After a drive downtown and a $45 fee, Madeline Zelenka found out she had an upper and lower respiratory infection. Much to Zelenka’s displeasure, this news wasn’t delivered by Loyola’s on-campus clinic it was delivered by a nurse practitioner at an off-campus health facility.

Loyola Student Health Services referred Zelenka, management freshman, to receive treatment at Urgent Care on Magazine Street after they were unable to grant her a same-day appointment at Student Health.

Zelenka is one of many students who say they feel they are not getting adequate service from Student Health and who believe that the on-campus clinic is understaffed.

The university has 4,982 students enrolled, including 2,965 undergraduates. To serve that population, the university employs a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse and a medical assistant, as well as a physician who comes in once a week and a nurse practitioner who comes in three days a week.

The campus clinic serves 3,000 patients a year, with over 100 students getting appointments every week, according to Alicia Bourque, administrative director for Counseling and Student Health Services.

Student Health offers services such as immunizations, tuberculosis tests, well-woman exams, HIV testing and an in-house laboratory according to their website. They also provide treatment of health problems from urinary tract infections to respiratory infections.

Despite anecdotal reports of unsatisfied students, Bourque points to internal surveys conducted by Student Health that show many students who get appointments leave the clinic satisfied.

That survey shows, she said, that 90 percent of students reported being very to moderately
satisfied with the friendliness and courtesy of the nurse and the care provider.

Kayla Cox, criminal justice senior, said she, for one, was satisfied with her interactions with Student Health.

“Erin (Frye, nurse practitioner) is very professional and an excellent addition to Student Health,” Cox said.

Still, not everyone who is looking for treatment is able to get an appointment on that same day, which is frustrating to some students.

Mass communication freshman Mary Kate Hutchinson said she expects more health care services because of the amount of money students pay to attend Loyola. She said she believes that if more staff were available then the facility would not have to turn away students.

Especially frustrating for some students is a statement on Student Health’s website that touts: “No appointment necessary! Same day appointments or nurse consultations available.”

“The one thing I have a serious problem with is that their website says ‘No appointment necessary’ but when I’ve tried to get medical help, I’ve been told I would need an appointment and they wouldn’t see me that day,” said Adrian Rotondo-McCord, music education freshman.

According to Bourque, appointments can be made daily, beginning when Health Services opens each day, Bourque said, but immediate treatment is typically not available unless emergency medical attention is needed.

Bourque said the appointment process allows students to be seen on the same day their appointment was made, as long as the clinic isn’t already booked up. When appointments are filled for the day, Bourque said students who need immediate care are referred to other health care facilities based on the student’s insurance options

And during some times of the year, the clinic can book up fast.

“On one given day last week we turned away 17 patients” because they didn’t have appointments, said Pam Agregaard, special services coordinator and medical assistant for Student Health Services.

And being turned away is off-putting for many students who feel their medical situation is dire.

“Student Health was apathetic to my condition, especially after a 20-minute wait, just to hand me a piece of paper for Urgent Care as they sent me on my way,” Zelenka said.

Bourque said that, as of now, Student Health does not intend to hire a new employee. “There’s no space,” Bourque said.

New employees cost money, and Student Health would need budget approval from the university to add staff.

Though no new employees are in Student Health’s future, Bourque said in an email she has worked hard to increase funding and satisfy the health care needs of the university and concerns of the students.

And while Zelenka resented being turned away by Student Health, she has since returned after getting sich again. But this time, Zelenka camped outside Student Health before they opened to make sure she could get an appointment.

“The workers were nice and helpful and really seem to care about me and my heatlh.”

Lucy Dieckhaus can be reached at [email protected]