Health Board discusses options for change

The Health Plan Board met Thursday to discuss options for restructuring Student Health. The Board is in the initial stages of researching and understanding the current structure of Student Health and the options for the future.

After a semester of unclear leadership and near non-activity, Dean of Student Life and Services Charlene Cole-Newkirk took over the chairmanship of the Board this semester.

Richard Levin, professor of Biology and member of the Board, said the restructuring of Student Health is in the initial phases and that the Board is in no position to come to conclusions yet.

At this week's meeting the Board heard Judith Appleton, College physician, describe the current fiscal and operative structure of Student Health. The current Health Plan allows students to see Appleton and any primary care physician at the Clinic. Under this plan, specialists are not covered. If students chose to buy supplemental insurance, 80 percent of specialists' fees are covered.

The College's current contract with the Oberlin Clinic was last negotiated in 1982. The last major change in Student Health happened five or six years ago when the Board stopped administering the student health fee separately from the rest of the tuition. At that point the fee was added to the general budget of Student Life.

Students had asked for the fee to be made separate in the 70s so they could be more aware of the cost of student health, according to Appleton.

Next week members of the Board are going to experience first-hand what the system of Student Health is like. "What we are going to do is take a little field trip and see exactly what a student has to go through when they get sick," Levin said.

The Board is using the recommendations made by Richard Keeling, an outside consultant who visited Oberlin last Spring, as a basis for their discussion. Keeling's suggestions include continuing the relationship with the Oberlin Clinic with contractual and fiscal modifications, continuing the contract but moving the location of the Student Health office and divorcing the department from the Clinic entirely.

Levin said each option leads to many questions the Board needs to address. If the College decides to sever ties with the Clinic, the Board needs to address what kinds of professionals would be hired. Levin said that with the option of moving physically the Board needs to address where the office could move and what kind of presence the office wants to have on campus.

Board members have general goals for the process, even though it is too early to get very specific. "One would hope for more hours, more providers and a better financial arrangement," Appleton said. She stressed the limitations created by the space of the Student Health Office.

"I hope we emerge with a better plan in the end," Levin said.

In his report, Keeling said there are several aspects of Student Health's inefficiency. He named problems such as the ineffectiveness of prevention programs, the reputation of Student Health among students and the College's contract with the Oberlin Clinic.