Schools Turn to Tech for Return-to-Campus Health Checks
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 08/26/20
Three
private schools in the San Diego area are working with a company to
do regular technology-based health checks of students, faculty and
staff as part of their return-to-campus plans. Francis
Parker School,
San
Diego Jewish Academy
and Santa
Fe Christian Schools
have contracted with emocha,
which produces software to make sure people take their prescription
medicine.
emocha's
"return-to-learn"
program is a mobile application that uses short, asynchronous virtual
check-ins to identify, track and manage symptoms of COVID-19. The
schools are using the program to help resume classes in person this
fall.
The
app guides users through tracking symptoms and doing temperature
readings. It will also offer links to school resources and display a
color-coded digital badge indicating the user's health status for
entry onto campus. For people without smartphones, emocha has
developed on-site kiosks and web-based check-in forms.
Besides
its use by schools, the company's service is also used for remote
symptom monitoring for exposed healthcare professionals at hospitals
and return-to-work coverage for businesses.
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.