Asthma

Universities present lifestyle challenges due to distance from families and familiar medical care (even if only a few miles), changes in physical activity level, dining in a cafeteria, exposure to alcohol, and changes in friends and relationships. You may have considered many of these factors already, but if you have not you may begin to think about how these will affect your asthma management. There may be additional challenges with managing your asthma and your busy schedule.

There are resources at Stanford available to assist you along this transition. Vaden Health Center is available to provide Primary Care Services. In addition, Vaden offers general nutrition and wellness counseling as well as Counseling and Psychologic Services (CAPS). The Continuity of Care Nurse at Vaden is available to assist you with managing your medical needs. You may contact her at 650.725.0984 for help obtaining the care you need while on campus.

Some things to consider as you prepare for Stanford

Topic	Recommendations
Medication and supplies	If you have medication prescriptions, make sure you bring an adequate supply to campus. A Walgreens Pharmacy is located at Vaden Health Center. You may use this pharmacy for your medications. In addition, there are other pharmacies located within 1 mile of campus. Never take anyone else’s medication.
Prevention strategies	The Center for Disease Control recommends that you receive a pneumococcal vaccine. It is best to obtain this prior to your arrival on campus. Monitor your new environment for exposure to allergens which may have an influence on your respiratory tract. Anticipate other stressors and aim toward managing your workload to minimize stress. The Center for Disease Control recommends that you receive annual flu vaccines. You should consider getting a flu shot when available in the fall. Vaden offers the flu vaccine at no charge for registered students.
Medical appointments	Incoming students with active asthma should schedule an appointment with a Vaden clinician to establish care. This is the best way to receive a referral to a pulmonologist or other specialists (if needed). Illness may affect your asthma especially during cold and flu season. You may schedule an appointment with the Primary Care Providers at Vaden. If you are not sure whether you need a visit, Vaden has a nurse who is available by phone. In addition, a physician on call is available after hours. If you need a referral to a Pulmonologist while you are on campus, you will have access to Stanford Medical Center and Menlo Medical Clinic. These specialists are covered in Cardinal Care Insurance. A co-payment will be required. If you do not have Cardinal Care, you will have to check your insurance for covered providers.
Insurance	If you are not planning to sign up for Cardinal Care Insurance, you should check to make sure your current insurance covers care at Stanford Health Care and Stanford Specialty Clinics. If it does not, we strongly encourage you to enroll in Cardinal Care. This is especially important for students with pre-existing medical conditions. Undergraduate students on full financial aid should check with the Financial Aid Office at 888.326.3773 regarding coverage of the cost of Cardinal Care prior to making a decision to waive coverage.

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Medical Condition Note

If your medical condition has specific treatment recommendations from your current provider, we recommend that you request a Transition of Care Summary from your current clinician. This document should include:

• Your diagnosis with ICD-10 code
• Your current status
• A brief history of treatments including those which failed
• Recommendations for care while at Stanford (including medical management and diagnostic tests)

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