MAINTAINING YOUR HEALTH IS INTEGRAL TO YOUR SUCCESS
Confidentiality Statement
The Howard University Student Health Center is legally and ethically obligated to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of every student. All medical and behavioral health services information is kept strictly confidential based on the latest HIPAA regulations and guidelines. The nature or details of student visits will not be disclosed to family, friends, faculty, and/or administration without the expressed consent of the student, unless there is a life-threatening situation, in which the student is unable to independently inform others.
Please note, parental notification and consent must be obtained for patients under 18 years of age, except in specific cases that fall within an individuals rights in accordance with the laws of the District of Columbia. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us. All Student Health Center records are covered under the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 - A federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.
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Students Rights & Responsibilities
HU students who visit the Student Health Center are treated with respect, kindness, and dignity, at all times. Students reserve the right to approve or refuse the release of their records, except, if required by law or in a life-threatening situation. We encourage students to be active participants in their health and wellness by asking questions and having a general understanding of our mission and vision for their care during their time at Howard University.
Medical Excuse Policy
The Student Health Center does not routinely issue a medical excuse. This allows us to appropriately direct our resources to provide care to as many students as possible, instead of focusing on a pattern of non-medical or non-urgent student visits that result in missed classes or assignments. This policy mirrors the guidelines of most major colleges and universities and is consistent with the recommendations of the American College Health Association. The health center will continue to recommend absences for severe or prolonged illnesses. We remain committed to patient advocacy and assisting students with understanding the appropriate functions of the health center. Please note: We will no longer provide visit statements or excuse notes unless clinically indicated.
Medical Records
All student health records are housed in the Student Health Center office. We utilize a hybrid of paper charts for submitted medical forms and maintain electronic health records. Student records are covered under the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA). All items are confidential. Release of medical information can be requested by accessing the Student Health Portal and emailing to studenthealthforms@howard.edu.
There is no charge for copies of your medical record unless you are requesting a copy of your entire chart. A processing fee of $10.00 applies for a copy of your chart. The processing time for medical records is 3-5 business days. Office files are archived annually. Records that are not in-house must be retrieved from a storage facility. Records over two years from the date of graduation are sent out to archives and may take longer to retrieve.
Office of Health Education (Wellness Center)/Medical Arts Building
2139 Georgia Avenue, NW