Tip of the week: 5 things to know about Bailey Health Center

By Narena Nerahoo, Fathima Yumna Hussain, and Olivia Bamford

Bailey Health Center is located at 607 High St., right across the street from the Lafayette College Store. During the academic year it operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. Here are five things to know:

1. Services include: Evaluation and treatment for illnesses, injuries, simple surgery, concussions, gynecologic care, STI testing, psychiatric care, and orthopedic care. Lab services include an on-site point-of-care lab and comprehensive testing that gets sent out to Quest and LabCorp. The health center has a pharmacy stocked with commonly used medications. For medications that are not available at Bailey, Neighbor Rx makes daily deliveries to the health center or prescriptions can be called into CVS or Walgreens. 
2. After-hours care (St. Luke’s after hours): The St. Luke’s Hospital Network provides after-hours care 5-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays, by appointment only.
3. What to bring with you for an appointment? For your appointment, bring a form of identification. Your insurance information is on file at the health center, and a physical copy would only be needed in the event of an X-ray or a trip to the emergency room. You will be provided with a receipt at the time of service to provide to insurance when seeking payment, and any charges will be billed to your student account.
4. What to know before you go? Bailey Health Center provides a variety of services free of charge such as your provider visit, psychiatric services, surgery/medical procedures, over-the-counter medications, splinting and crutches (as long as they are returned), STI testing, and COVID-19 tests. You will be billed for prescription medications, phlebotomy, EKG, intravenous fluids and medications, immunization/allergy shots, and nebulizer treatments.
5. Tips to advocate for yourself at your health center appointment:

• Come prepared with a list of questions.
• Be specific and include details regarding your symptoms and concerns.
• If you disagree with your doctor, ask questions that can open opportunities for exploring other options.
• Not every patient and provider are a good match, so it’s OK to ask to see a new one.