Student Health Care Centers: Vital for Campus Well-being 

On campus healthcare centers and staff are becoming more and more prevalent in the US. While mostly accessible only to students, these college campus centers are often run in collaboration with broader urgent care facilities. The importance of these centers extends beyond the campus, impacting overall public health in several ways. 

1. Immediate Care for Students

Immediate care for students is one of a student health care centers’ primary focus. Like some urgent care centers, many campus centers are equipped with the tools to offer a wide array of medical services. When students use these services, it helps them develop positive health habits, but can also assist in preventing the spread of contagious illnesses within school campuses.

2. Mental Health Support

Student health centers also offer essential mental health services, such as counseling and therapy. They provide support for stress, anxiety, and depression just to name a few. By providing students with this level of support, student health centers improve a student’s quality of life, academic performance, and reduce burden on external health care systems that already have their hands full with other pressing matters.

3. Preventative Measures and Education

These centers emphasize preventative care and health education. They organize wellness programs, vaccination drives, and health awareness campaigns. By promoting healthy habits and educating students about health-related issues, they contribute to a healthier campus environment and, consequently, the wider community. Prevention is the best medicine, and that is exactly what the centers are trying to do.

4. Reducing Strain on Emergency Healthcare Systems

By providing immediate care to students, they decrease the number of unnecessary emergency room visits. This allows local hospitals to allocate their resources more effectively, benefiting the overall public health of the community and providing faster and more effective life-saving care. 

While campus based healthcare is limited to students and possibly staff, it can be an effective step in forming long-term healthcare habits. They are also very easy to find and some serve the entire community. For example, Multnomah County has a map of their health centers that people can use. To check it out, click here! As they are physically situated and naturally associated with their peers and school, they may be less intimidating and carry some of the stigmas associated with larger healthcare systems.

Like AFC Urgent Care, these centers play a vital role in the overall public health infrastructure. This is especially true in times like today where emergency rooms are under constant strain at levels they may never have dealt with in the past. We accept walk-ins, but you can also make an appointment over the phone at (503) 305-6262 or by clicking here!