Health Center planning fifth expansion

By Michele Bradford
Arizona Daily Wildcat
June 5, 1996


Arizona Daily Wildcat

Student Health Services is seeking approval for a $6 million fifth expansion to its building. The Board of Regents is expected to vote on the expansion later this year.

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Arizona Summer Wildcat

The Campus Health Center will soon be in the early stages of a $6 million expansion officials say is needed to meet the demands of the growing population.

The Arizona Board of Regents will be asked to approve the project late this year or in early 1997, said Tanisha Price, administrative assistant in Campus Health Services.

"Demands for the system require that we add more space," said clinic administrator Joyce Meder.

The Campus Health Center at Cherry Avenue and University Boulevard covers about 35,000 square feet, Meder said.

It was originally built as a one-story building in 1936 to house 24 beds for in-patient care.

The facility has been expanded four times since then because of the growing enrollment and increasing demands for women's health care. About 17,000 women on campus use women's health services, Meder said.

"I think they really need to expand, growth of the UA is leaning towards a bigger student health building," said Cecilia Amanti, a nurse practitioner. "Students would benefit the most."

"We see about 400 patients a day, with one exam room to one office and that is totally inefficient," Meder said. "There should be three exam rooms to one office."

The most recent addition was Counseling and Psychological Services in 1989, which moved from Old Main in an effort to keep all aspects of health together.

The mortgage for that expansion was paid off a year and a half ago. "Our biggest problems are doctors sharing offices, not enough exam rooms and the lack of space in medical records," Meder said. "Meeting space has to be converted to office space."

"I don't think its been bad compared to other doctors offices I've visited," said media arts junior Jean Bright. "I've been here at least 10 times this semester and my experiences have been great."

"Most of the time it's quite quick, it's not bad at all," said retail sophomore Bryan Lifshitz.

Expansion costs will be financed by a loan through the UA and will not impact student fees, Meder said.

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