K-State's student health center expands its services with asthma clinic

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Source: Lannie Zweimiller, 785-532-7755, lanniez@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Erinn Barcomb-Peterson, 785-532-6415, ebarcomb@k-state.edu

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

K-STATE'S STUDENT HEALTH CENTER EXPANDS ITS SERVICES WITH ASTHMA CLINIC

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's student health center is continuing efforts to help students with asthma breathe a little easier.

K-State's Lafene Health Center added a special asthma clinic in fall 2006. The center's allergy and immunization clinic had served students with asthma, but the new specialized clinic focuses on the condition, helping to meet a need on campus, said Lannie Zweimiller, director of the health center.

"We were aware that there are several students who suffer from an asthmatic condition," Zweimiller said. "We thought it would be a good service to focus in on that."

The asthma clinic's goal is to help students with asthma regain control of their symptoms through maintenance therapy. The clinic is available 9:30-11:30 a.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. It is staffed by Dr. Curtis Wolfe, one of the Lafene's general care physicians who has a special interest in the field. More information about the new clinic and an asthma control test students can take online is available at http://www.k-state.edu/lafene/getair.htm

The new asthma clinic is just one of the many ways Lafene serves K-State students. According to the center's newly released annual report, Lafene has helped implement the new Kansas Board of Regents' policy that requires all incoming students living on campus to be immunized against meningitis. Zweimiller said many of the students affected by the policy, which went into effect in fall 2006, received their vaccination at Lafene.

Also in 2006, the center's clinical laboratory gained reaccredidation through the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. Zweimiller said it was a prestigious accomplishment. The laboratory ran more than 23,000 tests from July 2005 to June 2006.

During that same time period, patients made more than 56,000 visits to Lafene, which provides outpatient medical clinic services, evaluation and referral services, minor emergency care, a women's clinic, a pharmacy, nutrition counseling and other specialized services. Lafene staff also go out into the campus community to make presentations and conduct activities for individual students and groups. From July 2005 to June 2006, more than 14,500 students participated in such activities.

Lafene is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. More information about the health center is available at http://www.k-state.edu/lafene/