Report reveals flaws in Hudson Health Center
By Luke Wright, Staff Writer
October 29, 2007 | noon
On August 6, Keeling and Associates, an independent consulting firm, conducted an assessment of the Hudson Health Center, the first of its kind in 20 years. This assessment unearthed lingering troubles in the center.
The consultation reviewed all three of Hudson’s branches: Student Health Services (SHS), which provides students primary physical health services, Health Education and Wellness (HEW), which provides students with information on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS), which provides students with mental health services.
The report began by noting Hudson’s significance to Ohio University’s population. The positive correlation between a student’s overall health and his or her success in the social and academic realms has been a scientifically affirmed fact. The review also looked at the overall effectiveness of Hudson’s programs and services, the continuously deteriorating structure of the building and the possibility of alternative funding methods for the center. A survey conducted by Keeling & Associates (K&A) found that students felt rushed when visiting Hudson, disliked the limited hours and quality of the facility and perceived a lack of quality in the center compared to health centers in their hometowns. These complaints can be traced back to a single culprit, insufficient funds.
With a cut in health-related funds, Hudson is being forced to implement limited services. Student Health Services currently gets $30.16 from each student’s $591 general fee per quarter. According to the report, SHS averaged 27,536 visits during the 2005 and 2006 academic years. With six physician and nurse practitioners, that is an average of 4,589 visits per provider annually, and those are conservative numbers. More accurate estimates were reported to be closer to 5,506 visits per provider annually. For comparison, the standard for college health productivity, according to the report, is 3,200 visitors per provider annually. To bring the productivity of SHS to reasonable levels for college health productivity, three additional physicians and nurses are needed. However, without monetary support, that is impossible.
This lack of personnel has prompted a distinct downward slope in the number of students visiting the SHS. At its peak in 2001, with an enrollment of approximately 19,000 students, SHS received 50,000 visits. In 2005, however, with an enrollment of nearly 20,000, Hudson received only 43,000 visits. Counseling and Psychological Services too has seen significant shortages in staffing and funds, receiving only $11.30 of a student’s general fee per quarter. With a student to counselor ratio of 3,333:1, Hudson’s counselors nearly double the AUCCCD’s recommended student to counselor ratio of 1,750:1. Insufficient funds have also contributed to a policy of “fee-for-service” charges for ancillary or professional services such as lab tests and pharmaceuticals.
Like the deterioration of funds that has been plaguing Hudson’s staffing and programs, the building itself, which receives an abysmal $2.30 of a student’s general fee per quarter, has been deteriorating due to lack of essential renovations. In fact, the report revealed that the Hudson building “has not been updated in the memory of anyone with whom the consultants spoke.” The building, which was opened as an infirmary in 1949, has inadequate structure for it to garner accreditation from the International Association of Counseling Services. If accredited, Hudson would be able to bill third parties, such as insurance companies, for many ancillary charges. Until then these ancillary charges will be billed directly to the student, who can then recover that money from their insurance company.
Despite the dire news, changes have been made to Hudson since the release of the report said Executive Director of Student Health Services Charlene Smith. The first of these changes was the creation of Smith’s position, which officially combined the leadership of SHS and CPS for the first time in Hudson’s history. Additionally, Health Education and Wellness, formally housed in Hudson, now renders its services at an office in Baker Center, a site trafficked more often by students than Hudson. This, according to Smith, has resulted in more walk-ins and more collaboration with other student groups. “We also put a long range plan in place,” Smith said. “In one to two years, SHS and CPS want to be out of Hudson and into a more suitable environment,” Smith added.
Parks Hall has been discussed as a possible site of relocation, granting that the current holders of Parks Hall, the medical school, reposition to a new location. A steering committee and student advisory group has also been created to foresee the planning of Hudson’s revamping. Smith plans to use knowledge gained from Keeling and Associates’ student focus groups to improve Hudson beyond what has already been planned. “One of the things that students said is that ‘you’re not open when we don’t have class,’” Smith said, referring to the fact that Hudson closes its doors at 4:30. “I would like to look into that.”
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