Health insurance: $200 per month; consultation fee: $20 per visit; your health: priceless.
In a world where everything comes with a price, the Student Health Center is an on-campus clinic that offers its medical services to students free of charge.
Hidden between the north wing of the Art Building and the pool, the Health Center provides students with medical services.
A few of the sevices, Debbie Conover, nurse and coordinator, said, include treating symptoms of flu and colds, diagnosing and treating illnesses such as strep throat and diabetes.
“We do pretty much anything that is primary care, anything a student might walk in to see a doctor for,” Conover said.
Although the Health Center does not offer specialized treatments like dermatology, dentistry or orthopedics, it can refer students to providers who can offer theses services, Conover said.
Doctor’s referral saves time
“Dr. George Thompson Jr., our doctor, can open the door to the county hospital system by giving the student without health insurance a referral; that cuts waiting time,” Conover said.
“We can also help students find other low cost options in the community.”
Among the various benefits the Health Center provides are confidentiality and short waiting periods, Conover said.
Currently, the Health Center treats approximately 1,200 to 1,500 students each month and is available to all part-time and full-time students from Monday to Friday, Conover said.
Despite the services the Health Center provides, few students are aware that EC offers free medical assistance.
Alison Bouffiou, who has attended EC for three years, said she learned of the Health Center during one of her classes.
“One semester, one of my teachers referred a student who was having trouble to the clinic for mental health services,” Bouffiou said.
“I also know that they offer free STD (sexually transmitted disease) testing, which I thought was cool, since this is a college campus.”
Staff at center is professional
Dilma Gomez, business major, said she makes use of the Health Center and is satisfied with the services it provides.
“It is pretty good,” Gomez said. “Everything is so easy here,” she said.
“I want students to know that we are a real clinic and that they will be treated by a real doctor or licensed nurse practitioner (a registered nurse with a master’s degree) who is trained to perform clinical work,” Conover said.
