Dr. John Jenkins, Medical Director of School-Based Care at Cone Health, joins Access Amplified to explore how school-based telehealth is transforming healthcare access for children. From full-time telepresenters to behavioral health integration and family-centered support, Dr. Jenkins shares the innovations, partnerships, and passion driving one of the country’s most equitable care models.

When most people think about school, they picture classrooms, cafeterias, and maybe the occasional nurse’s office, not a HIPAA-compliant telehealth clinic. But for Dr. John Jenkins, Medical Director of School-Based Care at Cone Health, schools are the new front lines in the fight for equitable healthcare.

Dr. Jenkins joins host Joanna Braunold to share how a bold idea launched during the pandemic has evolved into one of the country’s most impactful digital health programs. What began as a COVID-era solution to reduce unnecessary dismissals has grown into a full-scale telehealth initiative operating in dozens of Title I elementary schools across North Carolina.

At the heart of the model? Full-time telepresenters: trained medical assistants embedded in schools who partner with remote clinicians to deliver high-quality exams, manage chronic conditions, and respond to student needs in real time. It’s a model that not only reduces chronic absenteeism and ER overuse but also builds trust with families by delivering care in a space that’s already familiar, safe, and accessible.

Throughout the conversation, Dr. Jenkins shares how his team is going beyond acute care to support the “whole child,” adding behavioral health services, addressing social determinants, and connecting families with critical resources through embedded community care workers. He reflects on what it really takes to build equitable systems of care, the power of representation and relationship-building, and why schools might just be the future of pediatric healthcare.

Meet Dr. John Jenkins

Dr. John Jenkins is the Medical Director of School-Based Care at Cone Health, focusing on innovative telehealth in schools. He spearheaded telehealth programs in Guilford County's Title One elementary schools, supported by Duke Endowment and ARPA funds. Previously, he engaged in academic medicine, including roles in digital health education and telehealth projects. As the former Senior Vice President at Connected Care Cone Health, he developed ambulatory telehealth strategies and collaborated on virtual visits. Dr. Jenkins also contributes to community leadership, emphasizing digital health for enhanced access and equity.