Call ahead to save time and stress at UHS

UHS medical assistant Matthew Phillips takes a call.

If you’re sick with the flu or cold and thinking about dropping by the urgent care clinic at University Health Services, you might want to think again — and pick up a phone instead.

Just ask Anthony Colombo, a senior psychology and management major, who made friends in the waiting room while waiting more than 3 hours to be seen. Or Nathalie Andrew, a senior economics major, who spent an entire Tuesday evening at UHS with her sick friend. “I feel like they should have more people on call,” she said. “When we came here around 6, we didn’t think we’d spend so much time waiting.

There are two nurse practitioners on at night, with a doctor on call 24/7. The doctor may be called in just to assist on busy nights. If you count the medical assistants and nurse, then there are 5 practitioners. The walk-in clinic at UHS works like an emergency room, with a triage system that bumps more severe cases to the top of the list. Complaints range from cut fingers to broken bones.

Ann Zaveruha, a nurse practitioner at UHS, tells students that there is no use trying to guess the best time for walk-in hours. “It’s busy all hours of the day,” says Zaveruha. And since there’s only one nurse practitioner available during the overnight shift, chances are you’ll still have a long wait even if there are less patients waiting to be seen.

The amount of patients at urgent care is unpredictable. Medical assistant Matthew Phillips says, “I have an 8 hour shift, and anywhere from 35 on a light night up to 85 or 90 come in on a shift.”

Just as he says this, the phone rings, and it’s someone inquiring about the wait. Matthew tells them that he can’t guarantee how long the wait will be and advises the student to call back at 8:30 the next morning and get a same-day appointment if it isn’t too serious.

Appointments eliminate wait time, and increase the quality of service the students are getting. The labs and X-rays are only open during the day as well, so if you are suffering from a bone injury in the evening the best they can do is give you ace bandages and crutches.

Both Zaveruha and Phillips stress that an appointment is the best way to get in if it’s an acute cold or minor health issue. However, if you have a fever over 102 or are seriously ill, you should come in immediately.

By the middle of the night Zaveruha says, “It’s winding down. I just have a couple sutures to put in and some more flu stuff to deal with.”

Jackie Hai contributed to this report.