Student health ready to take on cold season

Upset stomach…sore throat…cough…runny nose…fever.

Sound familiar? Then maybe it is time to visit University Student Health Services.

Students typically visit student health services for five reasons, said Lindsey Eades, assitant director of administration for health services. Reasons include upper-respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, urinary-tract infections, psychological issues and women’s gynecological exams.

“Usually students are coming in for URIs, which are upper-respiratory infections, your typical sore throat, runny nose, coughing and that sort of thing,” Eades said.

Students get upper-respiratory infections often, she said, because of the close quarters with other students in dorm rooms and classes. Germs travel from sneezes, coughing and infrequent hand washing, especially after contact with others as well as door handles and other common facilities.

Nearly half of VCU’s student population consists of females needing annual gynecological exams. Thus, gynecological exams and other women’s health issues rank among the top five reasons students visit Monroe Park Campus health services.

When interior-design student Lauren Bolton faces an illness, she said she usually waits a few days to see if the symptoms will clear on their own before going to see a physician.

“I would make an appointment if anything was really serious, not just the common cold,” Bolton said. “Strep throat or any throat problems or problems breathing and congestion would cause me to want to see a doctor.”

As many as three or four on-duty physicians serve the health services on a daily basis. They handle regular appointments as well as walk-in patients and those facing emergencies.

About 200 different students visit health services between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday, except Fridays when the facility opens at 10 a.m. Depending on the severity of the illness, the student may be seen by a midlevel practitioner or a physician if available.

“If they (students) are really sick that day they can call in that day and usually get a same-day appointment,” Eades said. “We will always see emergencies or really sick people who need to be seen that day. We have flexibility built into our schedule to work patients in.”

In January 2005, student health began operating on an appointment-based system, a change from its walk-in visits, the previous procedure.

Alister Perkinson, a recreation and park management student, said he did not have to wait long for treatment.

“The wait to see a doctor was not long-maybe 15 minutes,” Perkinson said.

For care after hours or on weekends, students call the regular student health number. If they reach an answering machine, they can leave a message about the ailment and a provider will return their calls within 15 minutes. That provider then determines if it is necessary for the student to go to the emergency room or wait until the next weekday.

In any immediate emergency, students should call 911.