By Lan Nguyen
Sick or injured college students have a new late-night option available to them. An after-hours medical center has opened near campus, by Central Station and across from Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
On Jan. 17 the center officially opened in its own suite. It operates during the hours of 6-11 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and also during the holidays from 12 to 5 p.m.
“This is a good opportunity for students. It’s all about access,” says Dr. Kenneth Peters, one of the doctors who formed the extra-hour care center.
However, convenient hours of operation are not the only benefits of the center. There is no need to schedule an appointment; a student can simply walk in and see a physician, often in less time than at a hospital. The clinic accepts most types of insurance, and for students with no insurance, according to Dr. Peters, the cost is about 15-20 percent less than at most hospitals. In addition, students are charged only one fee, which covers registration, doctors’ visits, basic lab work, an X-ray and/or a CAT scan. Hospitals charge for each of these services individually.
The clinic possesses brand-new top-quality equipment, the most noteworthy being a digital X-ray machine, which takes X-rays and develops them in the same manner as a digital camera. Furthermore, at the extra-hour care center, specialists are on call for any circumstances that a general practitioner would be unable take care of. If there is an acute crisis, direct access to EMS and hospitals is available. If a student needs a follow-up,appointment is immediately reserved at the student health center for the next day.
In the future, the clinic may work with U of L to provide a health care service for students.
“The idea is still being thrown around,” says SGA president Bill Brammell. “But if we ever get this student health care system, this is the location planned.”
It’s difficult enough to try to obtain an appointment at the student health center not to mention the fact the place closes early. So if something occurs after hours, or you can’t get an appointment at the student health center, your choices are either to tough it out or go to a hospital where you’ll end up waiting for hours and paying a large sum of money.
