SCAD cares about the wellness of all students. When students encounter emergencies, we make sure they are seen by professional health care providers. This is the case in both Savannah and Atlanta. If a student has experienced serious bodily harm or some other ailment that he or she believes constitutes a medical emergency, we will make sure the student is transported to the nearest hospital and accompanied by a SCAD official who generally stays until family members arrive.
The staff editorial that appeared in the May 16, 2008 issue of The Connector, titled “Suffering clinical withdrawal,” points out a concern that has been evaluated by SCAD administrators. The editorial suggests the establishment of an on-campus, free health clinic. While an on-campus health center may seem to be ideal, there are many factors that must be weighed before such an endeavor is untaken.
All students are encouraged to have health insurance so they can be certain that if they experience medical complications or emergencies, they can be seen at a nearby urgent care facility or a local hospital for a fraction of the actual cost.
In all of my experiences as a college administrator, I have never encountered a free student health clinic. For the most part, colleges and universities that operate student on-campus health clinics charge a fee for services. The two local colleges mentioned in the editorial, Oglethorpe University and Agnes Scott College, have health clinics on campus at which students do not have to pay each time they visit. Administrators at the two institutions verified that Oglethorpe charges a mandatory fee of $450 per year for each student. Agnes Scott College charges an annual fee of $200. On-campus health clinics at small colleges, like the ones mentioned above, usually provide limited services. By using area clinics, students can receive much more comprehensive care.
The health center used by students in Savannah is not operated by SCAD. Memorial Health University Physicians operates an independent, open to the public, clinic that SCAD students may use in downtown Savannah. Students must pay a fee of $45 per visit if they do not have insurance. The Memorial clinic issues prescriptions, but does not provide medications directly to clients. Since Memorial Health does not have locations in Atlanta, we utilize the health care providers within close proximity to SCAD-Atlanta.
In Atlanta, students with insurance who visit the Piedmont Minor Emergency Clinic, located at 2993 Piedmont Road, or Concentra Urgent Care, located at 688 Spring St., are only responsible for paying the co-pay, which can be as little as $20 per visit. Those without insurance pay varying amounts based on the services required. In some cases, the urgent care facilities near SCAD-Atlanta require less travel time than it would take for students to travel to the Memorial’s health center in Savannah. Transportation is provided by the college to urgent care facilities at both the Atlanta and Savannah campuses.
Currently SCAD-Atlanta utilizes two full-time licensed professional counselors to assess and provide plans of action to assist students with a variety of issues that confront college students. These same counselors, in collaboration with the residence life staff, often accompany students to the hospitals and urgent care clinics when emergencies arise. Counseling and Student Support Services also provides information on an optional insurance plan through Wells Fargo to assist students who may not otherwise have health insurance. College Security assists in transporting students to the urgent care clinics when necessary. Overall, SCAD-Atlanta’s multi-faceted plan to address health care issues is a very good one and is provided at no additional cost to the student.
Student wellness is a primary concern. We will continue to work with students and health care providers in Midtown Atlanta to find the most practical and efficient ways to administer to the health care needs of SCAD-Atlanta students. I welcome your comments and suggestions at amalloy@scad.edu.
Art R. Malloy | Dean of Student Services
