Editor’s note: Lucy Smith’s name has been changed to protect her identity.
Although Campus Care’s recent facelift is working to improve patient satisfaction, students such as Lucy Smith find it difficult to wash away the bad taste instilled by past experiences at the facility.
In fall 2010, Smith, a sophomore studying nursing, paid a visit to the Women’s Health Clinic after discovering a small bump in her vaginal area. After enduring an uncomfortable examination, she left with an equally uncomfortable diagnosis: human papillomavirus.
“She didn’t do any tests on me or anything,” Smith said. “She put her elbows on my knees while my feet were in the stirrups and basically leaned on me and told me I had HPV.”
After alerting her previous sexual partners about the diagnosis, Smith sought out a second opinion from her hometown obstetrician and gynecologist in Cincinnati.
“They said they didn’t see anything,” Smith said. “They don’t know what I had, but my body just got rid of it.”
Campus Care also failed to provide treatment options for the HPV misdiagnosis — even though the facility’s website states that treatment for the virus should begin immediately upon diagnosis.
“She did not tell me to see another doctor; she basically told me to keep a watch on it and, if it got bigger, to come back in,” Smith said. “But I knew that HPV is something you should worry about.”
Tonya Burdette, director at Campus Care, admitted that the patient care at the facility was often rushed before the renovations began.
“I once had a student say, ‘I was herded like cattle in here,’ ” Burdette said. “And now they don’t feel that way.”
The newly renovated center is now equipped with 10 caregivers — seven physicians and three nurse practitioners --— who see both walk-in patients and scheduled appointments.
The Women’s Health Clinic is now available to students five days a week instead of one, said Karen Robinson, nursing supervisor at Campus Care.
With the increase in both staff members and hours of availability, Burdette said students can see the same practitioner for each appointment.
“Before you just never knew really, and now you can establish and have a relationship with their staff and you know who you’re going to see,” Burdette said.
Students most often visit the Women’s Health Clinic seeking contraception, but Burdette said the center also provides testing for sexually transmitted infections, including free HIV testing and free counseling the third Wednesday of every month.
The center tests for STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and herpes, according to its website.
Despite the improvements, Smith does not plan on paying the center another visit.
“I haven’t gone back for more care,” Smith said. “I pretty much only go to the one at home.”
sg409809@ohiou.edu
