"The biggest resource in our mission to serve students is our staff, and it is so important for us to focus on keeping our staff healthy," said Frisco ISD Deputy Superintendent Todd Fouche. "This facility will allow them to get the health care they need without going to those doctors and racking up bills."
The clinic celebrated its ribbon cutting Aug. 4 with Children's Health and Frisco ISD representatives at 6950 Stadium Lane, Frisco. The Frisco ISD employee clinic is housed in a district facility formerly used for athletic offices but is now leased to Dallas Physician Medical Services for Children, which operates the clinic.
Dr. Jacob Sexton and Physician Assistant Leslie Herrera-Martinez will provide acute care at no cost to FISD employees not dependent on if they have health benefits through the district. The medical team can treat issues, such as allergies, ear infections, pneumonia, strep throat, fever, abdominal pain, sprains, strains, musculoskeletal injury and administer steroid injections, according to a brochure.
The health clinic is only for FISD employees, but representatives for Children's Health said serving families of FISD employees "is a future dream." Follow-ups with specialists and prescriptions will be billed through insurance, but care at the clinic is provided at no cost.
"We are proud to do this for the first time, and what better partner could we ask for than Frisco ISD," said Vanessa Walls, president of the Northern Market for Children's Health. "I think it will be a great retention opportunity, and the challenges [with staffing shortages] are the challenges we're facing, too."
The building is also home to the Children's Health Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Frisco. Like the Plano location, the Frisco clinic will offer treatment for sports injuries and musculoskeletal concerns related to bones, tissue and joints, including X-rays and ultrasounds, according to previous Community Impact Newspaper reporting. The Frisco ISD employee clinic and Children's Health Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Frisco use the same equipment and resources for the wellness of employees and patients of the Children's Health Andrews Institute.
"We want to learn from this [clinic] and figure out how we might do it again and improve this model," Walls said.
Frisco ISD employees can schedule in-person visits to the employee clinic by calling 469-303-3036, and virtual care appointments are available 24/7 at www.childrensvirtualvisit.com. Appointments at the Children's Health Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Frisco location are available at www.childrens.com.
Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify that the clinic can administer steroid injections.
