Firstly, Health Centers on your campus are a great resource. They can really save students money.
Secondly, Don’t go to the doctor, if you don’t need to. How do you know? Use some common sense and THINK ABOUT IT FIRST!
One of the many things we see in the Health Insurance field, is that students seem to go to hospital emergency rooms for non-emergencies. This costs a great deal of money! And we hate to say it but… that was totally unnecessary! Making an appointment with a doctor, or going to an Urgent Care Clinic when necessary will avoid those costly emergency room expenses.
What to do before visiting a doctor
The #1 reason patients make unnecessary doctor’s visits is for a head cold. But here’s the catch, a typical head cold resolves itself in about a week without treatment! Antibiotics don’t help a cold virus – your own immune system heals you. But when symptoms progress into your chest, then a doctor’s visit is warranted. So… to begin with — try chicken soup, instead of antibiotics!
Ask your Mom, grandma, the lady next door who raised seven kids… what they suggest. Or call a local “Ask-a-Nurse hotline.” If you call your doctor’s office, make sure you:
- Give a brief but accurate synopsis of your symptoms
- Ask them if you should be seen or how long you should give your body to heal on its own
Minor illnesses and accidents can also be treated at home!
Did you know that…
- Minor sprains can heal within just a few days
- Back pain be relieved with some exercises and lying still for a few days
- Burns that doesn’t cause blistering just need to be kept clean and bee stings that only swell locally (without other symptoms) can be treated with OTS antihistamines.
So before you go to the doctor’s office or hospital, be sure to do some research on your own and see if your body just needs a few days to heal on its own.
CRM Can Help: Call Collegiate Risk Management at 1-800-922-3420 for information on a program we have available called Tele-Doc. For $40 per year, you can place calls to a medical doctor who can call in prescriptions for you, avoiding costly doctor visits.
Student Health & Wellness 