be seen by a healthcare provider but cannot obtain a same-day appointment during the school day. While the clinic is located at the high school, any student in the corporation may use it after parents complete an enrollment and consent packet. If driving your child to the clinic, it’s best to avoid clinic use between 2-3 p.m., when the busses are making their way in and out of the school lot.
“A lot of research was put into this project by a steering committee that included local physicians, school administration staff, nurses, teachers, students, parents, La Porte Physician Network staff, and representatives from the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte. We were able to present a solid case for the potential benefits of a student-based health clinic, and look forward to being able to offer a service that can improve the health of our students, improve attendance numbers and engagement in school activities, and provide a health support network for students and parents during the school day. I am excited to see the project unfold,” said Mark Fancesconi, Superintendent of Schools for La Porte Community School Corporation.
Maria Fruth, CEO of the Healthcare Foundation of La Porte, said the topic of a student-based health clinic has been discussed for several years, and the foundation is pleased to see it come to fruition.
“The Healthcare Foundation of La Porte seeks to support our community’s journey to becoming one of the healthiest communities in Indiana. This clinic was a natural fit for grant support, and we are pleased the project has received traction and come to fruition,” Fruth said. The grant provided was for $165,323.
Services provided at the clinic include diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries; physical exams and sports physicals; immunizations and some lab tests; management of chronic health conditions; prescription and over-the-counter medications; promotion of healthy life choices; and referrals for specialty care, including behavioral health and dental care.
Parents or guardians must complete and sign a permission form for enroll each child under age 18 in the clinic. Students ages 18 or older can sign permission forms for themselves. Completed forms should be submitted to the child’s school, upon which the child then will be eligible to receive services at the Slicer Health Clinic for the La Porte Community School District 2018-19 school year. Insurance will be billed, and if patients are uninsured, assistance will be provided to enroll the student in the appropriate government insurance program.
Medical consent packets can be found on the La Porte Community School Corporation website under Parent Portal, Forms, then Documents: http://www.lpcsc.k12.in.us/parents/forms.asp.
For more information email the clinic at shc@lph.org or call (219) 325-1377.
