Students rejoice! The days of paying anywhere from $50-$70 for a doctor’s consultation are over. The Advanced Practice Nurse Clinic opened on campus Monday and will cost students, faculty and staff $15 for an initial consultation.
While we do have a college health center in Room 119 of Chance Academic Center, it doesn’t quite compare to the Advanced Practice Nurse Clinic.
The health center should be the first stop for students who feel sick or are worried about a minor medical condition. The center can determine if students should see a doctor. In the past, the center could only refer students to area clinics.
The only problem is that students have to pay the $15 fee before they can be seen by a nurse. When a person is feeling ill, the last thing they want to do is walk repeatedly across campus.
The college should allow the district to place a hold on someone’s record for the fee, allowing students to pay later.
Another possible solution would be to charge all students a clinic fee along with tuition. This change would bring universal health care to the college.