The Student Health Center is located at 3401 Market St.
Scheduling and attending a doctor's appointment on your own can feel like a daunting task, including what to bring, what to expect, and how to make the appointment in the first place. As you first learn these adult jobs, the friendly staff at Drexel University's Student Health Center, Counseling Center, and Health Insurance and Immunization Department are here to help.
“Even if students don’t want to be patients here, they still have access to resources like COVID-19 testing if they need it,” said Student Health Program Coordinator Dana Lee.
Diseases also increase from autumn to winter. To stay as healthy as possible, you can get a flu shot and a coronavirus booster. Take other precautions such as washing your hands, staying home when sick, avoiding close contact with others and touching your face, and practicing general health care such as sleeping and eating to avoid getting sick. Please.
However, if you become ill or simply need care, this may help you see a doctor.
make a reservation
Dr. Gary Davis, medical director of the Drexel Student Health Center, said the student health center functions more like a primary care office like the one you went to as a child than an emergency room. He said he has it. There is almost always space available for reservations within 24 hours, but you must make a reservation. To make a reservation, you can call 215.220.4700 or use the online portal MyChart, but Davis recommends using MyChart to confirm your reservation. Reservation times are available.
“It's never wrong to call, but you may need to answer a few more questions that can be entered electronically,” Davis says.
It's a good idea to have your insurance card in front of you and, if you're enrolled in a parent or guardian's plan, know the name and date of birth listed as the enrollee. If you have HMO health insurance, you must change your primary care provider to Drexel Student Health Center for your insurance to cover your visit.
Why and when to go to the doctor
Of course, if you break your arm or hit your head, you can't make an appointment with your primary care provider. You need to go to the emergency room. But for more routine issues and questions, your annual physical exam should cover the basics. There, you will discuss your medical history with a health care provider, have your blood pressure and weight taken, receive vaccinations, and have a physical exam and blood tests.
“We have a lot of young people who are interested in sexually transmitted disease testing,” Davis said. “Part of health includes sexual health. You may have had your cholesterol or blood sugar levels checked at your pediatrician, but you may have never had one before. But these are things that can be discussed during a physical exam, as well as traditional exams.'' And contraception. ”
If you become ill or have a bothersome problem, such as a chronic cough or leg pain, you can make another appointment at the Student Health Center.
“Sometimes students try to cram everything they can think of into one appointment, so they don't have enough time to work on everything during the appointment,” Lee said. “Focus on one major issue.”
Maintaining continuity of care
As Drexel prepares for care, Davis said, it will require previous providers to send their medical records to new providers to ensure the highest level of precision in care. Your new doctor can review your previous diagnosis and consider future treatments and methods.
Whether you're being treated for a chronic problem like asthma, ADHD, or depression, you don't have to move everything to Philadelphia if you still have a way to stay in touch with your doctor through home visits or telehealth visits. If you want to move your care to a new area, Davis advised that it can be done fairly easily, as long as the transfer of records is done in preparation.
counseling
Students can visit the Counseling Center in the Creese Student Center or consult with therapists for athletes in the Student Health Center, Black Cultural Center, or Daskalakis Athletic Center.
While students can use MiResource to find off-campus providers, Counseling Center Case Manager Melisa Mitchell also helps students find providers, whether on-campus or off-campus. She can't make appointments for them, but she can help them manage insurance coverage and medical costs, said Tania Czarnecki, P.D., executive director of counseling.
“Students may not necessarily know what they want, but they may decide to start with us. We can help them take the best course of action, whether it's there or anywhere else in the community,” Czarnetski said. . “When we work with students, we focus on their goals. We help them take a closer look at what's going on and come up with some things that will help them work on it. ”
Although there are no session limits, the center offers time-limited individual therapy. Students have access to the Counseling Center for group care, as well as crisis care, peer counselors, and some workshops.
address health requirements
One thing that often stumbles upon students is the difference between Student Health and the Health Insurance and Immunization Office (HII). Megan Lovett, director of health insurance and immunizations, said they are coordinated but not coordinated.
HII has specific requirements, such as immunizations, that may place a hold on your student account if they are not met, so if you have a hold, you can do so by heading directly to the Health Insurance and Immunization Office. , saving you time and anxiety. , not the health of the students. If you received your vaccination at the Student Health Center, your records must be captured and uploaded to the HII system.
Help with health insurance
The cost of student health insurance through United Healthcare is determined through the Office of Health Insurance and Immunizations. When students use the plan, Student Health does not have deductibles or co-pays for preventive care such as health exams, tests, and immunizations. If you have a private plan, check with your insurance to see if your student health insurance covers you. If you don't have insurance through Student Health, you can still receive a 30% discount on your co-pay when you receive treatment at the Student Health Center. This does not apply to copays or deductibles.
“For students enrolled in UnitedHealthcare's school plan, we will have a UnitedHealthcare advocate in our office five days a week at the beginning of the new year to assist students with plan questions, claims, and coverage inquiries. ,” Lovett said. Said.
Even if you are covered by your parents' insurance, Student Health will not release your health information to them unless you give them your consent. If you are concerned about your parents receiving a benefit statement, contact your insurance company to obtain a HIPAA form. That way, your parents won't see any information about the care you received either.
“I think it's helpful for students to know this so they can make their own health decisions,” said Bonnie Carrasquillo, Student Health Office Manager. “They are adults.”
Carrasquillo and the HII team are always happy to help students, especially international students considering insurance plans. In some cases, a plan may sound great, but it may be very limited in scope. Always check not just what's included, but also what's excluded, Carrasquillo said. Chronic conditions may not apply.
“If you are a parent, it is important to talk with your parents about their protections, copays, in-network vs. out-of-network providers, and whether there are deductibles,” Carrasquillo says. spoke. “If a student receives a bill from us or a health service, it is okay to ask and be informed what it is.”
Simply put, the team at Student Health and the HII department understand that this can be confusing. Lovett encourages students to contact healthimmu@drexel.edu or visit Suite 215 in Crease if they have questions about health insurance and immunization policies.
