Doctors Advise Against CPH Clinic At PCS

POTSDAM - Two local pediatricians and a family practitioner are recommending against creating a school-based health clinic at Potsdam Central, according to school Superintendent Patrick H. Brady.

Mr. Brady said pediatricians Dr. Marta A. Szoke and Dr. Scott Spicer and family practitioner Dr. David S. McCall have told a special school board committee they do not think a school-based health clinic operated in conjunction with Canton-Potsdam Hospital and the New York State Department of Health is a good idea.

He said one of the worries expressed by the doctors was that having a health clinic on school grounds could reduce the number of patients they receive at their private practices.

"In general the concerns raised are feelings that the quality of care would be compromised with the clinic and it would have a significant impact on their local businesses including the possibility of closure," Mr. Brady said.

Dr. Szoke and Dr. Spicer could not be reached for comment Friday. Dr. McCall declined a request for an interview.

Canton-Potsdam Hospital Spokeswoman Rebecca J. Sutcliffe said she is aware that Dr. Szoke and other doctors have expressed reservations regarding the proposed student health clinic, but said hospital officials still believe the idea has merit. She expressed doubt that having a free health clinic on school grounds would put private-practice doctors out of business.

To the contrary, Ms. Sutcliffe said statistics available on the state DOH website show the majority of students who visit school clinics across the state are those without health insurance. She said insured students only make up 1 percent of the usage at the 214 school-based health clinics already operating statewide.

"As you'll see from the stats, very few children who have private insurance enroll," Ms. Sutcliffe said. "The majority are children from Medicaid-eligible households, or children whose families have no access to health insurance at all. The intent of these clinics is to serve children who are not getting health care, or whose families would be less likely to seek out care."

Ms. Sutcliffe said the DOH is promoting creation of school-based clinics as a way to reach uninsured children across the state.

There have been four meetings of an ad hoc committee formed to look at creating a health clinic at Potsdam central over the last five months, and school officials have visited two schools - Harrisville and Carthage - which have similar health clinics, according to Mr. Brady.

He said state health officials recommend two clinics at Potsdam central to serve students at all levels. Mr. Brady said he and other school officials, along with representatives of CPH, are still looking for potential sites.

School officials have also surveyed district parents in an attempt to gauge public support for creating a student health clinic, according to Mr. Brady.

He said approximately 1,500 surveys were sent home with students and 252 parent surveys were completed and returned. Of those, 173 or 69 percent favored a school based health clinic while 27 or 11 percent were opposed to the idea, according to Mr. Brady. He said 20 percent of those who returned the survey said they were unsure.

Mr. Brady said the health committee expressed concerned that only 252 surveys out of 1,500 were returned.

He said comments in favor centered on convenience for parents and students, educational value, support for the uninsured, and possible access to mental health services. Mr. Brady said parent concerns included the monetary cost to taxpayers, sick students being sent to school, distribution of information on student sexuality issues, and making it easier for parents to avoid meeting their responsibilities.

He said the next meeting of the school health clinic committee is March 2 at 6 p.m. at the high school library.