The UTD Mercury

The University of Texas System audited the UTD student health center and student counseling center, finding no significant problems but insisting on four recommendations.

Kenneth Shine, the interim UT System chancellor, pushed for the audit of all UT System student health centers and medical hospitals after a problem was found at one of the health centers.

"The interim chancellor requested the audit to ensure each health center was complying with the rules and regulations," said Charlie Chaffin, chief audit executive for the UT System.

The Office of Internal Audits at UTD published a full report of the health center and counseling center on June 19, complete with the four suggestions made and a response by the management of the two facilities.

The first recommendation was for backup information to be stored at a different location than the primary information is stored. And, individual ID names and passwords should be given to all employees for further security.

"We are currently working with IR and will begin a second backup of our data to an external drive that will be stored at the off- campus location utilized by the university," stated health center management in the audit report.

The counseling center must have all employees sign a confidentiality agreement and all computer privileges must be removed when the employee leaves.

"We have as of March 30, 2008, had all the support staff sign an additional confidentiality agreement that pertains specifically to the Counseling Center," stated counseling center management in the audit report.

Keeping administrative rights for employees was seen as an oversight and has been corrected, according to the report.

Superbills, which are the personal information forms all students fill out when they visit the student health center, need to be compared to daily customer receipts, which are when charges students pay when they receive lab tests, immunizations or no-show fees.

The health center needs to have an electronic copy of its rules and procedures manual, which the management has agreed.

Finally, the health center should keep its immunizations records for a required 10-year period, instead of seven years the health center has done.

"This audit will not affect students or services offered," said Beverly Ballard, student health center director.

Whether a student uses the health services offered by the university or not, every student funds the student health center and student counseling center as part of a $31.19 medical services fee paid along with tuition for approximately a total of $1.2 million, according to the audit report. Customer satisfaction rated the student health center and student counseling center with good to excellent ratings overall.

For the 2008 fiscal year, the student health center received $629,561 to sustain its staff of four nurses, a licensed vocational nurse, a medical assistant, a health education coordinator and three patient care specialists.

The student counseling center received $237,661, while $60,050 has been allocated to health education and $273,000 for fringe benefits.

In 2007, 5,342 patients visited the student health center.

"In the next year, we will follow up on the recommendations," said Toni Messer, UTD audit and compliance director. "The staff and director are very committed to compliance with the rules and regulations."

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