Meeting Kids Where They Are: School-Based Care’s Impact on Access 

Sam McGinnis, Administrative Director at Atrium Health Levine Children’s, leads one of the country’s most expansive school-based virtual care programs. In this episode, he shares how his team brings care to over 150 schools, and why school nurses are still at the heart of it all. 

In this episode, Sam McGinnis shares the origin, growth, and future of Advocate Health and Atrium Health Levine Children’s school-based virtual care model. It all started with a pilot at Graham Elementary in Cleveland County, where chronic absenteeism and lack of primary care access sparked a new idea. By embedding trained telepresenters into schools, Sam’s team created a model that supports school nurses, scales across states, and delivers care where and when families need it most. 

With over 50,000 visits completed and outcomes like reduced ER usage and faster return to class, the program is a model for expanding pediatric access. Sam also shares how they’re looking beyond the school day into evenings, weekends, and even home-based care with virtual primary care and urgent care options designed for real family life. 

As Administrative Director at Atrium Health Levine Children’s, Sam is a passionate advocate for expanding access to quality pediatric care. His expertise in care coordination and virtual services has been instrumental in driving transformative initiatives, particularly his dedication to bringing healthcare directly to students and staff through school-based telemedicine. 

Sam’s vision has been significant in scaling this program to nearly 150 schools across North Carolina, ensuring vulnerable children in underserved communities receive timely and easily accessible medical care. Witnessing firsthand the impact of the work, he describes school-based telemedicine as “one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences of my career,” a sentiment echoing the countless families whose lives have been touched by this innovative program. 

Sam’s leadership is defined by a deep empathy for patients, a keen understanding of healthcare challenges, and an unwavering commitment to finding innovative solutions. His work at Atrium Health Levine Children’s serves as a shining example of how technology and compassionate care can revolutionize access to medical services, particularly for those who need it most. 

In his spare time, Sam enjoys outdoor activities, including golf, vegetable gardening, and whitewater kayaking in the beautiful North Carolina mountains.