Compassionate, confidential medical care on campus
The Student Health Center at Susquehanna University is partnered with Geisinger Medical Center to provide a welcoming, safe and supportive environment with high-quality care.
The health center team consists of a medical provider and professional nurses who are available for sick-visit appointments, physical exams, women’s and men’s health issues, preventive care and more. Our office coordinator helps answer students’ questions regarding paperwork, insurance and billing.
Center Hours
Monday–Friday: 8 a.m.–noon 1–4:30 p.m.
Closed on weekends and school breaks.
Medical Emergencies
For an emergency, call 911.
After-Hours Advice
For nonemergency, urgent medical advice after hours and weekends, call 570-372-4385. You will be connected to Geisinger’s nurse triage service. (appointments are only booked during center hours)
Walk-in visits are discouraged. Call ahead during center hours to schedule an appointment.
Medical records and forms
All incoming students must submit required health documents to the Susquehanna University Student Health Center via Admission’s River Hawk Portal before arriving on campus. See the below instructions for completing the medical record requirement.
As outlined in the River Hawk Portal, all incoming students must submit the required health form.
Form Due Dates
June 30 — fall enrollment
Dec. 30 — spring enrollment
Student Health & Wellness Reporting Form
Medical Provider’s Health Assessment:
Print and schedule a physical exam with your home medical provider. NOTE: For fall enrollment, if you have had a physical within one year of June 30, of the year you are entering SU, or within one year of Dec. 30 for spring enrollment, you can ask your medical provider to complete the physical and the immunization record.
Check with the Athletic Department for the NCAA requirements for the physical exam for varsity athletes.
Scan the completed health assessment pages and save them as a PDF to be attached in your on-line self-reporting form.
Self-Reporting Form:
Complete all sections of the on-line self-reporting form including the Student Information, the Personal Medical History, and the Tuberculosis Risk Assessment. Attach the two-page Medical Provider’s Health Assessment PDF where indicated in this form and submit.
Upon email confirmation that all required pages are completed and uploaded, the form will be marked as received on the River Hawk Portal checklist.
Contact the Student Health Center at 570-372-4385 or healthctrnurse@vko29.com for assistance with the health record submission.
Immunizations as noted on the Student Health & Wellness Reporting Form:
In compliance with HIPPA laws, written permission from the student is required to disclose the student’s private and personal health information. Parents and legal guardians can call the Student Health Center with broad questions.
After students move in, they can call the Student Health Center to make an appointment to sign the medical record release form. Legally, and to ensure that students are not being coerced, a student needs to sign the consent form without being in the presence of parents or legal guardians.
The Student Health Center offers preventative and primary care, provides medical advising and carries a supply of most frequently prescribed medications. We encourage students to keep their own supply of over-the-counter medications.
Most care requires an appointment. Students are welcome to stop in for medical pamphlets, sexual health material or other available items.
Allergy Injections (call for details; current students can visit myNest)
Ambulatory healthcare
Flu vaccine services
Health and wellness programming, including the Student Health Fair
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) testing and consultation
HPV (Human Papillomavirus Vaccine) consultation
Medical equipment loans (crutches, wheelchair, nebulizer)
Medication services (call for detailed list)
Tuberculosis screening
Men’s health
Women’s health
Well-health exams
The Student Health Center purchases basic prescription medications at cost. Those savings are passed on to our students. Most medications are less than $25.
Instead of billing insurance, the Student Health Center charges a small fee for medications that are dispensed by the center, which can be billed directly to the student’s SU account or paid on site with a credit card.
Students are not required to buy medications through the Student Health Center. Students can request SU’s medical provider to send the prescription to their pharmacy of choice.
The Student Health Center’s medical provider does NOT prescribe ADD/ADHD medications. Students with prescriptions for ADD/ADHD or chronic health conditions should keep prescriptions current through their home provider.
The Student Health Center offers students a limited amount of over-the-counter medications for free, typically enough to last a few days.
Students should maintain a personal supply of over-the-counter medications. Examples of medications to pack include, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, cold/flu/allergy medication, cough medication/drops, antacids and wound-care products.
The SU Bookstore, located on the lower level of the Degenstein Center, carries over-the-counter medications.
All full-time undergraduate students can be seen for free by a medical provider at the Student Health Center.
Some services with added fees include Tuberculosis skin testing (PPD), prescribed medications dispensed from the Health Center and some physical examinations. Most of the medications or services associated with a fee are $25 or less.
All full-time undergraduate students at Susquehanna University are charged a health center fee. This fee covers all visits to the Student Health Center and the most frequently ordered lab tests, such as Mono tests, strep (throat) cultures, flu swabs, sexual health tests and a single-view chest x-ray.
Medical tests, procedures and referrals ordered by the SU Student Health Center medical provider that are not covered by the benefit package will be billed to the student’s private health insurance.
Private Health Insurance
Students should have private health insurance, though Susquehanna does not require students to show proof of insurance.
It is important for students and parents/guardians to know how their private health insurance plan will work in the local area. Many private insurance companies offer “away from home” packages for dependent children attending college.
Accidents and illnesses that cannot be cared for in the Student Health Center happen infrequently, but they do occur, and students should be prepared with insurance coverage that will work in this area. There are two area hospitals:
Students should contact their professors directly when missing classes to discuss attendance and makeup policies. The Student Health Center does not provide notes for missed classes.
Absences by Day 3
When students are seriously ill or missing classes for three or more consecutive days, the Student Health Center will notify the student’s professors.
At the student’s request, an e-mail will be sent from the Student Health Center to the student’s professors.
Students who anticipate missing three or more consecutive days due to surgery or other medical reason should contact the Student Health Center.
