UHS Services Satisfy Students

As Chair of the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC), I am outraged by the Crimson staff editorial "Welcome to the Jungle" (Apr. 8) which falsely accuses the University Health Services (UHS) of being a "shoddy infirmary, complete with long waits and inadequate care." These accusations are unfounded and actually contradictory to a Crimson article "UHS: Clean Bill of Health?" (Feb. 14) which states "records obtained by The Crimson from the State Board of Registration in Medicine show that UHS doctors have had no complaints filed against them and have had no disciplinary action in the past 10 years."

Also, in that article is the claim by a student that "the care was wonderful," and "despite UHS's negative reputation, many students have equally positive experiences." Overall, the majority of students were quite satisfied with the care they received as reported by The Crimson. As for long waits, where else can you call in the morning for an appointment and hours later sign in simply using your ID, using no more effort than you do to swipe your card in the dining hall? Try and do that with an outside physician. UHS is a first-rate facility staffed by some of the area's most well-trained physicians and it is distressing to read these groundless allegations.

For years, SHAC has labored with the student body to resolve miscommunications, in addition to serving as a vehicle for a multitude of complaints. We have attempted to debunk the myth of an unsatisfactory health service which The Crimson insists on propagating. The Crimson's repeated defamation of UHS undermines SHAC's attempt to restore the faith of students in the high quality of care.

If The Crimson continues to persist in their negative commentary of UHS, how can we expect the students to fully utilize the myriad services which are available to them 24 hours a day? It is upsetting that of the hours which SHAC members have spent working to ensure that students are satisfied with UHS and know its high caliber are seemingly for naught. --Tara Adamovich '97