Services

Routine Services

The Student Health Center provides care for acute episodic illnesses or injuries common to healthy college students. Services provided include:

• allergy shots
• diagnosis and treatment of minor acute illnesses
• first aid for minor injuries
• simple laboratory testing, such as quick strep test for evaluation of sore throats, urine testing for urinary tract infections, anemia screening, and blood glucose testing
• eye examinations for New York State driver license renewal
• loan crutches, vaporizers, slings
• health education and educational materials on many topics pertinent to college students
• physical examinations and immunizations required for class attendance
• dispensing pharmacy for prescription medications ordered by our health center medical staff. Fees for all minor procedures, and medications will be billed to the patient's student account. If prescriptions are not available through the health center dispensing pharmacy, the student is responsible for obtaining their medication at a local retail pharmacy.

Laboratory and X-ray Services

Specimens for more complex laboratory testing will be collected by the health center’s nursing staff and sent to a commercial laboratory as necessary for determining a diagnosis. Laboratory testing will be processed under a student’s insurance coverage. There is no on-site x-ray services at the student health center. Students will be referred to an outpatient Radiology Department for x-rays ordered through the student health center. Any labortory or outpatient  testing that is not covered by the student’s medical insurance will be the student’s personal financial responsibility.

Referrals

Students may be referred to specialists or to a local hospital emergency room as deemed necessary by the health center medical staff. Services by off-campus medical providers will be the student’s financial responsibility.

Transportation

Students are responsible for their own transportation for all off-campus medical services with the exception of ambulance transport for emergencies. Ambulance service not covered by the student’s private medical insurance will be at the student’s own personal expense.

Medical Notes

Purpose: The Student Health Center understands that illness and injury may impact a student's ability to attend every class or to carry out regular activities. It is the intent of this policy to articulate how the Student Health Center will assist students during these stressful times. Our primary response in each student encounter will be to advise students of their responsibility to notify professors and to make arrangements for missed classes or assignments directly with each professor, preferably before missing a class. This approach encourages students, as an emerging adults and leaders, to advocate for themselves and to take responsibility for their health and actions.

If however, a student is in need of additional assistance with faculty notification, the Student Health Center will follow the policy and procedures listed below.

Policy: The Student Health Center will provide medical notes when current clinical findings indicate the student is too ill or the injury too severe to safely recommend that individual to attend class or carry out regular campus activities. The medical and nursing staff will assess this based on the severity of signs and symptoms and make this recommendation as part of the treatment plan.

The Student Health Center will not write a note if there is no specific recommendation made by the medical and nursing staff to limit daily activities as part of the treatment plan. This means that the student's clinical sign and symptoms did not pose a safety risk to attending class or carrying out regular campus activities.

A student who comes to the Student Health Center stating that they were sick or injured and missed class because of illness or injury but were not seen for that illness or injury in the Student Health Center will not be given a note unless their current clinical findings support a recommendation to limit activities as part of the treatment plan.

It is not the intent of the Student Health Center to use this policy to exempt students from class responsibilities or to interfere with individual professor's requirements for class attendance or coursework assignments. It is ultimately the responsibility of the student to comply with each professor's course requirements and policy for missed classes.

Procedure: A student must first notify professors directly of an illness/injury. This notification can be done by e-mail or phone. If after notification the student needs a written note, the student must request a written notification for professors. The student must sign a Release of Information form indicating who will receive the notification. The student must meet the policy criteria listed above and the medical record must indicate that a recommendation was made by the health center physician or nursing staff to limit class and or work attendance as part of the treatment plan. If all of these steps are met, the Student Health Center will issue one note per illness for the student to share with professors and employers.