Health Services

• Be honest and open concerning your health, medication, and substance use history
• Prioritize your concerns and write down health questions ahead of time.
• Indicate the history of each symptom, be as specific as possible in listing your symptoms.
• Indicate all medications you are currently taking or have taken within the last three weeks.
• If the examination is for employment or a travel program, be sure that the physician records all data on the form provided by the employer, college, etc., and not only what appears on your medical record. Student is responsible to bring documents at time of appointment.
• Partner with your health care provider to come to the best solution or treatment options that will work for you.
• You as a patient, have a right to know what is being done to and for you and why. If in doubt, ask questions.  You also have the right to refuse any tests or treatments if you do not receive a satisfactory explanation for why they are being ordered.
• Students have the right to ask for a support person to be in the room during your visit.
• There will be two staff members in the room during sensitive exams (ex. Physician and nurse, two nurses).

• Take your health insurance information with you.
• Ask directions to the medical facility if you do not know where it is located. Tip: or use your cellphone’s GPS app.
• If you will be seeking follow-up treatment at Health Services, ask the off campus healthcare provider for copies of all documentation, or sign a release of information so Health Services staff will be able to know what follow-up services you will need.
• If you are over 18 years of age and wish for your parents or other persons to be able to speak with healthcare providers about you and your care, you must sign a “release of information” form, which any facility can provide for you. Please ask to sign this release if you wish for us to speak with any others about your care.
• If you need to be admitted to the hospital, let College student life staff and program leaders know. They can help you arrange course work, etc. while you are hospitalized.

• Students must arrive on time for their schedule appointments, or call Health Services to cancel @ 765-983-1328.
• Students who are ill and miss classes are responsible for notifying their professors concerning missed classes/assignments. Excuses are not provided by Health Services.
• Laboratory testing is an important part of a physical examination. Some lab tests can be completed at Health Services, but other lab tests must be done at an off-campus facility. There is a fee for lab tests, which you may submit to your insurance company. We recommend that you call or email Health Services within one week after a test was sent for analysis to obtain results.
• Some charges from Health Services might be covered by your home or student insurance (prescription medications, lab tests, procedures, etc.). Because every plan is different, we send a statement/receipt to your patient portal in Medicat. To obtain reimbursement from your insurance company, you must send the statement to the company at the claims address on the back of your card. Your company will send you a check in the mail and you can submit this to your student account to pay your Health Services balance. Your family does not get a copy unless you send it to them.

Students who are full-time undergraduate students, full-time M.A.T., full-time M.Ed. graduate students, or E.S.R. students, are eligible for health services at Earlham College.

• No fee is charged to be evaluated by the doctor, nurse practitioner or a registered nurse. Students are encouraged to visit Earlham Health Services for any health-related concern.
• Fees are charged for prescription medications, lab work, over the counter medications and some medical treatments.
• Payment is not due at the time of service. Fees are billed to the student’s account and receipts of charges are sent electronically to the patient portal in Medicat.

Please be aware that prescriptions cannot be returned or refunded. Students must initiate all insurance claims (as mentioned in the Student Responsibilities section) because EHS does not bill or submit charge/fees to the insurance companies. It is the student’s responsibility to submit the printable statement from the patient portal to their insurance company.

Contact our staff if you have questions or concerns.

• • Doctor appointments (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), nurse appointments are by appointment only and nurse triage walk-in visits as needed. Psychiatric nurse practitioner appointments with Counseling approval.
• Care of acute illnesses/and injuries
• Clinical lab testing
• Reproductive services including physical examination, lab tests (including pregnancy testing), treatment and education
• Immunizations, both general and for travel-related reasons
• Health education, pamphlets and literature; health-related programs with an emphasis on wellness
• Over-the-counter remedies for colds, headaches, sore throats, etc.
• Latex condoms, lubricant and dental dams are often available for free.

Earlham students often require immunizations during their time on campus, whether for routine health reasons or for study abroad.

Health Services is able to administer the following immunizations:

• HPV (Human Papilloma Virus also knows as Gardasil)
• Hepatitis A and B
• Influenza
• Meningitis A and B
• MMR (Measles, mumps and rubella)
• Tetanus (Tdap–tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis)
• Typhoid
• Varicella

Preparing to travel internationally takes planning. The earlier you prepare for your travel, the more time you have to work around other’s schedules. Some of the necessary planning includes going to see your dentist, getting required vaccinations for the countries you’ll be traveling to or through, getting prescription medications lined up, and talking with your health insurance company.

• Prescription Medication Arrangements. If you are on prescription medications that you take regularly, plan 2-3 months in advance to have these prescriptions filled for the duration of your travel abroad (as pharmacies abroad do not typically fill these). Assess your mental wellness status before traveling and discuss with your practitioner how to handle the additional stress of travel both medically and non-medically.  Additionally, most insurance companies will not allow a pharmacy to fill the large quantity you will need, because you may need them for several months.  Therefore, contact your health insurance company as soon as possible to determine what your options are.  Many companies will allow extra supplies of medications with written approval or documentation from your school and/or doctor.
• Get required vaccinations at least 4 weeks prior to leaving. This will give your body time to adjust and produce the required immune response that will protect you.  The CDC’s website gives information about recommended vaccines for every country.  If you do not have health insurance, you may want to have these done at a County Health Department or a Travel Clinic to be able to get these at a reduced cost.  Health Services may be able to provide some of your needed vaccines.  Be sure to call to see what is available to you.  We do not provide vaccines at certain times during the school year, so do call in advance if your immunizations are time-sensitive.  If you have a Yellow Book (International Certificate of Vaccination), please bring it to Health Services whenever you are vaccinated so that we can update your record.
  • See Passport Health (passporthealthusa.com) in Cincinnati, OH for yellow fever and other vaccinations unavailable locally
• Packing OTC and other medications. Be prepared for every typical health scenario for you.  Pack medicines in carry-on luggage that is in its own package with a pharmacy label (remember to check TSA liquids limits specifically for medicines).  Pack anything you normally take routinely, and anything you might need for mild to moderate pain (eg. Headaches, muscle aches), cold or allergy symptoms (including epinephrine auto-injectors), anti-diarrheal medicine, and something for constipation.  Some physicians will recommend taking Pepto Bismol tablets daily to prevent the possibility of infections from contaminated water and other gastrointestinal bugs.  Check with your doctor to see if this is safe and recommended for you given where you are traveling.

Additional areas to consider while at your destination(s):

• Stay safe and healthy while there. Eat well and make safe food and drink choices while traveling. Drink bottled water unless otherwise informed about the drinkability of tap water. Get a good night’s sleep. Ensure you keep vigilant and stay aware of your surroundings, including where and from whom you are receiving food or drink. Remember that drinking alcohol has multiple effects on your cognitive and physical abilities and could limit your decision-making, coordination, memory, and judgment, which puts you at greater risk for harm or injury.
• Use the buddy system! Stay with your group or in pairs no matter where you go. In the event you get lost, be sure you have with you a charged cell phone with your group leader’s number saved.
• Take care of yourself and each other. Traveling to a new and unfamiliar place can be overwhelming. Be aware of your unique stress signals.   When you are feeling distressed, or  uncomfortable, tell someone or engage in a distracting activity you enjoy (e.g., running, reading, photography, yoga, etc.). Find comfort with pictures from home but avoid frequent e-mails, texts or calls as this could increase any homesickness. Talk to your group leader if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or uncomfortable. If you observe someone else in this position, show care and support by telling your group leader.
• Show respect for one another. Your study abroad group is a circle of support you can rely on. Show each member respect with positive language, showing up on time, staying healthy, giving space where needed, and doing your part to make the trip safe and enjoyable.
• Maintain healthy relationships and boundaries. Practice safe and healthy relationship and sexual behaviors. If you choose to be sexually active while abroad, practice safe sex and protect yourself from unintended pregnancy and STDs. Be mindful that alcohol and drugs increases your risk of unplanned sexual activity. Hold firm to safe practices and personal boundaries that decrease the likelihood of negative physical and emotional effects of sex and relationships.
• Know the facts about sex trafficking and exploitation. Everyone but especially women must stay alert when traveling abroad and make responsible, smart decisions. Do not give your passport to anyone to keep or hold onto and keep it in a locked safe when you are away from the place you are staying. Make sure you keep a copy of your passport information in a safe place where only you can find it. Beware of strangers. Sex traffickers often seem harmless and might be well-dressed, young, and good looking. Don’t ever tell a stranger your full name, where you are going, or where you are staying. Pay attention when approached by 2 or more people as one may be distracting you in conversation while another moves to distance your friend from you. Always travel in pairs or small groups and avoid traveling at night, on deserted side streets, or too close to the road when a vehicle may come upon you quickly. If you think you are being targeted or followed, find a crowded place and alert the police with a description of the person as soon as possible.
• Avoid recreation drug use.  Recreational drug use requires care and should involve medical consultation and monitoring.  In an unfamiliar place, taking drugs could result in serious health consequences including illness, heart attack, nausea, abdominal pain, and even death or social consequences including robbery or sexual assault.  Even drugs you may use at home could be vastly different from what you are used to.  Abstaining from drugs while studying abroad is the best way to keep yourself safe and healthy.

Remember, your group leader or professor cannot dispense medication.

We want you to have fun and enjoy your travel/study abroad. Follow these guidelines and you are off to a good start!

An additional resource for your travel planning needs:

CDC information

• Specific information on each country

For the most up-to-date travel health information, consult Health Services or the Center for Global Education.