The Benefits of Using Campus Health Centers Instead of Traditional Centers

By I’yonna Taylor-Smith
Jambar Contributor

Think of reasons someone would not have wanted to immediately go to the hospital — whether it’s copay costs, how far it is or the bill that comes after.

For some college students, the costs, transportation or access to a health care provider after a certain age can be detrimental.

This is where campus health care centers come into play. While students are on campus, they can stop in to make an appointment or access same-day service if their needs are urgent.

When it comes to the Mercy Health Student Health Center at Youngstown State University, students are required to schedule an appointment ahead of time. At the appointment, they must bring their school identification card and their insurance card.

If students do not have their insurance card with them at the time of your appointment, they can still be seen. However, the health center wants to keep it on file.

Some of the services that the health center at YSU are diagnoses and treatments, general wellness visits, gynecology services and immunizations.

Mercy Health services roughly 300-450 students a month, which is about 3 percent of the total YSU student population.

Norma Rhoden, a senior interpersonal communications major, said she doesn’t utilize the clinic on campus.

“I usually go home. If I would have known that there was a clinic on campus free of charge, I would definitely have taken advantage of that. Some places you can’t get medical treatment without paying.”

One of the few services that the clinic does not offer is administration of birth control. Students will have to pay to be seen just to get prescribed, which isn’t free, but can be covered completely by insurance.

According to Her Campus, 68 percent of sexually active female college students use condoms and 3 percent use the pullout method as birth control.

In a study by The Ohio State University, seven out of 10 college students are stressed about their personal finances. This includes recurring bills and common monthly expenses such as gas, groceries and even social experiences.

According to a 2017 GoBankingRates survey, on average 57 percent of Americans have less that $1,000 in their savings account and 39 percent of Americans have no savings at all. When it comes to younger Americans, 67 percent have less than $1,000 in their savings account and 46 percent have $0.

According to Debt.org, the average copay for a primary care office visit isaround $27, the average copay for specialty care is $37 and the price tag on hospital admission is $308. These prices are rising, and if a student did not have insurance, the price could be three times those listed.

Shantia Cox, a junior criminal justice major, also doesn’t utilize the campus clinic.

Whenever Cox needs to go the doctor, she travels to Cleveland with her primary doctor.

“I bill my copay to my mom,” she said, “I’m from Cleveland, so I usually just go home. I’d use it if it was an emergency, but I haven’t had one.”

Students should always strive to be in the best health that they can. With growing issues in physical and sexal health, campus health centers are the perfect place for that.