Healthcare leader Lena Esmail is calling on school districts, parents, and policymakers to expand access to school-based health clinics as student absenteeism and health disparities continue to rise nationally. Esmail, a nurse practitioner and CEO of QuickMed, emphasizes that these clinics are critical for improving attendance, closing health gaps, and supporting students who might otherwise lack access to care.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 7 million students miss more than 15 days of school each year, a rate that defines chronic absenteeism, with much of this attributed to preventable or treatable health issues. Simultaneously, one in five children in the U.S. experiences a mental health disorder annually, most of whom never receive care. School-based clinics offer a direct way to address both physical and mental health needs without requiring families to take time off work or navigate complex healthcare systems.
"We're not talking about luxury care," Esmail said. "We're talking about keeping kids in school with basic medical access—strep tests, asthma checks, mental health screenings, and follow-up support." Her company, QuickMed, currently operates clinics in schools across multiple Ohio cities including Liberty, Akron, Ravenna, and Austintown. The model utilizes nurse practitioners as frontline providers, offering care directly on-site during school hours. A recent internal report from one district showed a 30% drop in preventable absences after QuickMed began operating a part-time clinic on campus.
Despite clear benefits, Esmail identifies major barriers to scaling this solution: funding limitations for schools, provider shortages in non-traditional settings, restrictive state policies on nurse practitioner independence, and lack of awareness among parents and school boards about available services. "Sometimes, we get calls from superintendents who say, 'We just found out 40% of our students have no regular access to healthcare.' That's the kind of realization that leads to real change," Esmail noted.
Esmail believes communities can take immediate action by asking schools about on-site clinics, discussing health impacts on learning outcomes, utilizing local funds like ARPA or ESSER for pilot programs, exploring healthcare partnerships, and supporting full-practice authority for nurse practitioners. "You don't have to build a big clinic to make a difference," she said. "Start with a room. Start with a nurse. That alone changes lives." She concludes that school-based clinics are a proven strategy for keeping students healthy and in class, emphasizing that change can begin with small, localized efforts rather than waiting for broad policy shifts.
