Harvard University Health Services (UHS) has launched a five-year program to renovate and reevaluate the center's services, UHS officials said yesterday.
With the opening this week of its new $280.000 clinical laboratory, located on the fourth floor of its Holyoke Center building. UHS has finished the first in a series of projects that will include converting the now defunct lab into a surgical suite, rearranging the walk-in clinic installing a computer system, and upgrading Stillman Infirmary and other facilities, said Associate Director for Administration and Finance Josephus Long.
Renovations
"We wanted to move away from the concept of being a 'student health service,' which automatically means being interior." Long explained, adding that the renovations are designed to improve both "efficiency and aesthetics."
Long said the five year plan, which is being funded by a loan from the Harvard Corporation, originated last year after "the renovations in the River Houses brought about a realization about building deterioration Harvard saw that it had to manage its finite resources better."
He added that "various departments were asked to put together plans for their future."
However, discussions about possible renovations had been going on since 1976, UHS Director Dr. Warren E.C. Wacker said yesterday.
Long Time
Long said that UHS has not been renovated since it was built in 1961, and that "22 years ago, it fulfilled its needs. After 20 years, the needs and expectations of the population have changed."
Long said that the program will also attempt to raise students' general opinion of UHS. "With people perceiving it as a 'student clinic,' it's depreciated. But there are real physicians, real nurses, it's a real medical facility," he added.
All for You
Carol I. Wotschiak, UHS's chief medical technologist, called the new lab "comprehensive" and added. "We gave up a lot of space [downstairs] for patient comfort."
While the new facility uses 2800 sq.ft. of space, she said this is less than the total area of the three labs that UHS used until this week.
In addition to the old first-floor lab, there were two others on the fourth floor. The new facility has taken over space previously occupied by the Environmental Health and Safety Department, now housed in Paltrey House on Oxford St.
New Equipment
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