Students need to become more educated on their own health and the services offered to them during their college years. While steps are currently being taken to improve the conditions and services offered here at Ohio University's Hudson Health Center, they are still poor at best. The plight of freshman Molly Millsop may be one of the worst, but surely not the only terrible experience documented.
In Molly Millsop's case, friends, roommates or her RA should have been the first to realize the severity of the situation. As a former RA, I have taken many students to the ER. While RAs are often discouraged from becoming too involved, I always saw the health of my residents as more important than a few hours of sleep. If nothing else, the university CatCab services could have been called, as well as a taxi or even the EMS. Upon first visiting Hudson, Millsop's doctor should have conferred with other physicians, discussed her options and sent her to O'Bleness for further testing. Unfortunately, the doctor did not recognize this necessity.
However, the blame cannot be fully placed on the doctors. They are forced to see far too many patients, as was discussed in the article regarding Millsop. Also, individuals must take initiative in their own health care. Ask to see the same doctor every time you visit Hudson, making sure you find one you can talk to and trust. Ask questions about exactly which medications they are giving you and their side effects. More importantly, does the doctor actually have a diagnosis, or are they just speculating? Keep track of your own health carefully.
Many students are still covered under some form of their parents' insurance and can use the services of the College of Osteopathic Medicine on West Green in Parks Hall (http://www.oucom.ohiou.edu/news/healthcare/). In particular, the University Medical Associates can be particularly helpful in finding doctors, resources and express care. They also offer a free/low-cost clinic for those without insurance.
In Millsop's case, she would obviously be experiencing anxiety while going through so much pain. Her doctors should have recognized this as a side effect and not a pre-existing condition. Even in that case, they should have sent her upstairs to the third floor and their excellent counseling and psychological services. I am a huge advocate of visiting with a counselor even if you never thought you needed help. While it may take a week or so to start with a counselor or psychologist, walk-in hours are available everyday to students who need to talk to someone immediately. There are also two Counselors-in-Residence living on campus to help with counseling needs after hours.
Maybe I am simply a medical mishap, or accident-prone, but in my four years at OU, I have visited each of these facilities on numerous occasions.-
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Letter to the Editor
