By Rebecca HuvalThe Daily Northwestern
Searle Student Health Service is one of many Evanston health centers. So why do students pick the university clinic over other providers?
“I’m too lazy to research otherwise,” SESP senior Mike Sacchet said. “I’m very unconscious of things outside this school. If it’s not on HereAndNow, I don’t know how to contact them. I’m real-world inept. So that makes it easier for me to just walk over to Searle.”
Evanston has two hospitals, St. Francis and Evanston Hospital; at least five obstetrics and gynecology clinics; and discounted services through the city government.
Sacchet, like about 5,000 NU students, has university health insurance. Students said they chose Searle because it is convenient. Outside clinics typically take longer to book new patients and often cost more.
Dr. Donald Misch, executive director of university health service, said university doctors can see students within a few days, and half of their patients come to Searle the day they call. Consultations are free, unlike most facilities.
“There are good people here that are used to dealing with students,” Misch said. “Our folks are board certified, which is the same thing you’ll find at (Evanston Hospital). People work here because they like working with students. Otherwise, they’re physicians like everywhere else.
“Some go (outside NU) because they don’t like the health service, they’re afraid of confidentiality or someone told them they had a bad experience. Finances shouldn’t be a reason.”
The city offers low-priced care, but city officials recommend that students use university services. The city gears its services to low-income residents without insurance. At the Evanston Civic Center, 2100 Ridge Ave., HIV tests are free, cholesterol screening costs $5 and STD tests cost $10. A student at Searle without university insurance would pay $30 for an HIV test, $18.15 to check cholesterol and $20 to $70 for a chlamydia test.
City health officials talk to Misch to ensure students know and use Searle’s services, said Jay Terry, director of the department of health and human services. But the city will not turn students away.
“Our goal is to find out if you have a disease,” Terry said. “We’re not interested in giving you a lecture on public finance.”
Students who go to outside doctors, or would like to, said they heard rumors about Searle or they were not satisfied with their visit.
“They deal with students the way they were trained to as opposed to genuine concern,” said Madeline Masten, a Weinberg junior. “It feels formulaic. And the facilities feel dirty. It doesn’t feel like a hospital with bright lights and all the people around. The people were nice, I just feel more comfortable and confident trusting a hospital to give me advice.”
Despite some students’ negative experiences, many said they trust the university health staff.
When Weinberg senior Jane Hutchinson talked to Searle staff about contraception, she said the nurse made her feel comfortable. The nurse told Hutchinson, “‘Any contraception is better than nothing, don’t be so hard on yourself.'” She also felt at ease when a nurse drew her blood.
“It was so nice for her to understand how scary it could be for me when it’s a routine for her. She told me a story about how a grown man warned he would scream loudly. I felt good knowing I’m not the only person who feels like that.”
Reach Rebecca Huval at [email protected].
