Health services treats more than just the common cold

Despite some common misconceptions, GC&SU Student Health Services continues to provide students with basic health care across campus.

Because students pay a health service fee as part of the cost to attend GC&SU, they are not required to pay an additional cost at the time of treatment.

“Students pay a health fee that covers the cost of stuff,” Alice Loper, director of Student Health Services, said. “The only thing that we charge extra for is if we have to send out special lab work. Things like that students have to pay for and we just put it on their account here at school. There is no limit on visits or on how much you can get from the clinic. We don’t keep up with that.”

Students can acquire many types of free medication from health services, as it is well stocked.

“We give antibiotics, decongestants, analgesics (Tylenol and Motrin),” Loper said. “We have medication for skin problems, fungal infections, allergic reactions and allergies.”

“I would go to Health Services on-campus before I would consider going to my doctor at home,” freshman Tyler Bennett said. “It would be more convenient than having to go home to go to my doctor.”

Rob Elliott, a freshman, recently visited health services because of an ankle injury he received while playing a pick-up game of basketball in the Centennial Center.

“Health services wrapped my ankle and gave me some Motrin,” Elliott said. “They also let me borrow some crutches.”

Elliott also said he would prefer to go to health services over going back home to his doctor.

“I would definitely go to health services because it is free,” Elliott said. “Being free is definitely a big benefit.”

Besides treating just the common cold, health services also offers preventative measures against a variety of illnesses. A meningitis vaccine is offered to and encouraged for incoming freshmen.

“Meningitis vaccine is popular among incoming freshmen,” Loper said. “If you live in the residence halls, you either have to have the vaccine or sign a waiver that you understand about it, but did not take it.”

Loper said that Health Services offers female health exams and have an agreement with the Baldwin County Health Department to get items such as birth control for females. Health services does the original work-up including the pelvic exam, Pap smear and blood work required for receiving birth control. When all of the test results arrive, the student takes the packet to the health department to receive the birth control.

All of these tests are free for women, except for the Pap smear. Students also usually end up paying little to nothing when receiving birth control from the health department.

“At the Health Department students pay according to how much income they make,” Loper said. “So, most students receive the medication for free.”

Some students have not yet utilized health services due to the misconception that it only treats the sick.

“I have never had any reason to go to health services,” sophomore Megan Van Matre said. “I haven’t been sick.”

Other students said the Health Services’ hours of operation make it inconvenient to visit.

“My only complaint would be that they take a weird lunch break,” senior Sarah Bloomfield said. “A lot of times that is when students have a lunch break too. If they could at least have somebody in the office or something, that way students have more freedom to come when they can between classes.”

The staff has discussed the problems before with no easy solution apparent.

“Weekend hours have been discussed some,” Loper said. “It would be very expensive because a nurse practitioner would have to be paid above salary. I don’t know if students would want to pay extra or how we would do that at this point.”

Health Services also offer employment in the reception area to student workers. This arrangement encountered mixed feelings from students on campus.

“It is good that they provide students with on-campus jobs,” Bloomfield said. “However, it might prevent students from going to Health Services for a personal reason if they know someone who is working there.”

Loper said that all student workers in Health Services go through an extensive interview process to ensure they become ethically trustworthy. Everyone on staff must also sign a confidentiality agreement.

“It’s known up front that any breach of confidentiality in any way is an automatic firing offense,” Loper said. “That is a very serious issue in healthcare. We are very strict about student workers and the confidentiality rules.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 10 2006. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry