UHS Panel Yields Few Students

Although a recent Undergraduate Health Services (UHS) survey showed high levels of student dissatisfaction, only a dozen undergraduates turned out yesterday evening to talk to administrators about the problem.

Of these, only five students were not involved with UHS' own Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC). This handful was outnumbered by a seven-member panel of officials, including top brass like Dean of the College Harry R. Lewis '68, UHS Director David S. Rosenthal '59 and Dean of Freshmen Elizabeth Studley Nathans.

Panel members--who also included Undergraduate Council President Noah Z. Seton '00 and Carie U. Michael, who helped design the survey for UHS--said the lack of attendance did not mean students were not interested in solving UHS' problems.

"It's unfair to gage student interest by looking at how many people decided not to do their Math 21 problem set and come on out," Lewis said.

"We're not taking low turnout as lack of interest," Nathans added. Panelists identified major areas in which UHS needs to improve, including some not mentioned in the survey.

Recently hired after-hours urgent care physician Donald Perlo talked about a new problem: patient privacy. He said UHS' current setup means students talking to receptionists or nurses about their health problems often have to do so while standing in the middle of a waiting room.

"Confidentiality in the current physical set-up is a major problem," Perlo said. "The onus is on us."

Perlo also suggested buying a real-time dictation system so doctors could take all their notes during appointments rather than taking time afterward.

He said installing computer terminals in the lobbies would make waiting time--a big complaint in the survey--more enjoyable for students.

Still, UHS officials at the panel stressed that the overall care provided by the service is of high quality, and that campus rumors may contribute to UHS' poor reputation.

"There are stories that seem to circulate, the same stories every year. I can never get a handle on where they started from," said Kathleen Diaz, UHS' patient advocate.

"We do investigate complaints and try and resolve them. We don't see huge numbers of misdiagnoses or malpractice [charges]," said Diaz, who works three to four days a week in the UHS office responding to students' complaints. Diaz and the other panelists said students should file their complaints with UHS quickly in order to have their concerns responded to.

Audience members asked how UHS was working to improve its outreach efforts and what the organization was doing to improve its service.

And some suggested that the panel's low turnout might have been the result of its open format.

"A lot of people are scared to talk about their problems. They don't feel like talking about it in front of everyone else," said Joanna L. Chan '02, co-chair of SHAC.

But others suggested student apathy might play a role.

"I've been really trying to tell people, 'Forum, forum,' and I've been hearing 'Yeah, whatever," said Stephanie N. Ajudua '00, SHAC's patient advocacy chair.