Centra Health to take over operation of campus medical service

Beginning Jan. 1, 2010, Centra Health will operate Liberty University Student Health Services on campus. Centra Health is a regional not-for-profit healthcare system comprised of Lynchburg General, Virginia Baptist, and Southside Community Hospitals, the Centra Medical Group and several other health care facilities that employ more than 4,000 workers.

Liberty University Student Health Services replaces Light Medical, which has provided medical service for students, faculty and staff at Liberty since 1990.

Lee Beaumont, Liberty’s director of Auxiliary Services, said the change was made in the best interest of Liberty students.

“Everything we’re doing is to enhance current services and offer new services to the students,” he said. That includes extending hours of operation and adding staff to better accommodate the growing student body. He said Centra is hoping to add more medical services in the future, such as X-rays, so students do not have to go off campus to receive special services. Current staff will remain in place.

According to Skip Leavitt, Centra Health’s vice president of physician practice management, Centra wants to make a quick transition to accommodate Liberty’s schedule, so there won’t be any big changes at first.

“Our objective is to start to expand services as soon as we are able to,” he said.

This is Centra’s first venture in providing student health services on a college campus. Centra began to talk seriously with Liberty about this venture back in the middle of the summer, Leavitt said.

“We are really looking forward to it — we think it will be a tremendous partnership.”

The change should help to better coordinate care between Liberty’s clinic and other Centra Health facilities nearby. It may also help fill a gap for Liberty’s faculty and staff.

Laura Wallace, Liberty’s vice president of Human Resources, said, “I think the relationship will be a great complement to the Anthem benefits that we currently provide our employees.”

• To help with a smooth transition, Centra is asking that all current Light Medical patients bring their medical and insurance information with them to their first visit under the new provider.
  
• Light Medical will still operate its off-campus practice at Linkhorne Drive.