SHS Changes Prompt No Major Criticism

SHS shortened its hours in May and is now open from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, said SHS Associate Director Mary Covington.

Last year, SHS was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But this year, students still have access to health care after hours, Covington said.

"It's not that we're closed and you just can't get any help," she said. "Now we have the Healthlink number that you can call and get advice."

Healthlink is a free 24-hour service that connects the caller to a registered nurse who can give medical advice and refer students to the emergency room if it is necessary. The phone number for Healthlink is 966-7890.

"We were looking at better ways to serve the students, and there was not a lot of demand from the students (between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.)," Covington said.

SHS also has a pilot program that helps cover the cost of emergency room visits in cases where students are referred there by a Healthlink nurse or have "a medical condition that obviously warrants emergency department service," Covington said.

The proposal for shortened hours was presented to SHS's advisory committee, which includes both undergraduate and graduate students, last spring. The new hours were approved and took effect after graduation in May.

In another effort to make service more efficient for students, SHS began using a Practice Management System, a computer system for scheduling visits and appointments, in June.

Students have varied reactions to the shorter hours -- some said the new system is more efficient, and others said they believe 24-hour access is preferable.

"I think it would be better if it was open 24 hours because someone might need immediate assistance," said junior Dachia Pone. "Basically the emergency room is for the public, and Student Health is for students of the University, so it should be available to us."

But graduate student Alicia Whisnant said SHS's new hours suit her needs.

"The hospital is there for emergencies, so I don't think someone needs to come in for a cough at 2 a.m.," she said.

Other students pointed out the close proximity of UNC Hospitals as a reason why SHS's new hours don't pose a substantial problem.

"I don't think it needs to be open later than 11 o'clock at night, because the emergency room is right over there," said sophomore Shelley Curran.

"I don't know of any other clinics that are open that late. Since we're so close to a hospital, it isn't really necessary."

The University Editor can be reached at udesk@unc.edu.