July 6, 2020
Dear Students,
As we continue to prepare for your return to campus in the fall, your health and safety remain our highest priority. We are writing today to provide you with news about an exciting new development in Student Health Services (SHS) and Sports Medicine for next year.
Hartford HealthCare (HHC) and Connecticut College today announced a new partnership that will provide you with even more comprehensive healthcare on campus.
Beginning in August, HHC will become the provider for our student health and medical services in SHS and Sports Medicine. Through this partnership, you will have access to a network of more than 1,000 physicians and specialists offering expanded services, increased hours, and integrated care through a state-of-the-art electronic medical records system.
You will access these services in the same way you do now—by making an appointment through SHS or, in the case of athletics-related concerns, through Sports Medicine at the Athletic Center. The vision is both to elevate the level of service we offer and to integrate student health and well-being across the College.
In SHS, we will have a full complement of dedicated HHC personnel. These staff will be able to call on the vast HHC network to refer you when necessary to local and regional specialists in a wide array of medical sub-disciplines.
Athletic trainers and physicians from HHC will serve our student athletes, who will also be able to call on specialists, including orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, concussion experts, and cardiologists—along with sports neurology services at HHC’s Ayer Neuroscience Institute. Experts in sports nutrition, sports psychology, and athletic performance screening will be available to coaches and students as well.
Most important for the fall, of course, when the College is investing additional resources to mitigate the risks associated with COVID-19, our new partnership with HHC will play an important role. Not only will HHC clinicians help us implement new COVID-19 protocols, but our health services staff will also be able to confer with HHC leaders in infectious disease and prevention as we seek to maintain the health of our general population.
In short, this partnership is designed to ensure that you have the care and support you need to be successful, both personally and academically.
We are especially grateful to Senior Associate Dean of Student Life Sarah Cardwell, Athletic Director Mo White, and Director of Student Counseling and Health Services Janet Spoltore for their impressive work over the last six months to develop this new inter-institutional collaboration. While their work began before COVID-19, it has become even more vital as we deal with the ongoing effects of a global pandemic.
We have worked very closely with HHC to facilitate a smooth transition over the summer. All of our existing clinical staff in SHS and athletic trainers in Sports Medicine were offered continuing employment with HHC. More information about the staff and operations of both of these departments will be available in August.
If you have additional questions, please feel free to reach out directly to Dean of Students Victor Arcelus. We look forward to a successful and healthy fall.
Yours,
Katherine Bergeron
President
Victor Arcelus
Dean of Students