UTSA’s Student Health Services, located in RWC 1.500, provides a multitude of health programs, sessions, events and services for the enrolled student.
UTSA’s Student Health Services can be broken down into three components: Health Education, Medical Visits and Nursing Services.
HEALTH EDUCATION
The Health Education programs include general wellness, weight loss, smoking cessation, sexual health, stress and numerous other events that would affect the typical college student. These programs collaborate with Campus Rec, Campus Dining, Student Conduct, EOS, Student Government and UTSAPD.
For health education, collaboration is also done with community partners. Student Health Services implements a monthly blood drive through the South Texas & Tissue Center community partner. The drive is held between the HEB UC and the Ximenes Garage on the following dates: Feb. 20-23, March 27-30 and April 24-26.
Free HIV testing can also be done February 15 & 16 (11 a.m.-4 p.m.), March 22 & 23 and April 19 & 20 (9 a.m.-2 p.m.) in the HEB UC Parking Lot through the San Antonio AIDS Foundation. Syphilis testing is also available upon request.
Free condoms can be found in the Health Services center lobby as part of a public health measure for sexual risk reduction.
Students can opt for annual exams where they are given a 30-minute free visit beforehand, giving them the opportunity to ask questions about sexual education, feminine hygiene, risk reduction methods or other health issues.
MEDICAL VISITS
Student health insurance can be attained in the Student Health Services center through BlueCross BlueShield (BCBS) for all students throughout the UT System. This insurance waives the deductible if the student visits the on-campus health center—UTSA Health Services is in-network—and covers 100 percent of covered expenses, being lab charges, visit charges and more. BCBS is also accepted at Texas MedClinic and by several specialists throughout San Antonio, if the student’s health required further attention outside of UTSA’s clinic. The student can also keep the insurance for six months after graduation, as the student seeks employment opportunities.
On average, it costs approximately $180 a month, cheaper than most Affordable Care Act insurance plans. Further information for BCBS student health insurance can be found at utsystem.myahpcare.com.
A Health Literacy program will be held on Feb. 28, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the San Antonio room at the REC. A BlueCross BlueShield representative will be available to answer questions about BlueCross BlueShield and all other insurance-related questions a student may be concerned about, like what a deductible and copay are or how to read an insurance card.
Wound care, ear irrigations and breathing treatments are also offered by the Health Services.
“The other types of medical issues we encounter are dental,” says Dr. Wichman, “and we do have a dental clinic that we operate in conjunction with the UT Health Science Center Dental School. That’s every Friday. We have a board-certified dentist that comes in.”
Braces, cavities, removal of wisdom teeth, implants, and others can all be done at UTHSCD. Dr. Wichman wishes to remind students that UT Dental also has “significant lower prices, too.”
In the near future, Dr. Wichman states UTSA Health Services will open up a travel clinic. This program is designed for students traveling abroad so they can receive a physical exam and find out what immunizations may be required to the country they are travelling to. A post-travel evaluation will also be given, where the student can discuss any illness they had while abroad.
“I would anticipate that within the next six months this is something we’re going to start,” said Dr. Wichman.
NURSING SERVICES
A UT student can call Health Services and speak to a registered nurse to ask them any health-related question they may need answering. The nurse will discuss what option works best for the student, such as a visit to the UTSA clinic, an urgent care, the emergency room or a visit to the student’s healthcare provider.
In addition to flu shots, Student Health Services also administers meningitis vaccinations and does tuberculosis tests through skin or blood.
UTSA’s Student Health Services takes all major credit cards as well as the UTSACard.
