e-mail: mhc@uiuc.edu

September, 2007

Dear Parents:

I would like to say hello and introduce the services available to your son or daughter at the University of Illinois through McKinley Health Center. McKinley Health Center has a comprehensive health program offering a wide range of high quality medical and health education services. More importantly, I want to let you know that we are here to care for your student and serve his or her needs.

When your student calls you with his or her symptoms (and they will!), please remember that we are here to help. We have a very qualified staff of physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, health educators, and therapists, and taking care of young adults is "our expertise" in the field of medicine.

The Health Center is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday - Friday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. Summer and winter break hours are Monday - Saturday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A nurse is available for consultation by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week (217-333-2700). In the event of an emergency or severe illness or injury, we have two excellent hospitals nearby (Carle and Provena/Covenant), with ambulance service.

Each student has their own primary care provider at McKinley. If your son or daughter has an ongoing medical condition, we would like to meet them before problems arise. Please have them make an appointment with their provider and let us get to know them. We have made it very convenient for students to make appointments with their provider by using a web-based appointment system available 24 hours a day.

We recommend that all students receive an influenza vaccination, assuming there is adequate national supply. Although influenza is generally a self-limiting illness, medical complications can occur. Also, influenza is often severe enough to keep students out of class, and this can be disruptive around finals or when papers and projects are due. Flu vaccinations will hopefully be available around the end of October; please encourage your son or daughter to take advantage of this service.

You should know that McKinley can provide the meningitis vaccine to students at a nominal fee. College freshmen, especially those who live in residence halls, are at risk for meningococcal disease compared with other persons of the same age.

Please make certain that your student has submitted documentation of immunization against measles, mumps, rubella and tetanus. This is a state requirement and failure to provide this documentation may block their ability to register for spring semester classes.

At McKinley we take medical confidentiality seriously. It is mandated by law that we cannot release any medical information to parents of non-minor children (18 and over) unless the student requests us to do so. I assure you, however, that in case of a medical emergency where there is an issue of life or death, we will contact you immediately.

You might like to check the McKinley website, www.mckinley.uiuc.edu which incorporates information about our services and staff. In addition, we offer an opportunity for parents to receive periodic emails from McKinley Health Center concerning health related events on campus. If you would like to receive these e-mails please visit the following Web page to subscribe: www.mckinley.uiuc.edu/general/email_list.htm.  Do not hesitate to call if you ever need to communicate with me for any reason.

Sincerely,


Robert D. Palinkas, MD
Director

RDP/fsp

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