In the past month, I began feeling ill and found myself in need of a visit to University Health Services. Living in the Lakeshore neighborhood, my closest option was the UHS Lakeshore Clinic located on the first floor of Dejope Hall.
While at the clinic, I was taken to an exam room where the doctor conducted a standard exam for someone complaining of coughing fits, slight chest pain and fever. I was told that I was most likely experiencing a cough with fever, but just to be sure, the doctor recommended that I get a chest X-ray and blood work done. He then informed me that they “did not have the facilities” for these services at the Lakeshore location and that I would have to drag my sick self to the main UHS Clinic at 333 E. Campus Mall.
Begrudgingly, I got on the 80 and proceeded to ride the bus for 20 minutes before arriving at East Campus Mall. There, I had blood drawn and two X-rays taken. I was there for a total of about 10 minutes before getting on the 80 for another 20 minute ride back to my Lakeshore dorm. About an hour later, I received an email from the UHS doctor informing me that I actually had a mild case of pneumonia and I would need prescription antibiotics.
The more I thought about my experience, the more upset I became. When the clinic was unveiled, UHS executive director Sarah Van Orman explained that students on the west side of campus would no longer need to travel such a considerable distance while sick. The intention was that the Lakeshore Clinic would be much more convenient for students living in Lakeshore.
And yet, my trip to the conveniently located Lakeshore Clinic was little more than a waste of time.
The UHS website explains that the Lakeshore Clinic is a walk-in facility meant for “acute illnesses only.” It goes on to list examples of acute illnesses including “the common cold, cough, sinus infections, sore throat, ear ache, rashes and urine infections.”
The website then relates how anyone requiring further diagnostic services — including X-rays, blood work, intravenous fluids and injections — will be referred to the main UHS location at 333 E. Campus Mall. The distinction between acute illnesses and serious illnesses seems to be clear cut according to the website. However, for most students, self-diagnosis can be difficult.
Doctors use further diagnostic tests to ensure that a patient is not suffering from a more serious ailment, and for this reason many sick students are necessarily referred to East Campus Mall. The small student population that can be accurately diagnosed at the Lakeshore Clinic alone will still need to make its way to the Southeast neighborhood because the Lakeshore Clinic is not licensed to dispense medication — even for the illnesses they can diagnose. This means that if a student living on Lakeshore needs any form of prescription, they will need to go to the main UHS Clinic, which offers a full service pharmacy.
Essentially, the Lakeshore Clinic is unable to provide much in the form of medical services beyond a stethoscope and a Kleenex.
I support the idea of a UHS clinic on Lakeshore, but the Lakeshore Clinic is a waste of time and money in its current state. Originally, the Lakeshore Clinic was meant to be a convenient point of access to UHS care for Lakeshore students. Since it lacks the facilities to fully diagnose most students and cannot dispense medication, the Lakeshore Clinic has become a pit stop on the way to 333 E. Campus Mall.
The diagnostic capabilities of the Lakeshore Clinic must be expanded, or the clinic may as well be done away with altogether.
Madeline Sweitzer ([email protected]) is a freshman majoring in political science and journalism.
