Dear Lehigh Students and Families,
Lehigh University’s Health & Wellness Center (LU HWC) is eager to welcome students to the fall semester of 2020. We are continuing to intensely plan for implementing the protocols necessary on campus for supporting your health and safety, including enhancements to our services, and will provide updated information as it is available. This communication includes required forms for new and incoming students and information for all returning students.
Whether this is your first year with us or you are a returning student, and whether you access our services on campus or remotely, we are excited to welcome you! The LU HWC provides high-quality, compassionate and respectful medical care to Lehigh’s campus community. LU HWC has remained open throughout the Spring and Summer semesters to provide care to students and guidance to Lehigh’s campus throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We remain committed to doing so throughout this upcoming fall semester.
IMPORTANT - REQUIRED FORMS FOR NEW INCOMING STUDENTS DUE JULY 31: Students are now able to log in to your patient portal at this link. Please complete the following items, which will be entered and uploaded electronically into our patient portal:
- Complete your Health History Form, Tuberculosis (TB) Screening Form, and Acknowledgment and Consent to Treatment Form
- Enter your insurance information and upload the front and back of your insurance card
- See your primary care provider and have them complete and sign our official immunization record, enter your immunization history here, and upload your completed immunization form here
- See your primary care provider and have them complete and sign our official physical exam form, then upload your completed physical examination form here
To enhance safety during the pandemic, we have made some changes in the ways that students can access the Health and Wellness Center. We encourage students to understand that processes will look different at the Health & Wellness Center in terms of scheduling appointments and visiting our nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians due to increased precautions we are taking amidst the pandemic. LU HWC continues to closely follow the guidance provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH), the Bethlehem Health Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American College Health Association (ACHA) to remain current with evolving recommendations and to implement best practices. We encourage you to stay up to date with these changes by visiting our website www.lehigh.edu/health. It is recommended that ALL students discuss with their parents, primary caregivers, and healthcare providers any existing health conditions to take into account when making decisions about returning to campus in the fall.
LU HWC recommends that all students either purchase the LU Student Health Insurance Plan (LU SHIP) or ensure that the health insurance plan they will be covered under while at Lehigh University provides comparable coverage to the LU SHIP. It is very important that your health insurance covers your health needs in the local Bethlehem area, including blood work, radiology studies, prescriptions that may be ordered, urgent care or emergency department visits and referral to and treatment by other health specialists. Most visits to the LU HWC are free to students but there are a limited number of services for which we do charge.
***Upon return in the fall, all students will be expected to practice social distancing; wear cloth face coverings while on campus in any public area, and in any circumstance where interacting with others on campus; practice frequent hand washing/hand sanitizer use, and complete a daily self-symptom screening (currently in development). Additional guidance and information will be updated frequently on Lehigh’s official COVID-19 information website.***
LU HWC’s website also hosts a wealth of information for both returning and incoming Lehigh students, including a consistently updated FAQ section, information about LU SHIP, campus and community resources, and direction to local hospitals, urgent care centers, and pharmacies to help you be prepared for emerging health issues and emergencies. Our website also outlines services that have been modified this upcoming semester, given the COVID-19 pandemic, in the effort to mitigate potential exposure risks to COVID-19. In the fall semester, we will not be providing driver's physicals or allergy injections.
Our Lehigh University Health & Wellness Center staff looks forward to assisting students with your health and wellness needs. If students have any questions or ways we may be of assistance, please contact us through email at inluhc@lehigh.edu or call us at 610-758-3870. We sincerely thank you for your active participation in keeping Lehigh’s campus safe and healthy during this time.
Sincerely,
Lehigh University Health & Wellness Team