The Department of Family & Community Medicine of the Eastern Virginia Medical School extends our welcome to both new and returning students. Our two family medicine sites (Ghent Family Medicine and Portsmouth Family Medicine) will provide primary care services for you and your covered dependents (if you elect to include them by paying a small additional fee) during your time at Eastern Virginia Medical School.

• Background
• How the Program Works
• How to See a Physician
• Protocol for Care
• What's Covered *
• What's Not Covered *
• Blood/Body Fluid Exposures
• Primary Care Practice Sites
• Occupational Health
• Who to Contact with Questions

Background

Care is provided for you and your covered dependents for acute and chronic health problems. These services are provided by our sites in exchange for the annual payment of your student health fee. In order to obtain the best student insurance rates (primarily used for hospitalization), the student health program, in conjunction with your insurance company, utilizes an assigned facility as your primary care facility (PCF).

How the Program Works

Your United Health Care insurance requires you to see a physician at your assigned site when you need medical attention for any reason. If treatment is required that cannot be performed within the center, your physician will issue you a referral authorization to the necessary specialist. If you obtain the services of a specialist without having a referral authorization from your physician at your PCF, the bill will not be paid by the United Health  insurance program. For emergency care, a referral will not be required when you are more than 50 miles from the school.

Most routine medical care provided by either site is covered by your student health fee which is paid at registration. Other medical care covered by your United Health  insurance or private coverage will be filed for payment. If you do not provide the practice with your current insurance carrier information, you, the student, will be responsible for the bill.

When you arrive at the site, you will be required to provide the registration desk with your EVMS Student Identification Badge AND a copy of your current "major medical" insurance card (on your first visit and to verify it on subsequent visits). It is very important to identify yourself as an EVMS Student in order for the billing to be processed properly.

How to See a Physician

If you and/or your covered dependents need to be seen, call your assigned facility using the EVMS Student Health phone number. The main site numbers are provided below. When you arrive at the site, present your EVMS Student Identification Badge AND your primary insurance card.

Protocol for Care

1. Contact your assigned office directly through the EVMS Student Health Line.
   Ghent Family Practice: 446-5811 - Phones open at 7:30 a.m.
   Portsmouth Family Medicine: 397-6344

2. ALWAYS IDENTIFY YOURSELF AS AN EVMS STUDENT.

3. If you have questions about the Student Health Program,please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

    

    

What's Covered*

• Office visits for the treatment of routine and chronic illness
• Residency physical examinations (please schedule at least one month in advance)
• Annual gynecological physicals (for Pap smears, student will be responsible for any amount insurance does not cover)
• Well baby care (see covered immunizations)
• TB testing
• Allergy injections (serum is supplied by patient)
• Various immunizations (see covered immunizations)
• Various laboratory tests (see Lab Tests - for tests not listed, student will be responsible for charges not covered by United Health Care)
• Chest X-rays following PPD conversion

What's Not Covered*

• Hospitalization
• OB care
• Medical school entrance physical
• Spouse employment physical
• Children's camp or school physicals

*These listings refer to your coverage at the EVMS family practice sites through the EVMS Student Health Program. Check your United Health or other insurance policy for complete coverage information.

Blood/Body Fluid Exposures

Students who have an unprotected blood/body fluid exposure (e.g. needlestick, scalpel cut, splash to eyes, nose, mouth, or to non-intact skin) should immediately wash the wound or skin site with soap and water. Mucous membranes should be flushed thoroughly with water. The student should then contact the Occupational Health Nurse, 446-7105/5870 or at pager 533-2595 if during business hours or the EVMS Exposure Pager (669-1157) if during evenings, nights or weekends.

The exposure should also be reported as soon as possible to the supervising clinician. The "Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure Card" is a laminated instruction card that should be attached to the student's identification badge. This card gives specific instructions for the protocol to be followed post-exposure. Replacement cards can be obtained from the Occupational Health staff.

Primary Care Practice Sites

Ghent Family Medicine is located on the first floor of Hofheimer Hall.

Portsmouth Family Medicine is at the corner of Crawford and County Streets in the Olde Towne neighborhood of Portsmouth. Download directions and a map (122k ).

Occupational Health

The Occupational Health (OH) Department is located in Andrews Hall, Room 273. The OH staff review student health documentation prior to matriculation to assure the student meets Center of Disease Control(CDC) recommendations for immunizations and tuberculosis (TB) surveillance.

Services performed in OH include:

• annual PPD tests or TB Symptom Surveillance Questionnaires
• Hepatitis B vaccine and titers if indicated
• blood/body fluid exposure management (i.e., contaminated needlesticks, scalpel cuts, blood splashes, etc.)
• other vaccines such as tetanus and flu

You can request copies of your immunization records by completing a Request for Medical Records form or e-mailing the Occupational Health Nurse at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Who to Contact with Questions

If you have any questions or problems regarding your student health plan, the assignment of your location, directions, etc., you may contact:

Department of Family & Community Medicine
Phone: 757-446-7461
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Department of Human Resources
Phone: 757-446-6043
E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

E-mail suggestions, complaints, concerns, and non-urgent medical issues. Please remember that e-mail is not confidential and all urgent care medical issues should be called into your assigned facility.

Turnaround time for responses is 24 hours.