Broken bones. Heart problems. Premature babies. With so many different ailments plaguing students at BYU, it's hard to know where to turn for the best medical coverage.

Students have many options when it comes to medical care, such as Timpanogos Regional Hospital, Orem Community Hospital, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and the BYU Student Health Center, each with its own specialties.

Timpanogos Regional Hospital seems to have a lot of "firsts" both at the county and state level.

"We like to think of ourselves as a high-tech, high-touch hospital," said Jacque Brown, spokeswoman for TRH.

High-tech, meaning TRH works hard to have technology that is cutting edge and high-touch, meaning a high level of customer satisfaction is one of TRH's top priorities, Brown said.

She said 80 percent of patients in the waiting room are treated and sent home in less than an hour.

TRH was the first hospital in the county to have a medical helicopter, Air Med, Brown said. Based at the hospital 12 hours a day, seven days a week, Air Med also serves all of central and southern Utah.

TRH also has the M2A camera pill, the first of its kind in the state which helps facilitate an in-depth study of the colon, the only facility in the county that has the latest treatment available for men diagnosed with prostate cancer and a machine called the Lumend Front Runner, which helps to clear out the arteries leading to the heart, she said.

The Orem Community Hospital is a great place to go for giving birth, said Anton Garrity, spokesman for OCH. Both doctors and midwives are available to participate in a delivery.

"They do a lot of births," he said. "It's very popular to have a baby there because they are the only hospital in the county that has labor delivery and postpartum in the same room."

Garrity said OCH also has a convenient same-day surgery center for outpatients and an emergency center run by the same physician staff over Utah Valley Regional Medical Hospital.

"They have the only pediatric rehabilitation center in all of Utah County," he said. "Rotating physicians come from the Primary Children's Hospital to treat children with special needs."

Garrity also said OCH has full radiology services available, an advanced cat scanner and is getting a mobile MRI unit this week.

At OCH the Work-Med program is an option for businesses to provide health services for their employees, including drug tests, he said.

The Utah Valley Regional Medical Center is well known for its Newborn Intensive Care Unit, the only one in Utah County, said Megan McKinnon, spokeswoman for UVRMC.

She said UVRMC offers the first and only Life Flight services in Utah County.

Both the Life Flight services and the ER/Trauma Center at UVRMC are officially the regional referral for all central and southern Utah emergency services, McKinnon said.

McKinnon said UVRMC is equipped with a full cancer treatment unit, full heart services, a catheter lab and dialysis center as well.

She said UVRMC has radiation therapy equipment available that no one else has.

"There's some really cool equipment available," McKinnon said.

UVRMC also has a behavioral medicine unit to treat those dealing with severe depression, McKinnon said. Those who are suicidal or can't be left alone can check in and stay for treatment.

There is also a center designated specifically to treat the needs of women and children that is only a couple of years old, she said.

Residents out of medical school come and train at UVRMC's family practice, McKinnon said. In doing so they get the opportunity to do a lot of community service, by giving free screenings and check-ups, etc.

McKinnon said UVRMC also has the most volunteers out of any hospital in the region - by far.

"We have over 400 volunteers," she said. "They do a lot of stuff for the hospital, helping out in different areas."

She said more than half of the volunteers are medical students who want to get some experience.

The volunteers are put on the floors of their choice, or can serve at information desks or help to deliver flowers, McKinnon said.

For a closer, non-emergency alternative, students can receive medical attention at the BYU Health Center.

The health center offers discounts to students on their health plan for various procedures and treatments.

These include, but are not limited to, dental work and eye care, said Rulon Barlow, administrative director at the BYU Health Center.

Also, major discounts are available for the health-conscious student when purchasing vitamins and health club memberships, he said.

These deals were put together following a survey distributed by the health center last fall, in which students made specific requests for dental and optometry care, Barlow said.

He said as part of the eye care discount, Lasik surgery providers have agreed to offer their services at a significant discount as well.

Prescriptions are filled at the health center at a price well below the average, said Barlow.

"That always has been the case," he said. "We continue to watch and make sure we are well below the wholesale price."

Urgent care is available at the health center six days a week, with Saturday being only a half-day, Barlow said.

He said urgent care applies to things that need immediate attention but are not life threatening, such as sprains, breaks and lacerations.

Despite what some may think, physicians at the BYU Health Center are highly qualified physicians, Barlow said.

"They are not just leftovers or doctors who couldn't get a job anywhere else," he said.

Barlow said he has a stack of resumes of doctors wanting to get on staff and not a week goes by that he doesn't get a call from someone as well.

He said these are top-notch professionals at the height of their career looking to cut back the hours and hassles normally associated with the medical profession.
Copyright Brigham Young University 3 Apr 2003