Mission, Goals, Rights and Responsibilities

Student Health Services (SHS) is a primary care clinic that specializes in college health. Our healthcare providers prescribe medications and treatment options to our patients based on the patient’s presenting symptoms, objective findings and the provider’s clinical judgment. Our providers practice evidenced based medicine and prescribe treatments that are deemed medically necessary.

SHS believes that for a campus community to be truly healthy, it must be guided by the values of inclusion, respect, and equality. Intolerance has no place at an institution of higher learning.

SHS supports all individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, color, culture, national origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, abilities, political affiliation, socio-economic or veterans’ status.

Our mission is to provide an accessible quality program of primary health care services relevant to the needs of eligible members of the University Community. These services shall include personal health care, health promotion and education, consultation, and educational experiences for advanced level graduate students pursuing careers in the health professions. Our staff provide expert consultation in matters of health and infection control for the University Community.

Our goals are created in the spirit of enhancing educational experience by modifying or removing health related barriers to learning, promoting optimal wellness, and enabling individuals to make informed decisions about health related concerns. We strive to empower members of the University Community to be self-directed and well-informed consumers of health care.

Our goals at Student Health Services are to:

Provide high quality primary health care services which are accessible and cost-effective to eligible members of the University Community.

Facilitate student retention and optimize the student experience by avoiding unnecessary interruption in the student’s education and experience through early and ongoing attention to the health-related concerns.

Provide individual and group health education services, which promote healthy lifestyles within the University Community.

Serve as an academic resource through the offering of educational experiences for selected students pursuing careers in the health-related professions.

Provide all services in a professional, caring, and considerate manner to help ensure that individuals and groups receive the optimum benefit from services rendered.

Patient seeking services at SHS have important rights and responsibilities.

As a patient, you have the right to:

be treated with respect, consideration and dignity.
information regarding the scope and availability of services.
know who is counseling or treating you as well as the right to change providers. The SHS staff member’s names and professional qualifications should be visible or stated on introduction.
accurate information, to the extent known, concerning diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of an illness or health related condition, in terms that are understood.
receive from your provider information necessary to give informed consent prior to the start of any procedure and/or treatment. Except in emergencies, this information shall include the purpose and description of the procedure or treatment, medically significant risks and alternative courses of treatment.
a second opinion regarding diagnosis or treatment, and/or appropriate referral.
participate in decisions which are made regarding your health care and treatment. We respect your right to make decisions based on your personal beliefs and values as well as on available medical information. This includes the right to refuse treatment to the extent permitted by law and to be informed of the medical consequences of this action.
appropriate, timely, and empathetic care as a possible abuse or neglect victim.
be informed of any research aspect of your care and to refuse to participate. Such refusal will not jeopardize your access to medical care and treatment.
every consideration of your privacy concerning your medical care. Discussions about your case, consultation, examination, and treatment are confidential, and you are entitled to expect that they will be conducted discreetly.
expect that all communications and records pertaining to your case will be treated as confidential and require your request or release except when release is not required by law.
information regarding fees for service; particularly, notification as to what services may involve additional charges. You have the right to examine and receive a full explanation of your bill.
information about continuing health care requirements, such as return visits and required medications.
application of all your patient rights by the person who may have legal responsibility to make decisions regarding medical care on your behalf. Information on treatment of minor patients is available upon request.
register a complaint regarding quality of care provided, quality of service delivered, or any other concern.
information from your medical files. The actual medical record is property of ECU Student Health Services.

As an active participant in your care, you are responsible:

to provide complete information about your health, including any medications taken, over the counter products or dietary supplements used, allergies or sensitivities you may have, or other relevant medical, surgical or family history to allow for proper evaluation and treatment.
to be informed. Ask your health care provider sufficient questions to ensure an understanding of your illness or problem. If you find the care or course of treatment unacceptable for any reason, please discuss it with member of the staff.
to provide insurance information, pay all charges incurred (including those not covered by your insurer), and to submit payment in a timely manner.
to show courtesy and respect to health personnel and other patients.
for protecting others’ privacy and respecting SHS staff time by avoiding cell phone use inside our facilities.
to not lend to others your personal identification and to not give medications prescribed for you to others. These actions may lead to serious errors in treatment and are considered to be honor code violations.
for your continued care after you leave SHS. If your problem worsens, does not improve, or you have concerns, you should know how to follow up and where to seek further treatment. If you do not know, ask questions.
for keeping your appointments and arriving on time.