by Bridget M. Rohrer
Assistant Editor
For the past two years, the University of La Verne Health Center has been contracting its medical services to outside doctors and clinics. This year the Health Center is contracted with the Central Avenue Urgent Care facility in Montclair.
Dr. Loretta Rahmani, associate dean of student services, said this contract has worked because students have a choice in who they see and the Center has the ability to refer patients to outside specialists.
Next fall, Dr. Rahmani plans on taking the Center a step further and contracting the administrative duties to an outside firm as well.
The person who will replace Patricia Grissom, director of health services, “will oversee the overall functions of the Center,” said Dr. Rahmani.
Dr. Rahmani explained that Grissom has been working toward this goal for the past few years, because she believes that this is the direction in which the medical industry is going.
“Our goal is to provide better care to the students. It hasn’t changed,” said Rahmani.
She believes that an outside contract for the administrative responsibilities will continue to pursue that goal. There would still be a University influence within the Health Center, but have the Center run like any other off-campus clinic.
Lynn Torres is the manager of business development for California Emergency Physicians, the same group that manages the Central Avenue Urgent Care facility and others similar to it across the country. She is working with Dr. Rahmani in defining the position and will ultimately appoint the new director.
“Lynn is the Southern California representative,” said Rahmani. “[Managing medical facilities] is their business.”
According to Dr. Rahmani, other schools are doing the same thing. They contract their medicine out to private practices to free up their energy for something else. She also said this allows for more programs to be established.
“We can do a number of programs for students, faculty and staff,” she said.
Dr. Rahmani explained that sororities and fraternities, as well as residence halls, can host a program to educate students on a variety of health issues. This is another way in which the Health Center can be of benefit to the students at ULV.
